Easy to make Vegan Black Bean Burgers that are loaded with flavour and not mushy! They are satisfying, delicious and a tried and true reader favourite.
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
It's summer and it's not a time we love being in the kitchen, but these Vegan Black Bean Burgers are worth making an exception for and they are so easy to make you won't even break a sweat.
Pop them in a bun, top with all the things, and you're done. May I suggest burger in one hand and a nice cold bevvy in the other? This is how summer dreams are made.
Are black bean burgers vegan?
Not all black bean burgers are vegan. It's always worth checking first especially if you are eating out in a cafe or restaurant. Many recipes include egg and some contain breadcrumbs from a loaf that might not be vegan. Some even contain cheese. If it's important to you not to consume animal products then don't just assume that because it's a bean or veggie burger it's vegan. Of course, this recipe is vegan though!
Ingredients
Wondering what black bean burgers are made of? Let me show you what you'll need to make this recipe and why:
- Canned black beans - Canned because they are more consistent and all tend to be the same texture, unlike home-cooked beans which can sometimes vary depending on how old the beans were and how they are cooked. If the beans are too firm they won't squish together well enough to form good burgers.
- Green onions - Because they work well with the other flavours and because they are going in raw.
- Cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cilantro - Flavour!
- Lime - Zesty flavour and moisture.
- Ground flaxseed - The binder. Flaxseed swells and becomes gelatinous as it absorbs moisture. It acts as the glue in this recipe. Plus as an added bonus it's also really nutritious and enables you to make the black bean burgers with no breadcrumbs. Flax does a better job and keeps them gluten-free.
- Chilli flakes - For a bit of heat. It works really nicely with the other flavours. They are optional though.
- BBQ Sauce - Optional but great brushed on the burgers after cooking. It makes them look shiny and succulent and adds another layer of flavour.
How to make vegan black bean burgers
These vegan black bean burgers are incredibly easy to make and you don't need any special equipment. Just a potato masher (or a fork) and your hands. Here's how it's done:
Step 1 - Drain canned black beans and mash them.
They should look a bit like this when you're done. A good combination of mashed and partially mashed beans for good burger texture!
Step 2 - Add the other ingredients.
Step 3 - Mix well with clean hands.
Step 4 - Shape into patties.
Step 5 - Pan fry or bake.
Success Tips
Here are my best tips for making these vegan black bean burgers successfully, including tips for shaping and forming:
- Canned beans give more consistent results than home-cooked dried black beans. That's because they always tend to be the same softness. When you cook them at home the softness of the beans can change depending on how old the dried beans were, how you cook them and for how long. This can affect how the burgers hold together. Using canned beans makes life easier and means you don't need to worry about that.
- Drain the beans very well. We don't want any liquid hanging around. It makes a big difference to the firmness and texture.
- Make sure you don’t mash the black beans too much. Some texture must remain.
- Don't skimp on the seasonings. Beans need a little help to taste really good.
- Squish the portioned out mixture together in your hands before forming so it's compacted and don't make the burgers too thin. They should be between ¾ to 1 inch thick.
- Cook the burgers over moderate heat. It shouldn't be too high. We want them to cook through and firm up before they become overdone on the outside.
- Brush the outsides with BBQ sauce or my easy tofu marinade before serving. It adds yet another layer of flavour and makes the burgers look shiny and succulent.
How do they taste?
What do black bean burgers taste like? First up, you aren't going to bite into a black bean burger and mistake it for a beef or Beyond burger. They do not taste like a hamburger and never will. But that's not to mean they aren't delicious, they really are when done right.
Black beans have a deep earthy flavour and easily take on other flavours they are cooked with. And that's why my Vegan Black Bean Burgers are loaded with ingredients that really pack a punch. Like raw green onions, lime, cilantro and dried spices. Then the outside is brushed with BBQ sauce which adds yet another layer of flavour.
