Black Bean Burger Patties

My guilty pleasures in life include beer, crispy french fries & LOADED VEGGIE BURGERS! Especially with these veggie patties, which are seriously the best! They’re not super fatty & highly processed like mock meat patties, & they’re not mushy like the frozen patties that get thrown onto a menu as an afterthought. They’re 100% plant magic & 500% sensational. 

Inspiration

I love a good veggie burger. It’s pretty hard not to love burgers in general, if you ask me. Every couple of months I get a craving for a veggie burger of some sort and if it’s not fulfilled, either by an unimpressive burger or a prolonged time away from one, the craving strengthens. I figured, if I wanted one so bad, I should just make one from scratch so I know exactly what’s going into it, it will be cheaper than eating out, and I’ll know I’ll enjoy it. Plus I love beans, so why not make a burger out of them?

How to make Black Bean Burger Patties

These patties are:

Flavorful

Filling

Versatile

& NOT MUSHY!

Bake the beans

The first step to making these burgers, and to ensure they aren’t mushy, is to bake the black beans! Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Drain and rinse your beans and then evenly spread them on the pan so they create 1 single layer. Place them in the oven to bake and dry out for 15 minutes.

Sautee onions and garlic

To create an additional layer of flavor, sautee the onions and garlic in a neutral-flavored oil. Begin by heating the oil, and once it’s hot, add the minced onions to cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, the onions should begin to soften and gain a little bit of transparency, which indicates that it’s time to throw in the garlic. Cook these ingredients for five more minutes while stirring often to prevent burning, and then remove the pan from the heat.

Mix ground flaxseed with water

Flaxseed does this super incredible thing where it becomes very thick and viscous when mixed with water. Because of that, it makes a great binder that holds all the ingredients together. Start by using a fork to combine two tablespoons of flaxseed with four tablespoons (or a quarter cup) of water in a cup or small bowl. Allow this mixture to sit for at least 3-5 minutes so it can work its thickening magic.

Combine the ingredients in stages

The remaining ingredients for this burger include both dry ingredients and wet ingredients. The dry ingredients include whole-wheat flour, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. The wet ingredients include soy sauce, tomato paste, and liquid smoke. The burger is made by combining these ingredients in consecutive stages.

First, add the dry ingredients to the food processor and pulse it for about ten seconds until mixed.

Next, add the wet ingredients, flaxseed, and onion/garlic mixture to the food processor with the dry ingredients. Pulse for about thirty seconds until everything has been well mixed.

Finally, add in the black beans and pulse for about ten to twenty more seconds, or until the beans are combined but still offer a good amount of texture. The reason why the ingredients get added in stages is because the ingredients need to be well mixed, without completely losing all the texture from the beans. Texture from the beans will also help the burger stay more intact when cooking and eating!

Shape and bake

Bump the temperature of the oven up to 375°F and prep the baking pan with something non-stick. Scoop out half a cup of the mixture and place it on the baking mat. Use the back of a spatula to flatten and shape them however you’d like. I made mine the same size as the hamburger buns from Trader Joe’s!

Place the patties in the oven to cook for twenty minutes total. After the first ten minutes, carefully flip the patties so the opposite side can cook for the remaining ten minutes.

Grilling: Instead of baking, grill these patties instead! Shape them how you’d like and carefully transfer them to a grill or bbq. Cook until warm and slightly crisp.

Serving

Serve these patties on some fluffy buns with your favorite burger toppings and condiments! This patty would also work great in a lettuce wrap, as a quick snack(yes, I’ve totally eaten an entire bare patty multiple times before and it was delicious), or crumbled onto a salad.

Storing

These bad boys are good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Pop them in the freezer for a later time, or whenever you’re in the mood for burgers. Reheat them in a conventional oven or air fryer at 350°F until warm.

If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear about it!

🖤 M