Black Bean Burgers That Hold Together
Hearty, smoky black bean burgers that are crisp outside and hold together on the grill or skillet. A trick of drying the beans first makes all the difference.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
45 min total 6 burgersEasy
Photo: ella.o · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
The most common problem with homemade black bean burgers is that they turn mushy and fall apart. The fix is simple: briefly bake the beans to dry them out before mashing, so the patties are firm and meaty rather than wet.
Panko and an egg bind the mixture, while cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder give it plenty of flavour. Serve on toasted buns with all your favourite burger toppings.
Equipment you'll need
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Large skillet
- Food processor or potato masher
Tips for success
- Drying the beans is the secret to burgers that hold together; do not skip it.
- Flip the patties only once, and gently, with a wide spatula.
- Freeze uncooked patties between sheets of parchment for easy future lunches.
Substitutions and variations
- Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water) to make them vegan.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs or rolled oats for a gluten-free burger.
- Add 1/2 cup cooked rice or corn kernels to the mixture.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate cooked patties for up to 4 days, or freeze uncooked patties for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Reheat in a skillet or a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 minutes. Cook frozen patties straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes per side.
Recipe
Black Bean Burgers That Hold Together
Hearty, smoky black bean burgers that are crisp outside and hold together on the grill or skillet. A trick of drying the beans first makes all the difference.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Yield
- 6 burgers
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Patties
To serve
Instructions
Step 1: Dry the beans
Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Spread the beans on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until they look dry and some have split.
Step 2: Cook the onion
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3: Mash
Pulse the beans in a food processor (or mash with a masher) until mostly broken up, with some texture remaining.
Step 4: Mix and shape
Combine the beans, onion mixture, salt, egg and panko. Shape into 6 patties about 3/4 inch thick. Chill for 15 minutes if they feel soft.
Step 5: Cook
Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium heat and cook the patties for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until crisp and heated through.
Step 6: Serve
Serve on toasted buns with your choice of toppings.
Cuisine: American · Course: Lunch
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugars
- 5 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/black-bean-burgers
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