In essence, these burgers taste of black beans with strong undertones of garlic, lime, cilantro and warming spices. And then there's the little tang of the BBQ sauce too. They are so good!
Serving Suggestions
Black Bean Burgers work with so many flavours. If you're wondering what to serve with black bean burgers here are some ideas:
In a bun, flatbread or pita bread with toppings like:
- leafy greens & tomato
- red onionm, caramlized onions or onion rings
- crumbled vegan feta cheese
- vegan cheddar cheese slices
- guacamole or green sauce
- salsa, pickles, jalapenos or habanero hot sauce
- avocado dressing
- grilled pineapple
- BBQ sauce
- vegan coleslaw
- sauteed mushrooms
Sides dishes for black bean burgers:
- fries, potato wedges or sweet potato fries
- grilled baby potatoes
- Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Watermelon Mint Salad
- Tomato Chickpea Salad
- Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Kidney Bean Salad
- a big green leafy salad
Storage, Freezing & Reheating Tips
These freezer friendly black bean burgers are really great for making ahead and meal prep.
- To store - They keep well in the fridge for four to five days whether cooked or uncooked. Be sure to keep them wrapped well or in an airtight container so they don't dry out. Leftovers are also really good cold. I often pop them into packed lunches, eat them from the fridge as a snack, or crumble them on salads, bowl meals or in sandwiches.
- To freeze uncooked burgers- Lay uncooked patties out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer. As soon as they are hard you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. To be sure they won't stick together it's best to place a sheet of parchment paper between layers. Thaw in the fridge then cook as per the instructions.
- To reheat previously cooked burgers - Bake them in the oven at 370°F for about 15-20 minutes or until piping hot. If frozen bake them straight from the freezer for about 20-25 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, as long as you squeeze them together really well and are very gentle with them. Cooking times are included in the recipe below.
Wondering how to make vegan black bean burgers that don't fall apart? The secret is to use a good binder. My preferences in bean burgers are nut butter or ground flaxseed which this recipe uses. Both do a really good job of keeping them together.
The other trick to stop them from falling apart is to really compact each burger when forming it. Take the mixture and give it a really good squeeze together. Do it really hard so it's all really packed together before you even start to shape them.
And lastly don't cook them over too high a heat and don't flip them too much when cooking. You need the inside to firm up before the outside gets overdone. Aim to just turn them once if you can. This will limit any chances of breakage.
Recipe
Vegan Black Bean Burgers
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 2 cups / 340 g canned black beans , make sure they are drained very well
- 4 green onions , chopped finely
- 1 lime , zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup / 4 tablespoons ground flax seed , or dried out breadcrumbs / Panko
- 1 big handful cilantro , chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper , plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes , OPTIONAL
- 2 tablespoons oil , OPTIONAL
- 4 tablespoons vegan BBQ sauce , OPTIONAL
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add beans to a large bowl and mash roughly with a potato masher. Not too much though, we want some chunks through the mixture for texture.
- Add the chopped green onions, lime zest and juice, cumin, garlic powder, ground flax seed, cilantro, salt, pepper and optional chili flakes. Mix well making sure everything is combined. I find clean hands are the best tool for this.
- Taste the mixture to check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Refrigerate the mixture for about 15 minutes to let the flaxseed get to work. This helps it firm up a little and makes it easier to shape the burgers.
- Shape into 4 separate balls, then press each one down firmly using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a mug until it's a burger patty shape. I don't recommend making them too thin. Anywhere from ¾ to 1 inch thickness is best. If they crack a bit press them gently back together.
To pan fry
- Heat the oil in a pan over a medium low heat. If you aren't using the oil be sure to use a non-stick pan.
- Once the pan is hot add the burgers making sure there is plenty of space around each one to enable you to flip them easily later. If you can't fit them all in, have your oven on low (300 ° F / 148 °C) and once the first ones are done keep them warm in there until the rest are ready.
- Cook for about 7 minutes each side, or until a nice golden crust forms.
