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My vegan black bean burger recipe is exploding with flavor, doesn’t dry out and makes a great feature on grill night. Grab your favorite bun and toppings and get ready for some good food.
There are so many black bean burgers on the market these days, yet I’ve tried more bad versions than good. So, I created my own recipe. It’s crispy on the outside, super filling, flavorful and perfect for the next cookout, game day feature or filling Meatless Mondays recipe. It’s also vegan and full of good-for-you benefits.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Homemade Burgers
In looking for a filling, vegan recipe that still holds up under frying or grilling, I found a few unique ingredients that really make these burgers work. With a little prep, you can even make extras and keep them frozen for whenever hunger strikes.
- Coconut oil: This is a great high-heat oil. You can easily swap it with avocado oil if you want. If you’re using olive oil, lower the temp of the stove and don’t let it heat up as long before adding the veggies so it doesn’t burn.
- Yellow onion: My favorite aromatic option in almost every recipe. Swap with purple onion if you want a brighter flavor.
- Garlic cloves: Four cloves may sound like a lot yet it makes for a flavorful result.
- Black beans: Look for beans that aren’t pre-flavored so it doesn’t combat the other spices used in this recipe.
- Cooked quinoa: This whole grain adds healthy protein and works double-duty as a binding agent.
- Breadcrumbs: Make your own, buy premade or choose cracker crumbs, you do you! Make sure they are gluten-free if you are going that route.
- Sunflower seeds: This might sound like another odd ingredient, but it kicks up the flavor. Sunflower seeds also add protein and healthy fats along with vitamin E, copper, manganese and selenium.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: While you could add this as a topping, I like chopping them up and adding them to the mixture to infuse more flavor and oil into the patties.
- Fresh cilantro: If cilantro isn’t your thing, feel free to omit it. If you like it then finely chop and mix in for added brightness.
- Spices: I use cumin, chili powder and sea salt to tie the ingredients together for the perfectly seasoned patties.
Plant-Based Toppings
If you want to make these burgers 100% vegan, that includes the toppings. To add creaminess without the cheese, I like to toss on a few slices of avocado. My vegan kale slaw recipe adds a delicious crunch. Vegan pesto is another flavorful addition to spice up this black bean burger. And don’t forget the perfect fresh toppings, like lettuce, purple onion and tomato.
If you need a gluten-free bun option, check out this grain-free roll recipe from my friend Danielle Walker. I like to make a batch of these and freeze them, so they’re on hand!
Saucy Spreads
If you want a traditional burger topped with ketchup, mustard and mayo then go for it. If you want to go gourmet, try out one of these elevated sauce options:
- Coconut Sriracha Sauce: My fav sauce for just about any kind of veggie bowl. It’s got a kick so if that’s what you like then you’ll love this option.
- Garlic Lemon Aioli: I love this creamy garlic sauce in salads and on sandwiches. It has rich flavor with no dairy.
- Chipotle Ranch: This is a fun, dairy-free take on ranch dressing and is used as a dip or spread.
- Vegan Avocado Crema: If you want to freshen up your burger then it needs this gorgeous sauce. Thick, creamy and zesty.
- Sun-dried Tomato Pesto: I know lots of people like to jazz up their sandwiches with pesto and this version is a lovely way to do just that.
Personally, I’ve tried all of these options (at different times) and they all work well. The garlic lemon aioli may be my favorite as you can never have too much garlic!
How to Make Vegan Black Bean Burgers
These burgers are healthy, compact, not dry yet not mushy and satisfying. They take a bit of prep yet you can double or triple the recipe to have more ready whenever you want them. Here’s how I’m making mine:
- Cook quinoa according to the package then set aside.
- Heat some coconut oil in a skillet then add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients. Use your hands or a potato masher to mix everything together well, especially the beans. The mixture should be very sticky. Taste and add a little more salt, if needed.
- Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. Form the mixture into 6 equal balls. Place on the plate or tray and gently flatten with the palm of your hand to form patties about 4 inches in diameter.
- Cover the plate or sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and let it get hot. This should take about 20-30 seconds. Working in batches, place the burger patties in the hot pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side about 5-8 minutes. Gently flip over and cook on the remaining side until brown.
- Serve on the bun of your choice with the desired toppings.
