Easy Black Bean Burger

This chipotle black bean burger recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! Make it once, and it'll have a permanent place in your regular rotation.

Black bean burger

This black bean burger recipe is going to be your new best friend. The hearty patties are charred on the outside, tender in the middle, and packed with bold, smoky flavor. But that’s not all. They’re also easy to make! You won’t need to haul out the food processor or dirty 3 pans to whip them up. Nope – this black bean burger recipe comes together in one bowl in under 30 minutes, cooking time included.

Lately, Jack and I have been cooking the burgers outside on the grill, but they come out just as well in a cast-iron skillet on the stove. Make them for a laid-back summer cookout or for a quick weeknight dinner at any time of year. They’re the newest addition to our regular recipe rotation, and once you try them, they’ll have a permanent spot in yours, too.

Black bean burger recipe ingredients

Black Bean Burger Recipe Ingredients

Another great thing about this recipe? It uses basic ingredients! You likely have all of them on hand already:

  • Black beans, of course! Use canned, or cook your own.
  • Onion – I grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater before mashing it with the other ingredients. When you grate it, the onion will release a lot of liquid. That’s normal! Add the moist onion pulp to the black bean mixture, leaving excess liquid behind on your work surface.
  • Garlic – Along with the onion, it gives this black bean burger recipe sharp depth of flavor.
  • Canned chipotles and adobo sauce – They add smoky flavor and a little heat.
  • Balsamic vinegar and tamari – They make the patties tangy and savory.
  • Panko bread crumbs – They give the burgers their hearty texture.
  • An egg – To bind everything together!
  • And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Black beans, onion, and spices in a bowl

Combine the black beans, onion, garlic, chipotles and adobo sauce, cumin, balsamic, tamari, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Mashing black beans with onion and spices

Use a large fork or potato masher to mash the mixture until it starts to hold together but still has visible chunks of black beans. Fold in the egg, followed by the panko bread crumbs.

Hands forming black bean patties

Form the mixture into 6 patties, about a heaping 1/3 cup each. Then, cook! You can use a cast-iron skillet or an outdoor grill for this step. Either way, the patties should be well-charred, crisp on the outside, and tender in the middle. Enjoy!

Black bean burgers on a baking sheet

Best Black Bean Burger Recipe Tips

  • If the black bean mixture is too wet to handle, pop it in the fridge. It firms up nicely after chilling for just 20 minutes!
  • Or mash it more. The mashed black beans play an important role in making these patties firm and cohesive. If your mixture won’t hold together, continue to mash the beans until you’re able to form patties.
  • Can’t flip them? Keep cooking. If you’re grilling your patties, make sure to cook them for a full 8 minutes on the first side. If they’re sticking to the grill, keep cooking! Chances are, they’ll be easy to flip in a minute or two, once the first side is nice and charred. I also recommend brushing the patties with olive oil before putting them on the grill to prevent sticking.
  • Charred burgers are better burgers. This black bean burger recipe comes out best when the patties have a really nice char. If you’re cooking them on the grill, look for distinct grill marks and crisp edges. If you cook them in a skillet, each side should be crisp and blackened. For the best results, make sure your skillet is hot when you add the patties, and cook them for 4-5 minutes on each side.
  • Get ahead. This is a great recipe to make in advance! If you want to cook the burgers right before you eat, mash together the beans and seasonings, fold in the egg and panko, and form the burger patties. Then, transfer the patties to a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate them for up to a day before cooking. Otherwise, cook the patties in advance and reheat them before serving. Store the cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Best black bean burger recipe with buns and toppings

Black Bean Burger Serving Suggestions

Once you’ve cooked your patties, it’s time to eat! I love to serve this homemade black bean burger with chipotle sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion or pickled red onion, and dill pickles for crunch. Use your favorite burger buns, or make homemade hamburger buns to take your black bean burger over the top.

Round out the meal with mixed grilled vegetables or grilled zucchini, corn on the cob, or a summer salad. Any of these 37 Best Summer Salads would be great, but I especially love these salad recipes with this black bean burger:

And of course, you can’t go wrong with fries! My air fryer French fries or sweet potato fries would both be delicious with this chipotle black bean burger. Grilled potatoes would be a great choice too.

