Delicious Vegan Black Bean Burgers with hints of lime & a slight chili kick. Satisfying, healthy, flavour packed & not mushy!
Store bought vegan burgers are almost always a disappointment so I usually cut out the middle man and make my own. These Vegan Black Bean Burgers are one of my favourites. They have become a reader favourite too and this recipe does consistently well, all year round.
I think this is largely because they are packed full of flavour, they don’t fall apart and they aren’t mushy ????
Don’t you just hate mushy veggie burgers? ????They are sure a pet hate for me. I hate biting into a burger and have it squirt out the other side of the bun!
I say these Vegan Black Bean Burgers are one of my favourites because these White Bean Artichoke Burgers are just as good and get made by me just as often, especially for grilling in the summer:
HOW TO USE BLACK BEANS
I always have black beans on hand at home. They are a really versatile ingredient and I think my favourite kind of bean. I think out of all the beans they have the most flavour and they are incredibly versatile.
They are great for making chili, spicy black beans, salads, chocolate brownies and of course burgers.
If you have an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, be sure to try my Seasoned Pressure Cooker Black Beans:
I buy my black beans in dried form and cook them in my Instant Pot, but tinned black beans are also great to use in this recipe.
Having an Instant Pot has been a serious game changer for me. You can go from dried beans to cooked, tender beans in under 1 hour. No soaking needed. Plus they are so much cheaper to buy.
Before, I always used to buy canned beans because I was never organized enough to cook dried beans prior to making a recipe. Now though, because they are ready so quickly, it doesn’t really matter if I leave it until the last minute.
It also makes batch cooking them so easy. I tend to make a big, giant pot full, then freeze in glass containers like these:
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS
FOR INGREDIENTS & FULL INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST
These Vegan Black Bean Burgers are incredibly easy to make and you don’t need any special equipment. Just a potato masher and your hands.
It couldn’t be more simple and I think just about everyone owns a potato masher!
STEP 1
Mash up those beans but keep them a bit chunky for texture
STEP 2
Add the other ingredients and mix well
STEP 3
Refrigerate to firm
STEP 4
Shape into patties
STEP 5
Pan fry or bake
Done! I just love how simple they are.
HOW TO SERVE BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Black Bean Burgers work with so many flavours. I love to serve mine:
- in a bun with all the fixings like guac, salsa, hot sauce…????
- in a warm pita with hummus, arugula and green onions (or any other salad)
- with a big green salad
- with fries (sweet potato fries…yes please! )
- or whatever side takes your fancy
They are so versatile!
The freshness of my Minted Watermelon Salad or my Tomato Chickpea Salad with Cilantro & Lime works really well with them, as does my Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing drizzled ALL over.
Leftovers are also good cold. I often put them in packed lunch boxes or just grab them from the fridge for a protein packed snack.
HOW TO STORE BLACK BEAN BURGERS
These Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Lime keep well in the fridge for 4- 5 days and they also freeze very well for up to 3 months. They are just perfect for batch cooking ready for quick and easy meals in the future.
When freezing put a piece of baking parchment between each one to avoid sticking then place in either a sealed container or a freezer bag.
To reheat, bake them in the oven on 370°F for about 15-20 minutes. You can even bake them straight from the freezer for about 20-25 minutes or until piping hot all the way through. doing that makes for such an easy meal at a later date and we all need quick and easy meals in our lives from time to time when life gets a little crazy.
I AM LOVING THESE VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS BECAUSE THEY ARE:
- moist but not mushy and don’t fall apart
- spicy
- full of flavour
- citrusy
- really easy to make with no special equipment
- budget friendly
- healthy
- easily freezable for batch cooking and quick meals at a later date
- quick to make
- full of protein
I see Vegan Black Bean Burgers in your future, don’t you?
Are you ready?
Let’s do this!
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The book will feature 75 recipes, almost all of them brand new and not available anywhere else, with full colour photographs, all taken by yours truly.
Each recipe in the book has been tested by my amazing team of 20 recipe testers to ensure that they will work flawlessly in any kitchen.
The book will be released on May 28th 2019 and will be available everywhere that sells books. Check out my cookbook page for more information and for pre-order links to a variety of stores.
Zesty Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 cups / 340 g black beans , drained and rinsed
- 4 green onions , chopped
- 1 lime ,zest and juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup / 4 tablespoons ground flax seed or bread crumbs would also work
- 1 handful cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper , plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil (optional) It's your choice what kind, I use olive. If you don't use any use a good non-stick pan to cook them in
Instructions
- Add beans to a large bowl and mash roughly with a potato masher (but not too much).
- Add all of the other ingredients and mix well (I find clean hands are the best tool for this), making sure everything is well combined. Taste the mixture to check seasoning and add more if necessary.
- Refrigerate for about 15 minutes. This helps it firm up a little and makes it easier to shape the burgers.
- The mixture will feel very sticky but should come together well. Shape into 4 balls, pressing them together really really firmly then using the palm of your hand press down on the top of each one to make it a burger shape. If they crack a bit just press them gently back together. If you struggle to shape them because you feel the mixture is too sticky then add a few more tablespoons of flax or some bread crumbs and leave for a few minutes to let it absorb some moisture before attempting to shape again.
To pan fry
- Heat the oil in a fry pan over a medium heat.
- Once hot add the burgers making sure there is plenty of space around each one to enable you to flip them later. If you can't fit them all in, have your oven on low (300 degrees F) and once the first ones are done keep them warm in there until the rest are ready.
- Fry them for about 5 minutes each side or until a nice golden crust forms.
To oven bake
- Put the burgers on a lined tray and bake them in the oven on 375°F until heated through and a bit crusty on the outside (about 30 minutes).
Notes
Estimated nutrition per serving:
Long time vegan, creator of A Virtual Vegan & author of the book 
Tracy bellis says
Tasty burgers thanks! Trying vegan for a week so have been looking for filling healthy meals 😁👍
A Virtual Vegan says
I’m really pleased you enjoyed them Tracy!
Marissa Khosh says
These are great! I make a double batch and put some in the freezer for easy meal days. My husband actually says he likes them better than beef burgers!
Melanie McDonald says
Oh wow, that’s a great compliment! Thank you Marissa!
Sydney says
Are these grillable?
Melanie McDonald says
I haven’t tried with these. I really should one of these days. I think they will be fine though. They are pretty firm and don’t fall apart like some bean burgers. These burgers are definitely grillable though https://avirtualvegan.com/white-bean-artichoke-burgers/
Belen Soria says
This was the easiest, yet most delicious black bean burger ever! Thanks so much for your delectable recipe!