The Best Vegan Black Bean Burger

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A well-made veggie burger can be hard to come by, especially homemade, but this Vegan Black Bean Burger is full of flavor, is so easy to make, and has a great texture that won’t fall apart on you.

In the summer months, when I’m walking through the neighborhood, all I can smell is grilled burgers and hot dogs wafting through the air. You better believe the craving for burgers of my childhood hit hard in these moments!

It’s times like these, I know I can whip up the best black bean burger right at home and have it on the grill and on a bun, stacked high with my favorite toppings and a side of my favorite Shirazi Salad Recipe.

The best part about these plant-based burgers is that you can have a batch already made up and in the freezer for any time the craving for a good ole burger hits.

Vegan Black Bean Burger Ingredient Spotlight

The best part of these black bean burgers is that the ingredients are simple, easy to find, and don’t have any weird fillers like some of the products you’ll find at the grocery store and fast food joints.

Let’s have a look at what it takes to make the best black bean burger.

ingredients for vegan black bean burger in individual dishes.

Mushrooms – I love the savory umami flavor mushrooms add in a dish like these black bean burgers. Without veggies and spices, black beans don’t have a whole lot of flavor. You can use baby bellas, cremini, or white button mushrooms in this recipe.

Red Bell Pepper – Red bell peppers give an additional layer of flavor. You can really use any type of bell pepper. For added heat, you could even mince up some jalapeno peppers.

Spices – Spices are an imperative part of this black bean burger, so feel free to get a little heavy-handed and season to taste.

Black Beans – Obviously, black beans are the star of the show here. Hearty black beans give a good source of protein and fiber to this burger. If you have a similarly textured bean on hand, such as pinto, kidney, or white beans, feel free to substitute them in or do a mix-and-match combination.

Rolled Oats – Oats are going to bind the black beans to your veggies and black beans. Feel free to use gluten free oats if needed. Also, if your mixture feels a little too wet after pulsing in the food processor, add another tablespoon of oats and pulse again until you reach a consistency that isn’t too wet but will form a nice solid pattie.

You’ll soon find that making homemade veggie burgers is so easy that you really won’t need to rely on store-bought freezer burgers any longer!

How to Make a Vegan Black Bean Burger

Step 1 – Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until starting to brown. Carefully blot the veggies with a paper towel to remove a bit of their moisture.

Step 2 – Add in the paprika, cumin, and sea salt. Cook another minute until fragrant.

Step 3 – Transfer the mixture to a food processor along with the black beans and oats.

Step 4 – Pulse the mixture for about 30 seconds until well combined but not pureed.

Step 5 – Form the mixture into 6 burgers and place them on a baking sheet.

Step 6– Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

bite taken out of your homemade black bean burgers

Insider Pro Tips

Don’t completely mash the beans

You definitely want to be sure you keep some of the texture with the beans. When you’re pulsing the black beans in the food processor, it’s important to keep the texture intact.

Remove the moisture

One of the most common complaints about black bean burgers is how mushy they can be. Removing some of the moisture from the veggies will help eliminate the mush. Before adding in the spices, carefully blot the veggies with a paper towel to remove as much as you can.

Chill the patties

Another gripe with homemade veggie burgers is how easily they fall apart. Chilling the patties in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before putting them in the oven or grilling them up is a great way to get them to firm up a bit.

Customize with toppings

Obviously, toppings are where it’s at with a homemade veggie burger. You can enjoy it as plain or loaded as you like! Maybe you’re just a ketchup and mustard gal. Or maybe you’re a “i can barely fit my mouth around this thing” burger-lover. Either way, here are some suggested favorites:

caramelized onions
roasted jalapenos
red onions
shredded lettuce
thick slices of tomatoes
vegan cheese sauce
sauteed mushrooms
slices of dill pickles

The customization and possibilities are endless.

vegan black bean burger on a plate with a pickle on the side.

Vegan Black Bean Burgers FAQs

How do I store vegan black bean burgers?

If you’re planning to eat these within 4-6 days, feel free to store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight container once they’ve cooled completely.
If you’d like to make these to freeze, you can either freeze cooked or uncooked. Just be sure to add parchment paper in between the patties before freezing so they don’t stick together.
Once you’re ready to reheat, whether from the refrigerator freezer, microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

What should I serve homemade veggie burgers with?

I love eating veggie burgers with a big salad, but you really can’t go wrong here. Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Fruit Salad, Sweet Potato Fries, Steamed veggies, Vegan cauliflower cheese. Whatever your heart fancies.

Can homemade black bean burgers be grilled?

Yes! I love grilling these black bean burgers because of how sold and stable they are. But I always make sure to refrigerate the patties for at least an hour before grilling. Even better, you could take them right from the freezer to the grill for even more holding power.

How do you keep vegan black bean burgers from falling apart?

Make sure the consistency is where it should be. Not too wet of a pattie and refrigerate for half an hour before cooking. I really like making these in the oven because you don’t have to worry and them falling apart when flipping them.

Looking for more Vegan Summer Recipes?

If you are a burger fan, you have got to check out this Vegan Beet Burger.

Now that you know how to easy it is to make the best black bean burger ever, please give it a star rating below and comment letting me know how it turned out for you.