Best black bean burger on a bun

More Favorite Veggie Burger and Sandwich Recipes

If you love these homemade black bean burgers, try one of these veggie burger or sandwich recipes next:

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Best Black Bean Burger

rate this recipe:
4.98 from 174 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Serves 6
Hands down, this black bean burger recipe is the best one I've tried. The patties are hearty, well-charred, and packed with bold flavor. They're delicious with classic burger fixings like ketchup and mustard, but if you ask me, a slather of chipotle mayo or a scoop of guacamole really takes them to the next level.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
  • cup grated yellow onion*, (about ½ medium)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo, diced
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg**
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • Cooking spray, if grilling
  • Hamburger buns, for serving
  • Desired fixings, for serving

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, tamari, balsamic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until the mixture holds together but still has some visible chunks of black beans. Add the egg and use a spatula to fold until combined. Then, fold in the panko.
  • Use your hands to form the mixture into 6 patties. The mixture should be cohesive and a little wet. If it’s too wet to handle, chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up or mash your beans a little bit more.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Brush with a little oil and cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side, until charred on both sides, turning the heat down as necessary. The exact timing will depend on the heat of your stove and cookware.
  • Alternatively, preheat an outdoor grill to 400°F. Lightly brush the patties with olive oil, spray the grill grates, and grill for 8 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side.
  • Serve with hamburger buns and desired fixings.

Notes

*Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater. As you grate it, the onion will release a lot of liquid. That's normal! Add the wet onion pulp to the black bean mixture, leaving excess liquid behind on your work surface.
**These can be made vegan by replacing the egg with a "flax egg" (mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons warm water and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken). The vegan burgers are cohesive and they cook/grill well, but they're not as firm in the middle as the egg version. I recommend increasing the cooking time slightly on the grill - I do 8 minutes on the first side and 6 minutes on the second side. They're tasty, but my Best Veggie Burger is still my favorite vegan burger.
If you're looking for a gluten-free veggie burger try my Quinoa Burger

212 comments

4.98 from 174 votes (104 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. jose moreno
    07.24.2022

    4 stars
    First time doing it. All the ingredients came together amazingly. 3 cans of Bb. High quality ingredients all around and the creation is a burger that would probably cost $ 16.00 at a restaurant. We had two vegetarian friends and they absolutely blown by the taste. They were done on a vision ceramic grill with organic charcoal at about 400• f degrees. They didn’t fall apart, nor did they dry up. Delicious Meal!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.25.2022

      I’m glad you enjoyed them!

  2. Bob Loewe
    07.11.2022

    5 stars
    Just some food for thought. I’ve made these a few times but now I’m wondering if using an egg plus the “flax egg” would make the burger more cohesive. Or, perhaps just ground flax without any water.

    Thanks,
    Bob

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.12.2022

      Hi Bob, you can try that if your patties were too moist. I find them pretty cohesive as they are.

  3. Julia
    07.01.2022

    What could you substitute for the egg that is used as a binder?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.02.2022

      Hi Julia, there’s a vegan version listed in the notes of the recipe.

  4. OKAY! Those were flippking delicious. I thought they looked a bit small so I used extra beans (was a total of 3 average cans), added a second egg and an extra 1/2 cup panko. The 16 year old boy even ate it. I was out of cumin so I subbed with Paprika. YUMMMY!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.02.2022

      I’m so glad they were such a hit!

  5. Lisa
    06.10.2022

    5 stars
    I’ve made these twice and they are delicious! I used Bushes canned black beans and my burgers were very moist. Definately will make again!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.11.2022

      I’m glad you loved them!

  6. Maggie
    06.07.2022

    5 stars
    These were great! Any recommendations on freezing?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.11.2022

      Hi Maggie, I freeze the uncooked patties, then thaw them in the fridge overnight before I’m grilling them. You could also freeze them fully cooked and reheat them in the oven until warmed through.

  7. Sandra Lea
    04.04.2022

    5 stars
    Great burger, lots flavor and best of all it held together, most veggie burgers fall apart.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.05.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  8. Michael
    01.02.2022

    Do panko breadcrumbs hold the burger together better than plain breadcrumbs?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.02.2022

      Hi Michael, plain breadcrumbs would probably hold together just as well, I just usually have panko on hand.

  9. Jennifer
    11.15.2021

    What do you recommend for kiddos who don’t eat spicy? Will leaving out or lessening the chipotles affect the texture?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.15.2021

      Hi Jennifer, you could use ketchup instead – I’d recommend starting with 3 tablespoons, if the mixture is too dry, add a 4th. I hope you enjoy!

