Spicy Black Bean Burger

ByEric Jones
15 Comments
Jump to Recipe· 5 from 6 reviews

This Spicy Black Bean Burger is the perfect burger for anyone, whether it is meatless Monday or not. It’s packed full of flavor, and with the seasonings, it really can’t be beaten. Add a dollop of my homemade avocado cream sauce to brighten the burger, and you’re all set.

Black Bean burger with lettuce, tomato, and avocado cream sauce.

I was that guy who was all about my meat and potatoes. But once I tried my hand at recipes such as this bean burger, my eyes were opened. Just because it’s meatless doesn’t mean it lacks flavor — and I wanted to bring that point to the forefront. These burgers are meaty minus the beef and are still satisfying.

Not only is my bean burger full of deliciousness but it’s also paired with an avocado cream sauce that brings everything together. Black beans are a great alternative when you want to switch out your beef patty with the ultimate veggie burger recipe.

Did you know? Black beans lower blood pressure and manage diabetes all while being packed with fiber and protein.

Black bean burger with avocado and other condiments in the background

Although not traditional in Santa Fe and Southwest cooking, I borrowed a little inspiration from those recipes I love. Southwestern cooking has a vibrant heritage that blends Native, Hispano, and Anglo to create some of the best and most intensely spiced dishes.

Giving homage to New Mexican spices, herbs, and flavors, I wanted to recreate my experiences with this food and place it smack dab in a southwest black bean burger recipe. Along with chilies, black beans have been a staple in this cuisine for years.

How to make a black bean burger:

This recipe begins with the black beans. I used canned black beans, so I drained the liquid, added them to a large bowl, and allowed them to sit for 15 minutes. “Airing them out” dries them and makes the process easier in the next steps.

Draining canned black beans

You will then smash the beans with a potato masher (paid link) (or a large fork) until the texture is smooth, but be sure not to over smash. Minimizing the mashing helps with the overall texture of this burger. You still want to see those tiny pieces of bean throughout the burger patty.

Smashing to black beans

Cut your red pepper into large chunks, and remove the seeds. Remove the outside skin of your onion and cut it into large pieces. For the fresh cilantro, pull a half cup of leaves from the bushel.

Fresh red bell peppers, yellow onion, and cilantro

Add all three ingredients into your food processor (paid link) and blend well. Once blended, add to your mashed beans.

Adding chopped red bell peppers, onion, and cilantro to the smashed black beans.

Add the remaining burger seasonings to the same bowl and mix everything. Place your bean mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before building your patties. This process will make it easier to form your bean burger and allow it to keep its shape while cooking.

Once chilled, form your bean patties. I like my patties around 1 inch thick, but this is really a preference. If you make them thinner, decrease the cooking time in 1-minute increments. Note: When making your patties, size them according to your bun, as these will not shrink while cooking.

Formed ban burger patties

In a non-stick buttered skillet, cook at medium to high heat for 5 minutes on each side. Top your burger off with a provolone cheese slice once you flip it over and allow the cheese to melt.

For the avocado sauce, remove the seed and skin from the avocado and smash into a bowl. Add all avocado sauce ingredients into the same bowl and mix until smooth.

Build your burger by placing the avocado sauce on your burger buns and adding tomato and lettuce, if desired.

Making the avocado cream sauce

If you’re a health-conscious burger lover this burger will fit your lifestyle perfectly. Give your normal beef burger routine a change-up and go for this Spicy Black Bean Burger in its place!