Prep Tips
Because this black bean burger recipe takes a bit to make, I usually double or triple the batch so that I can freeze them. Just follow steps 1-4, then put the frozen patties in freezer-safe storage bags until you’re ready to cook. They don’t even need to thaw before cooking, just make sure to add a few extra minutes per side in the skillet to cook through.
These vegan burgers can also be made a day or two in advance. If I know a block party is coming, I’ll make a batch a few days ahead and then refrigerate until I’m ready to use them.
Vegan Black Bean Burger FAQs
A lot of recipes use egg but you don’t need it to make mine. I sauté onion and garlic, then mash it in a bowl with black beans, cooked quinoa and spices. Then I make patties and chill them in the fridge until they are solid. They hold up well while cooking and aren’t crumbly.
They can be. Use whole food ingredients and use a healthy oil when frying such as coconut, olive or avocado. These can be nutritious and delicious!
My black bean burgers use sautéed onions and garlic, black beans, cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes and spices to create well-bonded, super flavorful patties that can go on a bun with regular burger toppings. They are savory and seriously good.
Cookout-Worthy Sides
While this black bean burger recipe is the main feature of a cookout, we all know that sides play a vital role in a delicious meal. Check out some healthy BBQ sides that are both fresh and yummy!
- Healthy Pasta Salad
- Crispy Potato Wedges
- Cold Noodle Salad
- Homemade Hummus
- Tofu Nuggets
- Fresh Potato Salad
- Bright Berry Salad
Don’t forget to rate + review this recipe once you try it. I can’t wait to hear how yours turn out! And leave comments with any questions you have, I’m here to make your burgers a success.
Vegan Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
For the Burgers:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil plus more for cooking
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 15-oz can black beans drained
- 1 cup quinoa cooked
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp chili powder
- sea salt to taste
For Serving:
- 6 hamburger buns split in half
- 1 tomato sliced
- 6 slices vegan cheese optional
- 1 red onion sliced
- 6 butter lettuce leaves
For the Potato Wedges:
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled if desired, cut into 8 wedges each
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and add all of the other ingredients to the bowl. Use your hands or potato masher to mash everything together, especially the beans. The mixture will be rather sticky. Taste and add salt, if needed.
- Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Form the burger mixture into 6 balls of equal size. Place the balls spaced about 3 inches apart on the plate or sheet. Gently flatten with the palm of your hand to form patties about 4 inches in diameter.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Don’t skip this step. It makes it much easier to cook and flip the burgers.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and let it get nice and hot, about 20-30 seconds. Place the burgers in the hot pan, working in batches, if needed. Cook first side until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes. Gently flip the burgers over and cook on the remaining side.
- Serve on a bun with desired toppings.
For the Potato Wedges:
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Adjust oven racks so one is closer to the bottom of the oven and one is closer to the top. Heat oven to 450°F.
- Toss the sweet potato wedges with olive oil and arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Switch the baking sheets, top to bottom, and continue baking until fries are tender and golden on the edges, an additional 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- These are more delicate than meat burgers, and hold together best after being refrigerated or frozen. Be gentle when turning.
- To save time, freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. This will extend your cooking time to ensure the patties are heated all the way through.
- To make these gluten-free, substitute gluten-free bread crumbs or almond meal for the regular bread crumbs. Serve on a gluten-free bun or bed of leafy greens.
- Nutrition facts don’t include the sweet potato fries or toppings.
Accidentally deleted my Let’s Eat plan that had this recipe. So glad to see it here – one of my favorites!
Awesome! We can resend you the plan… just email us!
I did in fact get the “Let’s Eat” plan & love it! Any future meal plans or cookbooks, especially vegan, in the future? I did the Fresh Start cleanse too & the food was so delicious it’s almost spoiled me for eating anything else.
Hi Karen,
Great question! A little bird told me Simple Green Smoothies might be coming out with more seasonal options for Let’s Eat. So keep your fingers crossed + an eye out!
Cheers 🙂
We are in Mexico a lot. Can I substitute something else for the sun dried tomatoes? I am sure I can’t buy them there.
Hi Jan,
Of course! I love adding fresh tomatoes to these burgers in place of sun-dried!
Cheers 🙂
Hi Jan!
I live in Mexico and you can find dried tomatoes at any Walmart, Costco, Sams, HEB, organic food stores, organic food markets, etc.
Thanks for sharing, Marisa!
Looks so good ! I have to test it out for my blog !
Hi Mariane,
If you post this recipe to your blog, we’d love to hear what you think! Make sure and share the link!