  10. Joseph
    10.21.2021

    Can anyone please comment as to how many calories 1 burger yields?

    • Karin Ramberg
      03.06.2022

      Nutrition content of these burgers?

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        03.07.2022

        I’m sorry, I don’t post nutrition facts but you can type the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  11. Johanne
    10.16.2021

    Can the panko bread crumbs be substituted with cooked quinoa or oats ground? Quantity you suggest.
    Thanks

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.17.2021

      Hi Johanne, I haven’t tested it that way, so I’m not sure.

  12. Sarah
    10.09.2021

    What are the nutrition facts????

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.10.2021

      I’m sorry, I don’t post nutrition facts but you could plug the ingredients into sites like my fitness pal.

  13. Yolande
    10.09.2021

    Can the burgers be done in the oven instead of grilled?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.09.2021

      Hi Yolande, they dry out in the oven, so we recommend the grill or a cast iron skillet.

  14. Amelia
    09.15.2021

    5 stars
    Wish I could show you a picture of how these turn out! I halved the recipe and do half lentils half black beans. I still used a whole egg and just add panko until the consistency is right. I stuffed two portabello mushrooms and just made patties out of the rest. The portabellos really kept the patties in shape haha. But i was able to form nice patties using plastic wraps and a small round bowl. I adjusted seasoning to my liking and I must say IT IS A WONDERFUL BLACK BEAN BURGER RECIPE!

    • Tina
      10.26.2021

      5 stars
      Oooh, stuff into a portobello mushroom?…I will be trying that! And shaping them using plastic wrap and a small bowl is genius! They aren’t so easy to perfectly form. I am a seasoned cook but those are amazing tips I never thought of and I’ve made this wonderful recipe several times. Thanks for sharing.

  15. Can I mix ingredients together, form patties, and freeze without cooking them? Then I’m thinking I would defrost in fridge before grilling them. Would this work?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2021

      Hi Marianne, yep, this works! They’re also great frozen after grilling, and then reheated in the oven.

  16. Rece
    08.27.2021

    I couldn’t believe out of my 39 cookbooks I couldn’t find a normal black bean recipe! Something without walnuts or mushrooms or something else I’d have to cook beforehand. I was so glad to find your recipe here. The only mods I made was subbing the chipotle peppers for Frank’s red hot sauce (only because I didn’t have any chipotle’s) and they turned out great. THANK YOU from this tired lady on a Friday after a loooong work-week.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.28.2021

      Hi Rece I’m so glad you enjoyed these!

  17. Ann Moore
    08.18.2021

    5 stars
    Made them tonight—delicious! They weren’t as cohesive as store-bought; perhaps it’s because I didn’t grate the onion but chopped it instead. Next time I will try a bit more egg, too.

  18. Jen
    08.04.2021

    These were so good! Made them a few weeks ago for a family celebration and they were a hit. I have the leftover Chipotles in the fridge, how long do they last? Can I use them again this weekend for another batch?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.05.2021

      Hi Jen, they last a few weeks, so I think they should be fine. I often freeze my leftovers too.

    • Kyle
      08.05.2021

      Not sure about the fridge, but when we use the chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, we split up what we don’t use into individual portions of ~2 peppers each for future recipes, then freeze them in ziplock bags. It works perfectly!

      If you need another recipe to use the chilis in, we’ve recently been addicted to the marinade in this summer recipe for kabobs:. We use the marinade which is delicious, but make our kabobs with different ingredients. https://www.feastingathome.com/pineapple-chipotle-shrimp-skewers/

  19. Kerri
    06.21.2021

    5 stars
    Great black bean burger. Family loved it!

  20. So dang good, especially on a thin slice of fresh baked whole grain toast, mixed greens, a bit of melted Tillamook cheddar and tomato on top. Thank you!!

    • Josh
      12.28.2021

      4 stars
      Wanted to try your best veggie burger but was short ingredients. We have a pot of black beans every week and burgers have become a weekly menu item. I liked the consistency and how moist they stayed. Subbed a homemade sriracha for the chipotle but I bet that would have given it that taste kick. I would cook this recipe again but maybe increase the cumin and a tad more garlic… or just get the chipotle. 🙂 Thanks!

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        12.28.2021

        Ha, I’m glad you enjoyed. I think the chipotle has a bigger flavor (not just spicy), let me know if you give that a go!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.