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Black Bean Burger Recipe

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4.89 from 63 votes
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These Black Bean Burgers are a satisfying and nutritious plant-based alternative to a classic family favorite! Quick, easy, and flavorful.

Black bean burger on bun in basket with crackers

Why you’ll love these

  • Plant-Based. Whether you follow a vegan diet or simply want to incorporate more meatless meals, these burgers won’t disappoint. 
  • Flavorful and Juicy. Thanks to fresh herbs, spices, and black beans, these burgers pack a punch while remaining SO moist.
  • Easy. Throw a handful of ingredients into a food processor, and BOOM you’ve got yourself a great meatless meal. 
  • Versatile. Use your favorite spices, toppings, and sides to create a new dish every time. 

What is a black bean burger?

A black bean burger is a meatless burger that’s made primarily from black beans. Serve it up on a bun with your favorite toppings just as you would with beef.

What does a black bean burger taste like?

These burgers have earthy, slightly sweet notes from the black beans, and are further flavored with fresh cilantro, tangy red onions, and smoky spices such as chili powder, cumin, and paprika. When made as directed, they almost have a taco flavor! 

Black bean burger held in two hands

Ingredients

  • Chia Seeds and Water – create a vegan egg alternative that is packed with omega-3 fatty acids.,
  • Veggies: Green Bell Pepper, Red Onion, and Garlic – provide flavor, nutrients, and color! Feel free to use whatever bell pepper/onion you have on hand (red bell pepper, green onion).  
  • Cilantro – provides an earthy, bright flavor to balance out the smoky spices. Don’t love cilantro? Try parsley instead! 
  • Spices: Chili Powder, Cumin, Paprika, and Salt – give these burgers a Tex-Mex flair. Feel free to use your favorite combination of spices instead. 
  • Black Beans – our MVP that loads these burgers with protein and fiber. Be sure to rinse and drain the canned beans thoroughly. 
  • Old Fashioned Oats – our binding agent that helps hold the burgers together. Use certified gluten free oats, if necessary. 
Pro tip
Try adding a dash of liquid smoke for a more classic grilled flavor!

How to make

  1. Pulse together veggies and spices in a food processor, then pulse in chia “egg”, beans, and oats.
  2. Refrigerate for 1 hour, shape into patties, then bake for 20 minutes on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. 
  3. Serve with your favorite burger fixings and enjoy!

How to shape black bean burgers

Use a measuring cup to portion out the black bean patty mixture evenly, then use your hands to flatten and shape them into patties. 

What holds black bean burgers together?

Old fashioned oats and a chia “egg” (made with chia seeds and water) act as binding agents that hold the patties together. 

Black bean burger side view

Can i fry them?

Yes, simply heat avocado oil on a large non-stick skillet, then pan fry on both sides until the outside is crispy and the interior is hot. 

Are black bean burgers healthy?

Absolutely! These burgers are full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. They’re also low in fat and calories if you’re watching your intake. 

What to put on a black bean burger

Use your favorite burger toppings! These black bean burgers do, however, have a slight tex-mex flavor, so here are some of my favorite topping ideas: 

What to serve with black bean burgers

Black bean burger on bun

How to store

Leftovers will last in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

To enjoy again, thaw, if frozen, then pan-fry or bake until warmed through. 

– Jennifer

This Black Bean Burger Recipe is PACKED with vegetables and flavor and is super quick and easy to make. All you need is 10 minutes and a food processor! Vegan. Gluten Free. showmetheyummy.com

Black Bean Burger Recipe

4.89 from 63 votes
These Black Bean Burgers are a satisfying and nutritious plant-based alternative to a classic family favorite! Quick, easy, and flavorful.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 burgers
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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Black Bean Burgers

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 green bell pepper roughly chopped
  • 1/2 small red onion roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed, then dried
  • 3/4 cups old fashioned oats

Burger Fixing Ideas

Recipe Video

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine chia seeds and water. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, or until the chia seeds have soaked up all the water. This is your chia "egg". 
  • Place pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt into a food processor, then pulse until the veggies have been finely chopped.
  • Add in chia "egg", black beans, and oats, pulse again until everything has been well combined, then place in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
  • Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, divide the mixture into 4 even patties, then use your hands to shape them into burger patties.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
  • Flip, then bake an additional 10 minutes.
  • Serve with your favorite burger fixings and enjoy!
  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Rate This Recipe
STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:2-3 Months
Reheat:Bake or microwave until heated through
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Black Bean Burger Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 burger patty)
Calories 235 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 912mg40%
Potassium 513mg15%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 981IU20%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 74mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: Best black bean burger, Easy vegetarian burger, Healthy black bean burger, Homemade plant-based burger, How to make black bean burgers, Vegan black bean burger
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

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  3. Ryan24

    La Mesa, California

    5 stars This recipe was easy to make. I made two batches. One according to recipe seasoning, and a second according to my preference. For my recipe seasoning I added curry, turmeric and chopped jalapeños.
    Reply