Cheers 🙂
Made both the black bean burger and sweet potato wedges, and loved them!! Can’t wait for more recipes to come.
Hi Karen,
Rawesome! Have you checked out our Let’s Eat Meal Plan?
Cheers 🙂
I am making dinner tomorrow night and this is definitely what we are having. My family is resisting the veggies but at least once a week the rule is to have a meatless meal.
Most of my meals are meatless, the rest of the family has compromised. I have no doubt that this will be an often requested option.
Thanks a bunch.
Hi Cassandre,
Looking for Meatless Monday ideas? I definitely suggest checking out our Let’s Eat Meal Plan! After testing a few of the recipes, my family is craving veggie packed dinners! And all of the recipes are family friendly!!
Reach back out + let us know what your family thinks of the Black Bean Burgers recipe!
Delicious! My first time making black bean burgers. Success! We enjoyed these very much. Finding the little nuggets of flavor in the patties kept each bite interesting. Thank you!
Warning: not a black bean fan (but trying) and very little luck finding a veggie burger I like. So…well done. these are really tasty and I am thinking of taking them camping with me next weekend to introduce them to my friends. the only changes I made were no cumin (ew) so double the chili powder, and pepisitas instead of sesame, over a small bed of pasta. Still need to work on cooking them frozen. thank you!
Hi Yvette,
Yay! We’re so excited this Black Bean Burger was a hit! Not a fan of black beans, you can always change up this recipe + use black-eyed peas or white beans!
Cheers 🙂
Are the recipe in the form of an e-book
Hi Rita,
Yes! Our Let’s Eat Meal Plan is an e-book!
Cheers 🙂
I made them last night and they were delicious but hard to eat because they fell apart. I am curious to know if anyone finds a way to keep them sticking together. I did refrigerate them overnight.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for reaching out! Finding your burgers falling apart? Try freezing them next time!
Cheers 🙂
Tried this recipe yesterday, Me and my wife think they are awesome.
The burgers were very flavorful and so were the fries.
Thank you very much for all your efforts to create healthy meals.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for reaching out + sharing your feedback! We can’t wait to share our completed Let’s Eat Meal Plan with you! Working hard behind the scenes to make sure everything is perfect!
Cheers 🙂
Usually I have to fight my kids to get any leftovers when I make black beans since they inhale them instantly. But I managed to save some finally for this recipe…they are delicious! I made them with the almond meal instead of flour & they held together pretty well, especially after freezing. Didn’t quite get six, though, since I had a hard time resisting the need to sample it while mixing…!
Hi Karen,
Yay! We’re so excited to hear you + your family loved our Black Bean Burgers! Thanks for reaching out + letting us know!
Cheers 🙂
I made these for dinner last night and they were amazing. I’ve tried several black bean burger recipes in the past, and this one was by far the best. I especially loved the sun flower seeds. I ended up cooking them on the grill on top of a well-oiled piece of foil and it worked out great. Thanks ladies!
Hi Lisa,
Yay! Thank you so much for sharing your burger love with us! We love the idea of grillin’ these burgers, so thank you for sharing the tip of using a well-oiled piece of foil.
Cheers 🙂
They look good – trying them this weekend.
We hope you enjoy them, Lisa! Have a wonderful weekend!
These turned out great. I omitted the cilantro, and I was a little uncertain how they would turn out when I started mashing the mix with the potato masher, but we were pleasantly surprised with their flavor and texture. They’re in the freezer now and I’m going to cook them for dinner tonight with the sweet potato fries, I’m looking forward to dinner!
I’m wondering, has anyone tried these with brown rice instead of quinoa? We often have leftover brown rice in the fridge that we could use up with this recipe.
Hi Michele,
Yay! We hope your family enjoys dinner tonight! Rice sounds like a great substitute for quinoa in this recipe!
Cheers 🙂
This is one recipe I am looking forward to trying… It just sounds so yum. I have everything except the black beans.. Roll on lunch time so I can pop out to the shops.
Hi Beverley,
Reach back out + let us know what you think!
Cheers 🙂
Followed the recipe to a “T” tonight and loved it! Will definitely be making the burgers again, but happy that I have several stocked in the freezer for an easy meal the next time. Thank you for sharing and I look forward to your cookbook!
Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much for taking the time to try our recipe + let us know what you think! We can’t wait to share more recipes from our “Lets Eat” meal plan with you!
Cheers 🙂