Better-Than-Restaurant Black Bean Burgers
These Better-Than-Restaurant Black Bean Burgers are crispy on the outside, tender inside, smoky, flavorful, and freezer-friendly.
Inspired by Plays Well With Butter
My husband has been asking for a veggie-style burger for quite a while, so I finally decided it was time to share the recipe we've been making at home. These Better-Than-Restaurant Black Bean Burgers have crispy edges, plenty of texture inside, and just the right amount of smoky flavor thanks to a little BBQ sauce mixed into the patties.
I'm usually the one at the table scanning the menu for a veggie burger, but lately my husband has been doing the same. While more restaurants are offering vegetarian burgers these days, most of them leave me underwhelmed. I've had my fair share of burgers that were dry, bland, or fell apart after the first bite.
That's one of the reasons I love making black bean burgers at home. Not only are they easy to prepare, but they're made with fresh, wholesome ingredients, so I know exactly what's going into them. They're super flavorful, hearty, and so much more satisfying than many restaurant versions. I think you'll love this recipe too!
Another thing I love is these black bean patties freeze well. I recommend making a double batch if you have a larger family because having homemade black bean burgers stocked in the freezer is a real treat on busy weeknights, lazy evenings, or when you're craving a meatless meal.
And don't let the ingredients list scare you away. Most are pantry staples, and once everything is prepped, the burgers come together really fast.
Ingredients You Need
- Canned black beans, lightly smashed
- Onions and garlic for a foundational taste
- Cooked quinoa adds body, texture, and helps hold the patties together.
- Almonds and oats also help balance texture and bind ingredients.
- Egg for binding
- Mayo
- BBQ sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil to help brown and cook the patties
Helpful Tip (black bean burger texture)
Black bean patties are softer and more delicate than a traditional beef patty. The texture has a softer interior, while the outside should have a crispy crust.
How To Make Black Bean Burgers
- Blend the oats and almonds in a food processor until fine.
- Sauté onions, garlic, and spices in olive oil until fragrant and vegetables are softened.
- Lightly smash black beans.
- Make the sauce and combine with smashed black beans, cooked quinoa, oat and almond mixture, and sautéd onions.
- Form mixture into balls and pat out to make patties. Freeze for 25-minutes.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet with olive oil. Brown and cook patties.
- Build your burgers with your favorite toppings like melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and more BBQ sauce.
Ang's Helpful Tips For The Best Success
- Black bean mixture will be soft and kind of sticky. Grease hands first with non-stick spray or butter to help form the balls.
- Use a burger press to form the patties for even thickness and prevent the mixture from sticking to your fingers or hands. This makes it so much easier.
- Don't completely smash the black beans. You want the black beans to still have texture. This helps keep the patties from completely falling apart, or being overly soft or mushy. Use a fork to lightly mash a few of the beans.
- Make sure quinoa is cooked and cooled before assembling the ingredients. It's even better to use leftover, cold quinoa.
- Chill black bean patties before cooking. This will ensure they don't fall apart and keep their shape while cooking.
- Use a wide spatula to flip the burgers to help keep their shape.
Can I Grill These Black Bean Burgers?
Yes! I tested a batch on the grill, and they turned out well. While I didn't notice much difference in flavor compared to cooking them in a skillet, they did hold together better in the skillet. That said, if you'd rather fire up the grill, these burgers can absolutely be grilled with decent results.
How Do I Prevent The Patties From Falling Apart?
Black bean burgers are naturally more delicate than traditional beef burgers, so it's normal for them to be a little more fragile during cooking. The key is to let them cook undisturbed until a firm crust forms on the first side before flipping. If you try to move or flip them too soon, they're much more likely to crumble.
Toppings Are Everything!
Like any great burger, the toppings make it even better. Set out your favorite spreads, like mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, or our personal favorite-barbecue sauce. Fresh toppings are a must, too: crisp lettuce, juicy tomato slices, onions, and pickles. If you want to take things up a notch, add a slice of cheddar cheese, and don't skip the fresh avocado, it takes these black bean burgers over the top.
More Burgers Recipes To Try
- Mississippi Smash Burgers
- Turkey Burgers With Basil Mayo
- Greek Pita Burgers with Feta Yogurt Sauce
- Burger In A Bowl
- Pulled Chicken Burgers
- The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
Better-Than-Restaurant Black Bean Burgers
Equipment
- medium bowl
- small bowl
- Food processor
- large non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can black bean, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 2 ½ tablespoon olive oil, divided
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon mayo
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
You'll want to start by prepping some of the ingredients to make assemble easier and faster.
- Start by making sure your quinoa is cooked and cooled.
- Place beans in a small bowl and use a fork to lightly mash, maintaining some texture. It's okay to see some whole beans left. Set aside until ready to use.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat and add ½ tablespoon olive oil. Sauté onions with 1 ½ teaspoon salt until softened about 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, chili powder, and paprika. Continue to cook another 1-minute until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Next add oats and almonds to a food processor and blend until it resembles coarse flour. Not a superfine flour consistency-you still want a little texture. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a small bowl combine egg, mayo, bbq sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
- In a medium bowl add cooled quinoa, smashed beans, cooked onions, oat and almond mixture, and prepared sauce. Use a spoon to fully combine the ingredients.
- Divide the mixture into 4 and form into balls. Place balls on a plate that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Greasing the plate helps prevent the patties from sticking.
- Use a burger press or the bottom of a large cup to gently press down to form patties. You want the patties about ½ inch thick.
- Place the patties in the freezer for 25-minutes to firm up. This step cannot be skipped, otherwise the patties won't cook properly and hold shape.
- After the freezing time, heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil and use a large, wide spatula to transfer the patties to the heated skillet. Cook on one side for 10-minutes, making sure to keep an eye on the heat so they don't burn. Carefully flip, and cook another 10-12 minutes on the second side. Both sides should have a nice crust on the outside.
- Build your burgers using your favorite spreads and burger toppings. Enjoy right away!
Notes
Nutrition
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