  7. Anonymous

    United States

    5 stars Oh my GOODness. I grilled these on the skillet. I used quick oats. I doubled the recipe and eye-balled the spices. THEY ARE PERFECT. The skillet makes them so nice and crunchy!
    Reply

  8. Ciara

    Elgin, Illinois

    5 stars I made these for my daughter and she loved them. I cooked for 10 minutes like the crime said and tried to flip them and they was too moist to flip. I also had to cook them like 30 to 40 minutes before they were done.
    Reply

  9. Jean

    United States

    5 stars This is the best vegan burger recipe I’ve found. Has great texture and spices are amazing. I’ll make a double or triple batch and freeze them.
    Reply

  11. Simone

    Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England

    4 stars I used an egg as I didn’t have any chai seeds in and it’s quite a runny consistency. Any ideas how to dry it up? Not sure they will turn out right now. 😩
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Try adding in more oats! Taste and re-season, if necessary. You could try adding in more black beans too. The egg shouldn’t have made it runny though! Did you drain your beans well?

  12. Lia

    Canada

    5 stars These are by far the best black bean burgers I’ve ever had. I made a couple adjustments, adding less salt and 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup of oats and I thought they were perfect. Definitely try these out! Whether you are vegetarian/vegan or not, you will LOVE these.
    Reply

  15. Lia

    Canada

    5 stars This recipe is SO GOOD! I’ve spent a long time looking for a black bean burger recipe that isn’t dry, or mostly grains with barely any beans in it. I only used 1/2 cup of oats instead of 3/4 cup and I found it worked perfectly!
    Reply

  16. Bonnie

    Rosemead, California

    5 stars Awesome bean burger the best I love them and everyone that I make them for love them must try not mushy nice and firm.
    Reply

  17. Heidi

    Columbus, Ohio

    5 stars This is the best black bean burger recipe I have found so far. It stays together whereas other recipes I’ve tried fall apart. if I were eating bread it would have stayed on the bun like in your video. I would definitely recommend this recipe. The only thing I might alter is the seasoning. It tastes like tacos because of the cumin. If someone wants a different flavor I’m sure other spices could be used. Thank you for this recipe.
    Reply

    • Kelly

      Calgary, Alberta

      Yes, I loved these. I ate it sans bun but with salsa, guac, lettuce, etc. Any thoughts on how to turn this into, say, a BBQ burger? Spices I could use, etc.?

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi, Kelly! To make this into a BBQ burger, I would omit the seasonings listed and just use a pre-made BBQ spice blend from the store. Just start with less and add more as needed until you’ve reached your desired flavor!

  21. Sybil

    Tampa, Florida

    5 stars I used adzuki beans instead of black beans because that’s what I had, skipped the cilantro because I didn’t have any, and baked them an extra 5 minutes (25 minutes total bake time). My first ever veggie burgers, and they were great! I loved that you included oats instead of panko or bread crumbs!
    Reply

  22. Jennifer

    Puyallup, Washington

    5 stars so yummy!! perfect for a vegan and gluten free! Super healthy as well! One of my new favorite black bean burger recipes.
    Reply

  23. Becky

    Hertford, England

    5 stars Best burger recipe by far, whole fam loved it. Moist and tasty! Chia seed ‘egg’ was a neat idea. We are not vegan, you don’t need to be!
    Reply

  25. Maree

    Wantirna South, Victoria

    5 stars This recipe was so easy and very yummy. A great recipe to start with if cooking with beans is a new thing for you. I plan to try the same recipe using other types of beans. We left out the chilli and cilantro.
    Reply

  29. JuliAnn

    Las Vegas, Nevada

    5 stars I have made this for my family at least 4x in one month..so good!! Perfect coupling of seasonings the whole family loves.
    Reply

  33. Sue

    Bracknell, England

    4 stars Great recipe. I left out the pepper because I don’t like them and it was still really tasty. Looking forward to adapting it with different veg.
    Reply

  34. Jolene

    Commerce, Georgia

    Is the 912mg sodium (40%) from the black beans or istis it oats? Just checking as I need to be on low sodium and was trying to avoid it.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      I’d suggest looking on the can of beans and the oats you’re using! Depends on the brand. It’s also from the additional salt added to the recipe.

    • Cole

      Grand Rapids, Michigan

      Just prepare the beans yourself from store bought dry beans! Also a good way to avoid some preservatives and helps to cut down the salt factor.

  40. Joslynn

    Ventura, California

    5 stars Delicious! I added some black pepper, a little more salt, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and did half of the patties in the oven and half in an iron skillet on the stove. The ones on the stove turned out more burger-like, but both were delicious.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks so much! I’ll have to try them on the stove sometime!

