The Easiest Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Looking for a quick and delicious plant-based burger you can throw together that tastes great? These quick and easy vegan black bean burgers are simple, delicious, and healthy.

What do we want? Black Bean Burgers! How do we want them? We just want a recipe that doesn’t fall apart and suck!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your new favorite black bean burger recipe. It’s full of flavor, easy to make, inexpensive, and easily made gluten-free. Oh, it doesn’t fall apart or suck.

I find most people are disappointed in veggie burgers because they want them to be like regular burgers. There’s a reason they’re not like regular burgers…it’s because they’re not! So, if that’s what you’re expecting you will be disappointed.

But, if you’re looking for flavor and something you can take off a grill and stick between a bun you’ve come to the right place.

This wholesome combination of black beans and spices makes these vegetarian burgers super tasty and satisfying. And, they’re excellent for your oven or grill. Let’s make them!

Vegan Black Bean Burger Ingredients

One of the best things about this recipe apart from its simplicity is the fact it is extremely practical. It uses very basic and wholesome ingredients found at any local grocery store.

• Beans: use low-sodium or no salt added black beans.
• Flax: ground flaxseed is a great egg replacement. It helps the patties stay together and not fall apart when you bake them.
• Panko Bread Crumbs: bread crumbs combined with the flax egg help the burgers bind and create a firm texture.
• Spices: ultimately, this is up to you. I used smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. But, tailor this recipe to suit your tastes.

How To Make The Easiest Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Start by preheating your oven to 375˚F  and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make a flax egg by combining the ground flax and warm water and stirring until well combined. Set aside and begin preparing the black bean burgers. This will help to keep everything from falling apart.

Microwave black beans in a large bowl for 1 minute to soften them just a bit. You can eliminate this step but I like working with soft beans.

Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Then use a potato masher or fork to mash the black beans until they are finely mashed.

Add in the bread crumbs along with the flax egg and mix until everything is well combined.

Using a ⅓ cup measuring cup begin forming the burger patties. I was able to get 4-5 burgers from the mixture.

Place the patties on the lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Flip the burgers and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until they are browned and firm.

Serve the black bean burgers on a whole grain bun with your favorite toppings and condiments like my easy Cashew Mayo, lettuce, and tomato.

Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Suggestions

Play with the flavor and seasonings. Consider this recipe a simple road map and starting base for delicious veggie burgers. Get creative and feel free to use your favorite spices. A few of my favorite flavors are cilantro, oregano, and basil.

Get saucy. Lightly brush the burgers with BBQ sauce or sriracha while cooking to add another level of flavor to these burgers.

Set your black bean burger mixture in the fridge. I like to let it sit in the fridge for up to an hour before cooking the burgers. It’s not necessary but the mixture firms up nicely. This is good if you want to grill them or the mixture seems a little wet.

Pan fry or grill your black bean burgers after baking. If you’re like me, I like a nice char on my veggie burgers. Toss them on the grill or in a hot nonstick skillet for about 3-4 minutes per side. Very nice.

Make ahead. This recipe is excellent for making ahead of time. You simply put the mixture together in a large bowl, cover it, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also pre-make the patties, lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover, and store them the same way.

Get umami with it! Umami is one of the five basic tastes and it’s usually described as the savory characteristic of broths and cooked meats. But, you can also add that essence to veggies and plant-based foods very easily. Skip the table salt and use a splash of low-sodium soy sauce or tamari to the mixture.

Do I have to use bread crumbs? The short answer is “no.” If you are gluten-free one option is oats. They are my go-to for replacing bread crumbs. Toss them into a food processor and pulse them a few times making coarse oat flour. It works very well.

Black Bean Burger Serving Suggestions

Once you’re ready to crush these amazing black bean burgers fix’em up good! I like a generous spread of cashew vegan mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a toasted whole-grain bun. Amaze…balls! A few of my other favorite toppings are my vegan sriracha mayo and easy pickled veggies with jalapeños! Talk about kickin’!

Let’s talk about side dishes! These burgers go well with this healthy Summer Squash Sauté or Tomato Cucumber Salad and make for an incredibly full meal. But, here is a killer list of other healthy vegan side dishes that are great for dinner at the table or cookout:

• Vegetarian BBQ Baked Beans
• Healthy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• The Best Vegan Potato Salad
• Creamy Vegan Coleslaw
• Easy Three Bean Salad

Lastly, we can’t forget about french fries because as we all know they were made for burgers. I love these oil-free sweet potato fries from Faith at the Conscious Eater. My Crispy Baked Cajun Fries, Oil-Free Oven Roasted Potatoes, or Crispy Vegan Hasselback Potatoes are awesome options as well.

Storing and Freezing

• Refrigerator: Place leftover cooked black bean burgers in a covered container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: The black bean burgers are extremely freezer friendly and you can freeze them cooked or uncooked. You will need to thaw cooked burgers before reheating, but uncooked burgers can be cooked from frozen

More Veggie Burger Recipes

• Barbecue Sweet Potato and Chickpea Burgers
• Mediterranean Bean Burgers by Dreena Burton
• Grillable Veggie Burgers by Sweet Simple Vegan
• Vegan Chicken Burgers by This Healthy Kitchen

Enjoy these Easy Vegan Black Bean Burgers and please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!

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