Hello veggie lovers!
Since summer has officially started, and the next grilling holiday is just around the corner, I thought it was a perfect time to bring a new ‘smoky’ black bean burger to the recipe collection. It’s an uncomplicated mix of ingredients that’s big on flavor!
I heart versatility, and these burgers offer just that…
- Make them with quinoa or brown rice, using your favorite or what you have on hand. For myself, quinoa is king because it’s magical for my digestive system!
- Use flaxseed meal or panko/breadcumbs, with the former being the healthiest and gluten-free option.
- Depending on how you cook your burgers, they can be oil-free.
- Onions can be used raw for quickness and ease, or sauteed for more depth of flavor (which I highly recommend).
Texture and flavor wise, these smoky burgers are tender with a nice mouth feel. The spices include smoked paprika, along with a hint of oregano and/or cumin. And the sweet, tangy glaze adds the final touch and punch of flavor!
A few more reasons to love these black bean burgers:
- Minimal ingredients
- Low-fat
- High-fiber
- Totally satisfying
- Perfectly grillable
- And of course, delicious!
Without Further Ado, Let’s Make Smoky Black Bean Burgers!
Once the onions have been sauteed, add them along with the black beans, quinoa/rice, flaxseed meal, spices & herbs, and process in short pulses until partially blended.
Here, you can see that the top is combined, but not completed mixed together. The mixture underneath is more pureed as you can see below.
After you’ve moved the mixture to a mixing bowl, you’ll notice the mixture on the bottom is well combined. The top here, was at the bottom of the food processor. Next, using your hands, or spatula, mix together well, making one big packed mound in the bowl.
The recipe will yield 4 jumbo, 6 regular sized, or 8 sliders. Divide the mixture as evenly as you can and form firmly packed balls. Flatten each ball into 3/4 – 1 inch thick patties. Make sure to smooth any cracks along the edges after flattening – usually pinching it together is all it takes.
Cook patties with your preferred method. I baked mine in the oven for an oil-free burger. Other options are cooking them on the stovetop or grill.
When done, brush the balsamic glaze over the top and along the sides of each patty. Now, you’re ready to assemble your burgers with any – and all – of the ‘fixins’ you like!
I served mine with the classics – sliced tomato, red onion, and leafy greens, along with a creamy Garlic Aioli spread. Simply delicious!
SMOKY BLACK BEAN BURGER
Simple and delicious, these smoky black bean burgers can be made in the oven, on the stovetop or grilled to perfection.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Makes 4 jumbo patties
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 2 tablespoons water (for water saute)
- 1 small onion (about 1 cup), chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (packed) or brown rice*
- 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal or panko/bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano or cumin (or 3/4 teaspoon both)
- 1/2 mineral salt, or to taste
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon tamari, coconut aminos of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce of choice
To serve
- hamburger buns
- leafy greens
- sliced red onion
- tomato slices
- Garlic Aioli
Instructions
In a small pan or skillet, heat oil/water over medium heat, add onion and saute for about 5 – 7 minutes, onions should be tender and slightly golden on the edges. Let onions cool a bit before moving to the food processor.
Next, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, tamari, tomato paste and sriracha. Mix well, and set aside to let the flavors mingle. Taste again, adding more of any ingredient to suit your taste.
Using a food processor, add slightly cooled onions, quinoa/rice, black beans, flaxseed meal and spices/herbs. Pulse for 5 – 6 seconds at a time, until about half the mixture is combined. Be careful not to over process, you want some chunkiness from the beans and onions.
Place mixture in a mixing bowl. You’ll notice once you remove the mixture, the underneath part will be more processed than the top. Using your hands or spatula, mix together well.
Form 4 round jumbo balls, making sure to pack the balls together well. Flatten each ball into a patty, about 3/4 inch thick, and smooth any cracks along the edges. Place on prepared baking sheet. Alternately, you can make 6 regular sized patties or 8 sliders.
Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with silpat, parchment paper, or lightly grease with oil. Place baking sheet in preheated oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip patties and bake another 12 – 15 minutes. Brush tip and sides with balsamic glaze. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
Stovetop: Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat, add patties and cook 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Carefully flip patties and cook another 5 minutes. Remove, brush with balsamic glaze.
Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat, on greased grill, place patties and cook 5 minutes, carefully flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and/or charred. Remove, brush with balsamic glaze.
Serve with fixins of choice and enjoy!
Makes 4 jumbo or 6 regular patties, or 8 sliders.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months (thaw before cooking).
NOTES:
*If using brown rice, but don’t feel like cooking it, you can use packaged precooked rice for ease. Use one whole package (5.5 – 5.8 oz) for this recipe, no need to heat first. It’s what I started with and had great results.
For the sauteed onions, you can skip this step and just add the raw onions to the food processor. I started my recipe testing this way, but decided I preferred the flavor of the sauteed onions. Both ways are good, and this option is totally up to you.
Make the patties ahead of time, storing in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Nutrition information is calculated using quinoa, flaxseed meal and no added oils.
Matilda says
Julie, Your recipe has inspired me to try black beans in a burger again, although I think I will add barley instead of rice as I’ve never been much of a rice eater. I will let you know how it comes out. Thank you for your recipes, I love the Cashew garlic Aioli sauce, I use it almost on everything. Matilda
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Wonderful Matilda! I’m not much for rice either, it seems a lot recipes use it. Barley sounds delicious. I never thought of using it, but of course it will amazing. I expect it will add a nice texture and nuttiness. I think you’ve just inspired me too! Please do let me know.
I’m glad you love the aioli. Makes my day! Cheers :)
Vicky says
Hi Julie, I have just made this recipe and they’re in my fridge ready to cook. They look delicious and have stuck together unlike other veggie burgers I’ve tried. Now just can’t wait to taste them!! Quick question (sorry if it’s a silly one) – when you say they can be frozen do you mean freeze leftovers after cooking or you can freeze the mixture in patty shapes before? I just wondered if they’d fall apart if frozen before cooking but wasn’t sure. Thanks in advance – hope they taste as good as they look!!
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Hi Vicky, it’s a great question, and you can do both! If packed well enough, like it sounds like you’ve done, they will hold their shape if you put them in the freezer before cooking.
Enjoy, and we would love to know if the taste was spot on for you! :)
Marlo says
Are the nutritional facts and calories only for the patties ir for the entire burger (with buns, tomatoes,…)?
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yes, the calories are just for 1 jumbo patty, no extras. If you make 8 sliders, you’ll cut the calories in half.
Brandon says
This was supremely amazing! Thank you for another great recipe. 😋
Melanie says
I made these last night, following the recipe exactly, and they where are delicious! The burgers held together well through cooking. The only thing I would do differently next time is to make a slightly bigger batch of the glaze. I made 6 patties instead of 4, and since there’s a greater surface area, a little bit more glaze for fuller coverage would have been great.
Carrie says
Tasty! I love smoked paprika. For us it made 12. Not being vegan, I might add an egg next time but still they held together remarkably well even without it. We made it with the quinoa and flaxseed meal, and baked it in the oven.
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Yay, so glad they turned out well and you liked these. Definitely make them your own adding whatever you like. Thank you so much for taking a moment to comment. Cheers :)
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Fabulous, so glad this worked out for you! I need to put this on a pizza soon myself. Sounds delicious! Cheers :)
Jade says
I’ve been looking for a black bean quinoa pattie recipe after trying a vegan gluten free one at a cafe. I omitted the garlic powder (didn’t have any) and flaxseed meal (can’t tolerate) and used oat flour instead of panko/breadcrumbs (didn’t have any). I added extra paprika. These were delicious! I made them into mini patties. I loved the glaze too – next time I might add slightly less maple syrup as I like mine more savoury. Thank you so much for this recipe!
★★★★★
Julie | The Simple Veganista says
Fabulous, I’m so glad they turned out so well with your adaptations! Makes my day! Cheers :)
Anna says
I’ve made MANY black bean burgers during the years. They’ve all been bland and impossible to shape well, and they’ve tasted like black beans (which I don’t mind, but hubby does). This recipe, however, makes the BEST black blean burgers I’ve ever eaten!!! I’m blown away! And the best thing: hubby feels the same way! He’d eaten one when I told him it’s made of black beans. He stopped chewing and went quiet, then he said he was really really impressed!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★