If you are looking to incorporate more meatless meals, look no further than these healthy black bean burgers. They are flavored with sauteed peppers and onions, fresh herbs and delicious spices to make these anything but ordinary. Black beans are the base of this recipe, and combined with the vegetables, panko breadcrumbs and eggs as a binder, these become a flavorful and healthy burger alternative. Serve these black bean burgers on top of a pile of mixed greens, on a bun with cheese like a traditional burger, or with pico de gallo, corn and other complimentary flavors.
All about these healthy black bean burgers
Since black beans are technically a blank slate as far as flavor goes, these black bean burgers get their flavor from sauteed bell peppers, onions, garlic, and flavorful spices. The burgers are bound together with panko breadcrumbs and egg. These burgers are great served on a bun like a traditional burger, or over a bed of mixed greens, alongside pico de gallo, corn and other complimentary flavors.
These black bean burgers are easy to prepare, with just a few simple steps (like rendering the flavor of the peppers and onions) and pureeing the ingredients in a food processor. Otherwise, the ingredients come together quickly and easily to create these flavorful black bean burgers.
What you will need to make these black bean burgers
- bell pepper (chopped)
- onion (chopped)
- garlic cloves (minced)
- black beans
- Canned, rinsed and drained.
- This recipe requires 3 cups of black beans, which is equivalent to two 15-ounce cans.
- fresh cilantro (chopped)
- fresh scallions (chopped)
- paprika
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- cumin
- chili powder
- kosher salt
- eggs
- panko breadcrumbs
- Plain, unseasoned is recommended here.
How to make healthy black bean burgers
This recipe is all about building levels of flavors, since the ingredients themselves are so simple. It is important to provide the black beans with as much flavor as possible. The first step to making these black bean burgers is to chop the onion and pepper, and mince the garlic. Add the peppers and onions to a frying pan with olive oil spray and cook the vegetables over medium high heat for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned and tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Add the cooled peppers and onions to a food processor, and pulse until pureed. Remove them from the food processor and add them to a mixing bowl. Next, drain and rinse the black beans in a strainer, and add them to the food processor. Pulse until pureed, and add the puree to the mixing bowl with the pureed pepper and onion. Next, add spices and herbs. Stir to combine. Finish by folding in the eggs and breadcrumbs.
Form 8 equal sized patties from the mixture, about a heaping 1/3-1/2 cup each. Place them on wax paper until ready to cook. To cook, either grill them, or sear them for 5 minutes per side over medium high heat in the same frying pan used to saute the vegetables. If you use the same pan you sauteed the vegetables in, you get more of that delicious vegetable flavor, and you also cut down on dish washing work. It’s a win-win!
Serving and storing
These black bean burgers are versatile when it comes to serving; the possibilities are endless. They make a great topping for a salad, but also work beautifully on a traditional bun or wrap.
Note: You can also freeze these black bean burgers to have on hand at all times. I cook mine before I freeze them, but you can also freeze them raw. Simply wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then store them in a freezer-safe plastic bag. When you are ready to make one, remove one at a time from the freezer.
Healthy Black Bean Burgers
Equipment
- food processor
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- olive oil spray
- 3 cups black beans, drained, rinsed (two 15-ounce cans)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh scallions, chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plain
Instructions
- Preheat a frying pan over medium high heat.
- Chop the pepper and onion, and add it to the pan with olive oil spray.
- Saute for 10 minutes over medium high heat, or until the vegetables are tender and start to brown.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, then remove from the heat.
- Add the cooked vegetables to a food processor, and pulse until pureed.
- Add the puree to a mixing bowl.
- Drain and rinse the black beans,
- In the same food processor, add the black beans and pulse.
- Add the pulsed black beans to bowl with the vegetable puree.
- Add the spices and fresh chopped herbs, and stir to combine.
- Add the egg and breadcrumbs and stir to incorporate.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal sized patties, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup each in size.
- Cook the patties for 5 minutes per side in the frying pan with olive oil spray.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out these other meatless meal options:
- Healthy Chickpea and Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Grilled Vegetable Hummus Wraps
- Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Related Posts
These look so good! I just wanted to thank you for posting a bunch of recipies without dairy! As someone who cannot eat dairy, I really appreciate! I’ve been LOVING your recipies!
Absolutely delicious! So much flavor and pretty easy to make. Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be at a loss of what to have for breakfast and lunch during the week.
These look so good! I’ve been buying the prepackaged black bean burgers and would much rather make my own from fresh ingredients! Thank you as well for still including blue and green point values. Much appreciated!
I was skeptical but these turned out really good! My husband loved them which is great. I’ve been enjoying them over salads all week and feeling very satisfied. Thanks for another great recipe!
I reduced the salt to 1 tsp. which was more than enough. Cooked them for 4 minutes on each side, not 5. Good served with lettuce and tomato. The next day served with a combination of mayo and salsa mixed together (equal parts) on the buns. Good served with mac and cheese.
Made these for dinner this evening and they were delicious! Held together really well when frying too. My favourite store bought black bean burgers are 10 points each, these taste better and are less than half the points! Thank you Steph for another fantastic recipe!
I recently found you on Instagram. I think that Lite Cravings mentioned you. You mentioned that you cook your bean burgers before freezing . How do you suggest reheating them ?
Thanks for all of work / effort that you put into your website .
Made these for meal prep this week. I was a little concerned I wouldn’t like the amount of chili powder in them but I find it is just perfect. They came together beautifully and cooked up perfectly as well. I love that they can easily be popped in the freezer. I paired mine with avocado and a salad. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thank you for a meatless alternative just in time for meatless Fridays! Loved the burgers. We eat a low sodium diet so I decreased the salt by half but otherwise, they are perfect!
Flavor was 💯! Delicious
These were delicious! Was a can short on black beans, so substituted with one can red kidney beans….still great! I too was skeptical of all the seasoning, esp the chili powder, but they came out great! Had on an English muffin, a scoop of guac on bottom bun and pick on top! Hubby liked too! Thanks again, Steph!
Dumb question. If I don’t have fresh cilantro, couldn’t I use ground? Any clue how much to use?
Steph, Just made these black bean burgers. They are delicious. I used low sodium black beans. Didn’t have all of the ingredients, but they came out great. Love that I can wrap each one & freeze & use as I want. Another great recipe from you to add to my list of lunch & dinner options. Thank you again.
I can’t do gluten, so do you think Almond Flour in place of the Panko bread crumbs would work as a substitute? These look really good. . .
yes!
So good. Thank you
Yum! The flavor and texture of these is perfect and very easy to make. I’ve made them exactly as written and have also made them with 1 can black beans and 1 can of Bush’s Sidekicks Southwest Pinto Beans (only because that is what I had on hand) and both ways were delicious. Appreciate that the recipe includes pictures because I wasn’t sure how much to pulse the mixture – so the visual is super helpful. Steph’s recipes never disappoint!
We really wanted to like these, but they were just ok. They were missing something and kind of bland. Maybe pico, avocado, and a bunch of other toppings would improve them but they just weren’t enjoyable unfortunately!
I love that they are only 1 point! Now I can have a REAL roll!
Not surprised that these are amazing!