Vegan Black Bean Burger (Printer-Friendly)
Hearty burger with black beans, spices, and chipotle mayo, perfect for a tasty vegan meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Burger Patties
01 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
03 - 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
06 - 1/4 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
07 - 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
08 - 3 tablespoons water
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
→ Chipotle Mayo
15 - 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
16 - 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
17 - 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
18 - 1 teaspoon lime juice
19 - Pinch of salt
→ To Serve
20 - 4 vegan burger buns
21 - Sliced tomato
22 - Sliced red onion
23 - Leafy lettuce
24 - Avocado slices (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and let thicken for 5 minutes.
02 - In a large bowl, mash black beans with a fork or potato masher, keeping some texture.
03 - Add diced onion, bell pepper, garlic, oats, breadcrumbs, flax egg, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the beans; mix thoroughly.
04 - Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape each into a patty.
05 - Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook patties 4–5 minutes per side until golden and heated through.
06 - Combine vegan mayonnaise, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl; stir until well blended.
07 - Toast the burger buns if desired.
08 - Spread chipotle mayo on buns, then layer lettuce, tomato, onion, black bean patty, and avocado slices; top with remaining bun and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These patties hold together beautifully and taste genuinely hearty, not like you're eating bean paste on a bun.
- The chipotle mayo is addictive enough that people ask for extra on the side, which is always a good sign.
- You can make a batch on Sunday and reheat them throughout the week, making weeknight dinner feel less like a chore.
02 -
- If your patties are falling apart, it's not enough binding agent or too much moisture—next time add another tablespoon of flaxseed mixed with water, or drain your beans even more aggressively by pressing them between paper towels.
- Chipotle heat varies wildly between brands, so always taste your mayo as you go rather than dumping in all the peppers at once and regretting it.
- The biggest mistake I made early on was not letting the mixture rest in the fridge for even fifteen minutes, which somehow makes a huge difference in how well the binder sets up.
03 -
- Toast your buns in the same skillet you used for the patties while they're still warm—the residual oil gives them flavor and crunch that takes the whole thing up a notch.
- A microplane or the smallest holes on your box grater will give you minced garlic and chipotle that's finer and faster than struggling with a knife, and it's really worth the five extra seconds.