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The Easiest Vegan Black Bean Burgers

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5 from 13 reviews

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

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 can (15-ounce) of black beans, drained and rinsed (low-sodium or no salt added)
  • 1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 Tablespoons of warm water
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (whole wheat, panko, etc.)

Suggested Toppings

  • cashew mayo
  • sliced avocado
  • salsa
  • lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F  and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. Microwave black beans in a large bowl for 1 minute.
  4. Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Using a potato masher or fork, mash until black beans until they are finely mashed.
  5. Add the bread crumbs and the flax egg then mix until everything is well combined.
  6. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup begin forming the burger patties. I was able to get 4-5 burgers from the mixture.
  7. 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.
  8. Serve the black bean burgers with your favorite toppings.
  9. Enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

Nutrition info is burger patties only using no salt added black beans.

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.

Nutrition