- Before serving brush generously with the optional BBQ sauce. It adds another layer of flavour and makes them look really good!
To oven bake
- Put the burgers on a lined tray, brush with oil if using, then bake them in the oven at 375°F for about 25 minutes, or until heated through and a little bit crusty on the outside. Flip them over halfway through the cooking time.
- Before serving brush generously with the optional BBQ sauce. It adds another layer of flavour and makes them look really good!
To grill
- Be sure to squeeze the patties together really, really well, and treat them very gently. I often cook mine on a grill pan then I don't have to worry as much about bits potentially breaking off when turning. Cook them over a medium-low heat for about 7 minutes each side. Before serving brush generously with the optional BBQ sauce. It adds another layer of flavour and makes them look really good!
NOTES
- To store - They keep well in the fridge for four to five days whether cooked or uncooked. Be sure to keep them wrapped well or in an airtight container so they don't dry out.
- To freeze uncooked burgers- Lay uncooked patties out on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and pop the whole thing in the freezer. As soon as they are hard you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. To be sure they won't stick together it's best to place a sheet of parchment paper between layers. Thaw in the fridge then cook as per the instructions.
- To reheat previously cooked burgers - Bake them in the oven at 370°F for about 15-20 minutes or until piping hot.
💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.
Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.
NUTRITION
This recipe was originally published on June 22nd, 2015. I've updated it with some new content, made a video and am now republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Lisa says
Since coming across this recipe, it has become a weekly staple in our household, the flavours work so well together. I've never tasted a vegan burger that tastes as good as this recipe. Thank you Mel :-)
Melanie McDonald says
Thanks Lisa. So pleased you're enjoying the recipe!
Susan Young says
This Black Bean Burgers get a 5 star plus rating for flavor, they were delicious! However, following the recipe exactly, I did not measure the amount of juice from the lime, I used flax seed. I 1 1/2 times the recipe so made 6 burgers. I added 1/2 more of each ingredient and refrigerated them overnight. I did cook them in my air fryer, on bake 375 degrees for 12 mins, flipped them and 12 mins more. They were pretty soft to the touch so cooked them another 12 minutes. We were starving at that point so we just put them between bread, with all the fixin's and ate them. They were so soft that they ended up being more like a spread than a burger but neither my husband or I minded that as we devoured them. I would like to see what I can do to make them a little more "burger" like. I choose not to use oil so if I try frying them I'll use either a quick spray or nothing at all. Any suggestions? I curious if everyone else that had such wonderful experiences had firmer burgers? I even rinsed the beans, which wasn't called for and dried them thourougly! I appreciate any help! These are so delicious!
Melanie McDonald says
These burgers definitely shouldn't be soft/mushy. They are pretty firm. First I will say that this recipe hasn't been tested in an air fryer so although I doubt it, that could be part of the issue. Sometimes when multiplying a recipe it can be easy to make a mistake with quantities. If the flax to bean ratio is off then the texture will be affected.
Also just another couple of things in case it helps you pinpoint what might have gone wrong:
Did you use ground flax as specified? Whole flaxseed does not have the same effect in this recipe. With that much ground flax all of the moisture in the burger is absorbed and the burgers are firmed up, resulting in what should be a not mushy burger.
Did you give them the 15 minutes resting time in the fridge? That step is essential for the ground flax to activate, although if you used whole flax this step wouldn't be effective.
Did you perhaps mash the beans too much? They shouldn't be fully mashed.
Did you add the BBQ sauce to the mixture? The BBQ sauce is for brushing on after they are cooked.
Hope that helps!
John says
Do you drain and rinse the black beans, or just drain? The picture in step one looks like they were also rinsed.
Melanie McDonald says
In "real life" I never rinse the beans. I would have for taking the photos just to make them look a bit nicer, not because it makes a difference to how the recipe works. It's up to you if you do or not.
