The Best Black Bean Burgers

There’s a secret trick involved here to make these bean burgers the best ever. Read on to find out what it is.

Curious about making your own veggie burgers? These black bean burger patties are a great place to start! You can make them in advance or have them ready to eat in about 30 minutes. Plus, they cook on the stovetop, so you can make them year-round.

Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.

Why Make Black Bean Burgers?

What makes beans, and black beans in particular, so magical? They’re full of fiber and protein. They have a meaty texture that makes them a perfect vegetarian or vegan burger ingredient. In this burger, brought to us by Produce for Kids, the beans are mixed with some tasty veggies and Southwest seasonings for each flavor.

Tip For Great Veggie Burger Patties

There is a step in the instructions that we hope you pay particular attention to. It’s the part of Step #1 where you squeeze moisture out of the chopped onions and peppers. 

In working on the recipes for our Vegetarian Burger Series, one of the things we discovered is that quite often veggie burgers fall apart when they’re cooking. We guessed that it was due to too much moisture seeping out of veggies as they heat and cook. We began doing the squeezing trick and the falling apart problem went Poof!

To squeeze the moisture out of veggies, put the veggies on several sheets of kitchen towel or cheesecloth, if you have it (we prefer the cheesecloth because it doesn’t tear when wet, but go with what you have). Wrap the veggies up and then squeeze the bundles over the sink. Alternatively, you can put the veggies in a fine mesh sieve. Place it in the sink and push down on the veggies until their liquid has been released.

How To Make The Best Black Bean Burgers

Start by putting your bell pepper and onion in a food processor to finely chop. Squeeze out that excess moisture like we just discussed.

Mash your cooked black beans in a bowl. I just use a can of beans for convenience, but you can also cook dry black beans in the Instant Pot. They take about 25 minutes if unsoaked. If using beans you cooked yourself, you’re wanting to use just under two cups.

To the mashed beans, add your pepper and onion mixture, along with an egg, breadcrumbs, and your seasoning. In this Southwestern inspired burger recipe, I’ve chosen to use chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, but feel free to customize your spices. Combine the mixture and divide into equal portions to create your burger patties. 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat to pan-fry your burgers. Cook patties for 6-8 minutes each side, then add to your buns and add your fixings. I like these with avocado and tomato.

If you love black bean recipes, make sure to try these Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas. So good!

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This post originally appeared in August 2016 and was revised and republished in April 2023.