This Vegan Black Bean Burger recipe is like no other you’ve tried. First, it doesn’t crumble apart. Secondly, it’s not a mushy texture. It holds together, grills and the flavor is so rich, you may not miss a typical hamburger. But first, let me explain the inspiration behind the burger.

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Vegan Black Bean Burger with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, mayo, orange marmalade and mustard.

My family and I just returned from a well-needed vacation back to my hometown of Kansas City, the self-proclaimed barbeque capital of the U.S. Due to the pandemic, this has been the longest time I’ve been away. However, it was great to see old friends, classmates, co-workers and neighbors. It’s hard to beat Midwestern hospitality.

The growth of the city over the past few years was incredible. I had to use GPS to get around areas that I used to know like the back of my hand. The Power Light District has also changed the downtown landscape and turned it into a hive of activity. I’m sure a lot of the growth has been fueled also by the low cost of living, high quality of life, and the passion for our recent Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs.

We noticed an expansion in museums, art and eclectic restaurants. More surprising was the boom in vegetarian and vegan eating establishments. A number of my meat-eating friends had either turned vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. Thus the motivation for my Vegan Black Bean Burger recipe.

I had a number of goals I created for this recipe. It had to be vegan and gluten-free so that any of my friends could partake. The recipe had to be healthy and simple to create. The burger could not crumble apart or be mushy like I’ve experienced at many restaurants. It had to be flavorful. I wasn’t so concerned about making it taste like meat, but the texture had to be similar and made from ingredients commonly found in most pantries. Finally, I didn’t want to use quinoa, breadcrumbs or a bunch of other vegetables as fillers. After all, this is a Black Bean Burger!

After a few trials and errors, I think the result is a winning combination. The burger holds together like real hamburger meat. It’s flavorful, healthy and tasty. It take less than 30 minutes to make, from pantry to table.

The primary ingredients I use are black beans, oats, walnuts and scallions. The flavor profile is achieved through a combination of chili powder, garlic, paprika, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper. The end result: delicious!

There are two ways to achieve the burger texture. You can mash the beans, crush the walnuts and chop the scallions by hand. Or, you can use a food processor, like I do, to process the ingredients in a proper order.

Using the food processor, first mince the garlic. Secondly, add green onion and process. Thirdly, add the walnuts and process. And lastly, add the beans, oats and remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of ground beef.

Vegan Black Bean Burger

Next, let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes so the oats can absorb the moisture. Scoop mixture and form into patties. You can make 4 large patties or stretch it out to 6 smaller patties.

Bring a large skillet to medium heat and grease it with olive oil. Carefully place the patties in the skillet and fry them for 4-5 minutes. Using a spatula, flip each patty and fry them for another 2-3 minutes.

Place on a lightly toasted hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. Enjoy with a variety of condiments like ketchup, mustard and relish or my “Better than Tabasco hot sauce.

Or, turn it into a gourmet burger with mayonnaise, orange marmalade and avocado slices.

black bean burger feature

Black Bean Burger


5 from 5 votes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 23 minutes
Servings: 4
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DESCRIPTION

These Black bean burgers are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals but are much lower in fat and cholesterol than a traditional ground beef burger.

INGREDIENTS
 

  • 1 can 14.5 oz black beans ( rinsed and drained, smashed)
  • 1 cup oats
  • ½ cup walnuts (finely crushed)
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 3 scallions (washed, trimmed, finely chopped)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Oil to fry

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • In food processor, mince garlic. Next, add green onion and process. Add walnuts and process. Then add beans, oats and remaining ingredients and pulse until the mix had the consistency of ground beef.
  • Let mix rest for 10-15 minutes so oats absorb moisture. Scoop mixture and form into patties.
  • Bring skillet to medium heat, grease with olive oil and place patties. Fry for 4-5 minutes, carefully flip and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Place on a lightly toasted hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. Enjoy with a variety of condiments like ketchup, mustard and relish or hot sauce.
  • Or, turn it into a gourmet burger with mayonnaise, orange marmalade and avocado slices.

NUTRITION

Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 11gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 56mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 9gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 290IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg
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8 Responses

  1. 5 stars
    This is a delicious recipe! I wanted to make vegan, no oil “chicken fried steak”. I didn’t use the food processor so the oats would be chunky. I made rough-looking patties and baked them. They were crispy and delicious with mashed potatoes and gravy. Win!

    1. Mary,
      That sounds like a fantastic adaptation! Baking the patties for a crispy texture without oil is a great idea, and pairing them with mashed potatoes and gravy sounds delicious. So glad you enjoyed the recipe—thanks for sharing your twist on it! 😊🍽️

    1. Daniel, I use the walnuts primarily to add texture. You can either eliminate them or use a different bean (like roasted garbanzo), or substitute with seed (pumpkin, sunflower), or use crushed pretzels (if you’re not gluten-free). Let me know how they turn out. Bon Appetit!

5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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