For future reference, if a step like that is necessary in a recipe I will always say. Hope that helps!
Medbh says
I've been threatening to make these for a few weeks. Sorry I put it off so long now. These are really great, no green onion so subbed with red, fell apart a bit in the pan but probably more down to my impatient and hungry burger shaping.
Plenty left over to go again tomorrow!
Chris says
I definitely went on avirtualvegan cooking rampage last night, made the five spice tofu as well as a double-batch of these burgers. I had exactly the right amount of green onions sitting in my fridge and put them to good use.
What I most liked about these is how good they stayed together while eating (I put the burger on an english muffin). I recommend waiting 5 minutes after cooking in the pan before eating, it seems to firm up a bit. Also did a 50/50 split of ground flax seed to panko. Flavor was just fantastic and I'll be bookmarking this to do in the future.
Thank you!
Donxih says
Soo soo soo freaking good I have no words, on my way to the shop to buy me some of these ingredients cause this is to good. The taste in my mouth??
Debbie says
Best Black Bean Burgers yet! So tasty and moist. I omitted the lime and coriander and went with parsley and Worcestershire sauce.They freeze beautifully too. Thanks again Mel!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed them Debbie!
kanya says
The burgers are actually really good and scrumptious. I skipped the spring onions mostly because i forgot them but then added about 1/2 a brown onion chopped up and OH MY where these the best. i also skipped on the bbq sauce solely because i didn’t think it’s go. I’m making these again this weekend and am dying to devour all 4.
This recipe did make 4 burgers and i changed flax seeds for chia seeds which i think worked really well, i wouldn’t skip the refrigerating step although i did and two of my burgers split in the pan but were still equally yummy. Thank you for this AWESOME recipe i am looking forward to making these again.
Chris says
Tried these today they were delicious and satisfying filling. Thank you for the recipe.
Lauren says
Hiya
Please help. These tasted amazing but were SO sloppy. I'm wondering what I did wrong? I made the burgers using the recipe, used one tablespoon of oil. I put them in the fridge for a while and made the burger shapes but left them out for a bit after. Also when I rolled them I handled them quite a bit.
Can you please let me know because I do want them to work.
Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Lauren, They shouldn't be sloppy. There's barely any liquid in them except the little bit of lime juice. Did you drain the beans absolutely thoroughly? Also worth asking just in case, you didn't add the optional BBQ sauce to the mixture? Or the oil? The oil is for cooking them in not adding to the mixture and the BBQ sauce gets brushed on afterwards. Hope that helps!
Frankie says
I just made these and they are delicious!! I think I ate almost as much of the mixture uncooked as I did cooked!! Will make again, for sure!
Thanks for the recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
Ha ha! I'm really pleased you're enjoying them. Thank you for stopping by to leave a review/rating. It's much appreciated!
Win Hawkins says
If using nut butter instead of flaxseed, how much please?
A Virtual Vegan says
3 tablespoons should do it.
Win Hawkins says
Thank you. I'll certainly give it a go
Chris F says
Excellent flavor but not sure if I used the right amount of flax seed meal. I used 1/4 cup. Wasn’t sure if it should have been 1/4 cup and 4 Tablespoons.
A Virtual Vegan says
Quarter cup is correct!
Kerrie says
Thank you for this recipe. I'm going to try it tonight. I just wanted to comment that I love that you provide substitute ideas. It's so thoughtful and helpful.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Kerrie. I hope you enjoy them!
Diana Durai says
Hi,
Is the 2 tbsp of oil meant to be used in the mixture or for frying? It's a little confusing?
A Virtual Vegan says
The oil is for frying. You can get away without if you use a good non-stick pan. That's why it's optional . Hope that helps!
Kim Arsenault says
These were really good!! We've purchased black bean burgers before in the grocery stores, but these are, by far, the most tasty ones we've eaten. The whole family just loved them. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Kim. I'm really pleased you all enjoyed them!
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!