Black Bean Burgers

If you’re no stranger to meatless burgers, then I guarantee you’ve had your fair share of less-than-ideal veggie burgers. Plant-based burgers can be difficult to create: they need to hold their shape, have a tender, not-mushy texture, and taste delicious. In this black bean burger recipe, I think I’ve nailed all three components. The secret? I focus on making the flavor the best it can be instead of trying to make these patties replicate the taste of beef. Whether you’re looking to go meatless or planning a vegetarian cookout, read on for how to make these burgers the best they can be:

What People Are Saying:
"Turned out perfect, delicious and kept their shape just fine. Whole family loved it. Will definitely make this again." - bpat

"Best black bean burger recipe I’ve ever had. Perfect consistency and holds together great and it’s delicious!" - OliveCherries

How To Make Black Bean Burgers

INGREDIENTS

• Black Beans: Black beans bring a great texture to this burger, and it’s a black bean burger after all, so they’re kind of essential. It may seem like an annoying extra step, but roasting the beans does so much for the texture of these burgers. Allowing some of the moisture to escape means a more tender, less mushy texture that holds together well.
• Shiitake Mushrooms: Mushrooms are one of the best things to happen to vegetarian cooking. They've got that earthy taste that does very well as a flavor stand-in for meat, and roasting them before cooking just brings out that rich umami flavor. Shiitakes are my go-to choice, but if you can’t find them then baby bella mushrooms would also work great.
• Onion: A yellow onion will bring more flavor and texture to your patty.
• Kosher Salt & Pepper: Salt will not only season your veggies, but will help break them down. Make sure you’re using kosher salt here! As far as the pepper goes, who doesn’t love a little black pepper?
• Oats: Oats will help bulk our burgers up, acting as a filler like panko bread crumbs would normally.
• Avocado: My secret for holding these burgers together? Avocado! I love it for two reasons: First, it adds a healthy dose of fat. Secondly, it's the only binder we need (standing in place for an egg), making this a fully vegan and gluten-free patty.
• Herbs: You can use cilantro or parsley in this recipe—both will work great, and will add that fresh, herby flavor we’re looking for.
• Spices: I chose to lean into the black bean vibe and add some cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and paprika for a smoky flavor. That doesn’t mean you can’t switch it up—a lot of seasonings would be delicious here, so try your favorites.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

We're going to start off by roasting our black beans, mushrooms, and onions. Add the black beans to one baking sheet, and the mushrooms and onions to another since the black beans will be done earlier. Drizzle the mushrooms and onions with olive oil, and a bit of salt and pepper. Roasting our veg will dry them out so they don't contribute as much moisture to the patty, eliminating any mushy texture (yuck).

Once the beans are dry and have begun to split and the mushrooms and onions are tender, it's time to add them to the food processor. I like to just grab the foil under my black beans and use that to pour them in my food processor; if any stick, just use a spatula to scrape them off. Along with that, add the oats, chopped garlic, avocado, cilantro (or parsley), and seasonings. Blend everything together until very smooth and combined. Not blending your ingredients together well enough is the culprit to a patty that falls apart and won't stay together. Once your mixture is perfectly smooth, let it rest in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. If you want to, you can let these rest for even longer in the fridge.

Once you've let your mixture rest, it's time to form it into patties. I decided to go with 4 jumbo-sized patties for this recipe. They might seem big, but trust me—you're going to want an extra-large burger here. When forming your patties, the mixture should feel like clay in your hands. If it's too chunky or falling apart, blend your mixture again until it's smoother, then let rest again before moving on to forming your patties.

Now we can get to cookin'! Unlike beef burgers, we’re using a medium-low heat for these patties. This will give you that great crust, but will allow for the inside to come up to temp and get nice and toasty. Once they smell toasty and a few minutes have passed, check the underneath to see if a nice crisp, golden crust has formed. Then you can flip!

Once your patties are crisp, golden, and heated-through, you can remove them to start assembling your burger. You can use whatever burger toppings you love, but I personally love crunchy lettuce, sliced red onion, tomato, avocado, and a spread of mayonnaise, so that's what I'm using here. That being said, get creative—use your favorite toppings to create your best-ever black bean burger!

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Don't forget to roast. Roasting our mushrooms, black beans, and chopped onion will ensure that no extra moisture is going into our patty. Don't want a mushy burger? Don't skip roasting.
• How to prevent a crumbly burger. A crumbly burger comes from a patty that hasn't been formed together well. The inclusion of an avocado as a binder and oats as a filler do a lot of work to hold our burgers together, but that means nothing if the ingredients aren't blended together well. Make sure your mixture is extra smooth—you don't want it to be chunky. If you have a hard time forming your mixture into patties, that's a sign that you need to blend and let it rest again.
• Let them rest. Once your mixture is smooth, it's important to let it rest in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before forming your patties. You can leave it to chill for even longer if you prefer, just make sure to give it at least 10 minutes.

Storage

Uncooked, these patties can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After you cook your patties, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Make another burger, or crumble them on top of your favorite salad or grain bowl.

What To Serve With Black Bean Burgers

• Air Fryer French Fries: Burgers + French fries are a classic combo for a reason, so why not make some in your air fryer to go along with your burger?
• Classic Potato Salad: Hosting a BBQ? Then this classic potato salad is a must-have burger side.
• Cowboy Caviar Couscous Salad: Bulk up the classic snack with couscous to make it into a filling side dish alongside this burger.