Black Bean Burgers

I partnered with Green Zebra Grocery to bring you this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Summertime is burger time! There are plenty of tasty vegan meats on the market, but a special part of my heart will always belong to the original meatless patty: the black black burger. Once you’ve learned how to make your own vegan black bean burgers, you’ll never want a store-bought one again.

Thick and hearty, my black bean burgers are made with easy-to-find ingredients: canned black beans, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, cilantro, fresh garlic, and onion. The garlic and onion form the flavor base, and I love the added spice from the cumin and smoked paprika, as well as the hint of heat from the pinch of cayenne. Of course, you can turn up the heat even further if you like! The only items that you may not already have in your pantry are the garbanzo flour and flaxseed meal. I choose to use garbanzo flour so the patty is suitable for my gluten-free friends, but you can use other flours as well. Flaxseed meal is my go-to egg replacer for baking, and it works beautifully as a binder in these black bean burger patties. After mixing the flaxseed and water, you’ll want to let it sit for at least 15 minutes before combining it with the other ingredients.

You can use a food processor, blender, or fork (and get an arm workout!), but make sure you don’t completely mash the black beans. I’ve found just a few seconds of pulsing in the food processor or blender is all you need to find that sweet spot, where the black beans are a happy mixture of mashed, chopped, and whole. That’s what gives these black bean burgers that not mushy, not crumbly, hearty texture. No one wants a burger patty that falls apart, right?

These black bean burger patties can be frozen if you’re not using them immediately, or you can cook them up in a few different ways: saute, grill, or bake. Then comes my favorite step in this recipe… topping the burger! In this latest batch, I went heavy on the mashed avocado and spicy salsa, but I also love classic toppings like melty cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion. What are your favorite burger toppings?

Show Me Your Black Bean Burgers on Instagram

If you enjoyed this Black Bean Burger recipe, snap a photo and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @waz.wu. I’d love to see your burgers!

Black Bean Burgers

Makes 6-8 burger patties

Ingredients

2 cans of black beans
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
A pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup cilantro
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup garbanzo flour (gluten-free)
Salt & pepper
2 tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil
Half a medium onion, chopped

Directions

Mix the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to thicken. This is your flaxseed “egg” that will hold all the ingredients together.

Drain and rinse the black beans. Arrange the black beans in a single layer on a baking sheet and pat them dry as much as possible. Transfer the black beans to a large bowl.

Add the cumin, paprika, cayenne, cilantro, and garbanzo flour to the black beans. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the black bean mixture to a food processor or blender. Pulse for just a few seconds. You should have a mix of mashed, chopped, and whole black beans. Alternate method: use a fork to mash the mixture until you reach the desired texture.

Using a spatula, mix in the onion, garlic, and olive oil to the black bean mixture. Slowly stir in the flaxseed “egg”. The mixture should hold together well, but not be too sticky.

Form the black bean mixture into patties on a baking sheet. (I used a 1/3 cup scoop and measured out six heaping spoonfuls, then gently flattened each one.) The patties can be frozen if you don’t plan on cooking them immediately.

Cooking

Saute: Lightly spray a skillet with cooking oil, then saute each side of the patty for 4-5 minutes over medium high heat until evenly browned.

Grill: Brush the grill surface with oil to prevent sticking. All grills differ slightly, but cooking time should be similar to sauteing until you get a nice char.

Bake: Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the patties for 8-10 minutes on each side.

Serving

Classic: Serve your black bean patty with vegan mayo, lettuce, tomato, and a slice of cheese for a classic summer burger.

Avocado & Salsa: Pair your black bean patty with generous scoops of mashed avocado and spicy salsa like I did.

Spicy: Top with jalapenos, caramelized onions, melty vegan cheese, and finish with a drizzle of chipotle mayo.

Lettuce wraps: Skip the burger bun and opt for a lighter, gluten-free option using romaine for lettuce wraps. Cut the burger patty into smaller pieces, then drizzle with your favorite salad dressing.

Note: SPONSORED. This post is in collaboration with Green Zebra Grocery. This was not in exchange for a positive review and all opinions expressed here are my own.