Easiest-Ever Black Bean Burgers

We all know the benefits of eating more plant-based foods: better for your health, better for the planet, way better for your grocery tab. But when it comes to devising what’s for dinner, it’s easy to get stuck in a chicken-shrimp-steak cycle. I’ve only recently pulled myself out of that protein rut and have been experimenting with vegan and vegetarian dinners that are so delicious you’ll forget they don’t involve any meat.

Enter: These extra-easy black bean burgers that come together in 30 minutes and don’t require any special equipment, techniques, or complicated cooking processes. Got a mixing bowl? Let’s go.

How to make black bean burgers

This recipe starts with a can of black beans, but I won’t ask you to blend them or bake them or whisper to them and coax them into becoming beef. Many black bean burger recipes call for fussy steps like drying out the beans in the oven or cooking all of the individual ingredients. I’ve tried these techniques and, it’s true, they make an incredible burger. But I honestly didn’t want a superlative recipe. I wanted an easy one.

Here, just pat the beans dry with a paper or dish towel, mash them in a bowl, add spices, an egg, panko or breadcrumbs, and a little mayonnaise (these ingredients are binders, which help to ensure the burgers don’t fall apart), cook on a skillet, and pile into buns.

How do you keep black bean burgers from falling apart?

This is a common problem with black bean burgers, and it’s happened to me (more than once!). Here’s how to avoid it: 

• Use a large or extra-large egg (not a medium egg), as this is the best source of stickiness to hold the burgers together.
• Don’t skip the panko or breadcrumbs, they also help hold the burgers together. If you are gluten-free, you can use an alternative flour or gluten-free oats pulsed in a food processor.
• Be sure they are fully cooked on the first side before flipping, they should be golden brown and a little crisp on the underside.
• Flip carefully, and with a thin spatula: The flip is where you are most likely to lose a bean or two, so use a thin spatula that can get all the way under the burger without breaking it and flip gently.
• Cheese: Once flipped, add a slice of cheese to act as an additional, gooey layer that’ll hold everything together.
• A little breakage is no biggie: If a piece of the burger breaks off during cooking despite your best efforts, it turns into a crispy little snack that we’ll call the chef’s treat. Lucky you!

Let’s make black bean burgers

In a large bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until broken down, you want some texture here and you don’t want black bean hummus. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika; season with 1 teaspoon salt and as much pepper as you’d like. Stir in panko, egg, and mayo. Do not overwork the patties.

Using a ⅓ cup measure, scoop the black bean mixture (packed) onto a large plate or cutting board to make 4 mounds (no need to form them into patties just yet). Chill the burgers in the freezer for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours (this will help them retain their shape). If chilling for longer than 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap.

Heat a large skillet to medium; add 1 tablespoon oil. Add two burgers to the skillet and use a greased spatula to smash them into 3/4-inch thick patties (don’t smash them too thin, or they will be hard to flip). Working in batches, cook patties 3-4 minutes on the first side, carefully flip, add a slice of cheese on each burger if using, then cook on the second side for another 3-4 minutes until each side is golden brown and patties are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining 2 patties, adding more oil and turning down the heat as needed.

Serve on buns with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More easy recipes with canned beans:

• Vegan Caesar Salad with Spiced Chickpeas
• Broccoli Rabe With White Beans And Cheddar Breadcrumbs
• Skillet Chickpeas With Spinach And Tomatoes
• Roasted Cauliflower And Chickpea Tacos (Vegan)

Print Recipe

Easiest-Ever Black Bean Burgers

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star (7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Dinner – American

By Samantha – Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 30 minutes

These extra easy black bean burgers come together in 30 minutes and don’t require any special equipment, techniques, or fussy cooking processes.

Ingredients

• 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and patted very dry
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon mayo
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices cheese, optional
• Burger buns and toppings, for serving

Instructions

1

In a large bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until broken down, you want some texture here and you don’t want black bean hummus. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika; season with 1 teaspoon salt and as much pepper as you'd like. Stir in panko, egg, and mayo. Do not overwork the patties.

2

Using a ⅓ cup measure, scoop the black bean mixture (packed) onto a large plate or cutting board to make 4 mounds (no need to form them into patties just yet). Chill the burgers in the freezer for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours (this will help them retain their shape). If chilling for longer than 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap.

3

Heat a large skillet to medium; add 1 tablespoon oil. Add two burgers to the skillet and use a greased spatula to smash them into 3/4-inch thick patties (don't smash them too thin, or they will be hard to flip). Working in batches, cook patties 3-4 minutes on the first side, carefully flip, add a slice of cheese on each burger if using, then cook on the second side for another 3-4 minutes until each side is golden brown and patties are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining 2 patties, adding more oil and turning down the heat as needed.

4

Serve on buns with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

I love using Goya black beans for this recipe. In my experience, organic brands tend to be mushier/wetter and are more difficult to make into burgers.