  41. Sonakshi

    Australia

    5 stars Absolutely brilliant! I made these yesterday, and oh buoy – healthy and tasty! Thanks so much for the recipe.
    Reply

  42. Laura

    Portugal

    5 stars I sauteed some mushrooms instead of pepper and missed the chilli out, my 3 year old and the adults loved them! Thanks
    Reply

  44. Sara

    Auckland, Auckland

    5 stars Only put in 1 teaspoon of chilli which is hot enough for me! Loads of flavour and easy to make – love them
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Thanks Molly! You could use a flax egg, but you can’t use steel cut oats because the texture is too hard. You could try using quick cooking oats but they may not hold up as well. Good luck!

  48. Carla

    Lincoln, England

    5 stars I love making these. I’ve done one batch with black beans and another with black-eyed beans. They freeze really well and I just airfry from frozen for about 12 minutes.
    Reply

  50. Michelle

    Canada

    5 stars These were divine even with a few subs. Didn’t have cilantro so used a few romaine leaves, used an orange pepper & to keep it grain free I used almond flour. As soon as they cooled I scooped one from the pan & ate it. I ended up with 8 patties.
    Reply

  51. Sabena

    United States

    Is it necessary to buy a silicone baking mat to use with the black bean burger recipe? Could you use something else it prevent the burgers from sticking?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Silicone baking mats work best, but I think parchment paper should be fine as well!

  52. Dianna

    Mississauga, Ontario

    Hey! I’m really excited to make these….just wondering if I can freeze them? Before cooking them in a pan or after? Thanks!
    Reply

  56. Juliann

    Toronto, Ontario

    4 stars Turned out really moist, could not have grilled but they fried up deliciously! Seriously tastes great!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Juliann! Thanks so much! I think these would grill up if you froze them first.

  57. Nina

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    5 stars The calorie count seems really high! Is this accurate? One can of black beans is less than 400 calories. So how could one burger be 450?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Nina! Thanks! We just switched recipe cards and it looks like the nutritional information got messed up. Just updated it so now it’s accurate 🙂

  58. Stephanie

    Jackson, Tennessee

    5 stars These black bean burgers were absolutely delicious! Even my meat-loving husband enjoyed them which is HUGE! thanks for a great recipe!
    Reply

  59. Todd

    Bay City, Michigan

    5 stars Fantastic! Just took these out of the oven and they are very good. Flavor and texture are both excellent.
    Reply

  60. Tom

    ERROR

    So I’ve been making this recipe lately, and let me start off by saying the flavor is FANTASTIC! But I’ve followed it to the letter and still something seems off. I see one commenter talked about them falling apart, but mine are straight up goopy. Even adding real egg, more binder, more oats, nothing seems to really dry it out or keep it solid! It’s really hard to make actual “burgers” out of them when they’ve got the consistency of a thick milkshake! Is there anything you recommend?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Tom! I’d recommend watching the video… you’ll notice that the consistency is not like a milkshake at all. It’s very solid! Did you drain the liquid from the beans? You could also be over-processing the mixture in your food processor.

    • sim

      Richardson, Texas

      5 stars i definitely made that mistake, had to add a ton of oatmeal (then my quantity was massive) and even some flour, gonna give it another go! love the spice level it is higher than average i think

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      A “regular” egg or flax egg would work as a substitute for the chia egg (chia seeds + water).

  63. Eric

    Looking at the black bean burger. An egg is not listed in the ingredients, but you state to add egg in the directions. Can you please clarify?
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Eric! The “egg” is the chia “egg” from steps 1 & 2. 🙂 Let me know if you need more clarification.

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Nikki! That SHOULD be fine, but I’ve never worked with that cereal, so I can’t guarantee the results! You’ll have to lmk if you try! 🙂

  66. Diana

    5 stars I am so grateful that there are some really great Vegan recipes such as yours. Thank you for posting such great recipes. I will be serving these black bean burgers for my next Sabbath Day family lunch. Thanks again.
    Reply

  68. Jessica

    These were so tasty and I frozen them and they were great each time. Only problem I have is they seem to fall apart easily. Besides that, perfect recipe and I haven’t been able to find anything like this. Thank you.
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      So glad you love these Jessica! Hmm. I’ve never had a problem with these falling apart. You could maybe try adding more “binder” – maybe another chia “egg”?

  70. Lana

    hello, I’m just having to change my diet up quite a bit due to health concerns. Can these burgers be made and then frozen for later use? How would you reheat? I’m only cooking for one.
    Reply

  71. Andrew

    5 stars My girlfriend and I are also not vegan or vegetarian. She’s Celiac and I love black bean burgers, but can’t seem to find them gluten free anywhere. We made these and they were exactly what I wanted! Toasted the buns with a little minced garlic/parsley/butter mix, spread on a little chipotle mayo, then threw on a slice of pepper jack cheese while the patties were still hot. So perfect. Thanks for the incredible recipe!
    Reply

  73. Katherine

    These look so yummy! We love black beans at our house and I made black bean turkey burgers a few months ago. They went over well; I bet we would really like these!
    Reply

    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      Hi Irene! I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it would be just fine. I WOULD suggest freezing them beforehand and grilling them on tin foil, so they don’t stick. I’d suggest medium heat (400 degrees F) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Would love to hear if you give it a try! 🙂
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