Black bean burger with side of avocado cream sauce

Here are a few more non-beef burgers and sandwiches you might enjoy:

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Black bean burger with avocado and other condiments in the background

Spicy Black Bean Burger

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Eric Jones
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This Spicy Black Bean Burger is perfect for meatless meals. Full of flavor and topped with a homemade avocado cream sauce, it’s hard to beat.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 15 oz. Black Beans
  • 2 Whole Burger Buns
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Yellow Onion
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 tbsp. Minced Garlic
  • 1 Large Organic Egg
  • 2 Provolone Cheese Slices

Burger Seasonings:

  • 1 tsp. Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Dash Ground Cayenne Red Pepper

Avocado Sauce:

  • 1 Medium Avocado
  • 1/4 cup Mayo
  • 1 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp. Parsley Flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. Minced Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. Himalayan Salt

Instructions

  1. Drain canned black beans and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Add black beans to a large bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher (paid link). Set to the side.
  2. Cut your onion and red bell pepper into large pieces half and add to food processor (paid link) blending to a fine chop. Drain any excess liquid and add to the same bowl as the beans. 
  3. Add remaining burger ingredients and seasonings, mix, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  4. Form bean mixture into patties and cook at medium to high heat for 5 minutes per side adding a cheese slice once flipped. 
  5. For the avocado sauce, remove the seed and skin from the avocado. Blend with avocado sauce ingredients.
  6. Build your burger by adding lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado sauce.

Notes

The egg acts as a binder and provides moisture, but for a vegetarian option, you can create this burger without it. However, I have not tested this method and cannot guarantee the results.

  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Burgers
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Southwest

Nutrition

  • Calories: 674
  • Sugar: 7.4g
  • Sodium: 511mg
  • Fat: 22.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 91g
  • Fiber: 21.8g
  • Protein: 32.1g
  • Cholesterol: 60mg

I'm Eric --- a husband, father, Louisiana native, and lover of Tex-Mex and double-stacked burgers. On this site, you'll find Southern recipes I learned from my grandmothers using simple, approachable ingredients.

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15 Comments

  1. Made these tonight, delicious! My 16 year old son said they taste like real burgers!



    Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Hello, Debra! Nice! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  2. Yummm!! I think this is my new fave black bean burger recipe! Just for my own preference, I made the Pattie’s quite a bit thinner and it made 6. Added a fried egg too and it was amazing!



    Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Thanks so much Holly! This is great feedback glad you enjoyed it! That fried egg add sounds awesome!

      Reply
  3. Heather R. says:

    I haven’t tried these yet, but I plan to and I have no doubt that they’re delicious.

    Can these be made ahead of time and put in the fridge or frozen? Just for those really busy days between work and kid’s karate classes.

    Thanks, Eric!

    Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Thanks, Heather. I think you will definitely enjoy this burger. You can do all of the prep work before and make it later. The patties can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. The patties can also be frozen for up to 3 months and stacked between parchment paper in a freezer container or Ziploc bag.

      Reply

  4. Is the nurtrional values per recipe or per pattie?

    Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Hey Justin I base it on the entire burger including other ingredients.

      Reply
  5. Christopher says:

    Great taste, loved these! I did make four patties out of the burger ingredients & seasoning though.

    One question Eric: I did a lot of draining, both for the beans and the bell pepper / Onion mix and I am happy with how the patties kept their shape and how I browned them from both sides, but wondering whether you have any trick to get them extra crunchy.

    Thanks again for great reciped and greetings from Munich, Germany



    Reply

  6. These were so delicious. My vegetarian daughter loved them, and so did the three carnivores in my family. Great flavor and texture. Unlike so many other veggie burgers, these were not dry at all. Great texture.



    Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Thanks for this great feedback, Maggie! We think they are pretty great ourselves and we’re so happy to hear you and your family felt the same!

      Reply

    2. These are delicious!!! I’ve made a lot of black bean burgers and these are the best, most flavorful. I did not make the avocado sauce just paired with lettuce, ketchup and mayo. They were a tad moist, so next time I may place in oven after cooking on stovetop. Any other suggestions with cutting down the moistness so they would hold together better would be appreciated. Nonetheless these are very tasty!



      Reply
      1. Eric Jones says:

        Hi Debra! Thank you so much! To cut down on the moistness, you can try a few things, 1) you can add an extra step to dry out the beans in the oven, 2) add more breadcrumbs, 3) chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up and dry out a little, or 4) mash your beans a little bit more. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    1. Eric Jones says:

      Awesome, thanks Mahya!

      Reply