Since we’re all trying to eat more plant based foods in 2020, I thought I’d bring you a recipe for my delicious vegan black bean burgers!
These vegan black bean burgers are infused with garlic, cumin, chili pwoder and extra veggies like shredded carrots for texture–plus they’re great for freezing, and even pack right around 10g protein per serving! What more could you want?
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Ingredients in vegan black bean burgers
The base of these easy vegan black bean burgers is super easy and made with ingredients you likely have on-hand. You’ll need:
- Black beans: the base of this vegan burger recipe is black beans. They’re easy to mix with the other ingredients to form delicious, protein & fiber packed patties.
- Red onion & carrots: I love sneaking some veggies into the patties with a little red onion and carrot. They also add the perfect amount of moisture.
- Garlic: for delicious flavor in the vegan burger patty.
- Olive oil: you’ll cook the onion & carrots in a bit of olive oil to soften them before adding to the patties.
- A flax egg: to keep these black bean burgers vegan we’re using a flax egg instead of a regular egg. A flax egg is just 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- Oat flour: we’re using oat flour in this recipe to help bind the burgers together. keep these vegan black bean burgers gluten free by using a gluten free oat flour, and you can easily make your own oat flour at home. See how to here! Breadcrumbs will also work if you don’t have oat flour!
- Cozy spices: these flavors make the burgers extra delicious. You’ll use cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt & pepper.
- Homemade garlic tahini sauce: this sauce is truly addicting on top of the burger and even for dipping fries. It has tahini, garlic, fresh lemon juice, warm water, a pinch of salt.
- Toppings: feel free to mix and match your favorite buns, red onion, avocado, tomato and more
Tips for shaping and forming black bean burgers
- Be sure to process the black beans until there are just a few chunks left
- Feel free to add a tablespoon more of oat flour if the mixture feels too “wet”
- Use this vegan black bean burger mix to make 4 patties – I would not recommend making them any larger as they will be hard to flip
- Chill the patties in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to help them firm up
How to make vegan black bean burgers from scratch
- You’ll first make your vegan flax egg by mixing flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and place in the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Next, place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add in onion, garlic and carrot; saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots begin to soften a bit.
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Transfer your onion, garlic & carrot to a large bowl and stir in the spices: cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
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Using a food processor or high powered blender, blend black beans until well blended and just a few bean chunks remain.
- Transfer the smoothed black beans to the bowl with the veggies and then stir in the flax egg and the oat flour until you can form into patties. Taste, adjust seasonings and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Divide the mixture into 4 burger patties. Put them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to help them firm up.
- While the burgers are in the fridge, make the garlic tahini sauce by mixing together the following in a small bowl: tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt.
- After 30 minutes, place a large skillet pan over medium heat and generously spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the patties and cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and heated through.
- Time to serve! Place on buns with your favorite toppings like tomato, avocado, red onion and the tahini sauce.
Grillable black bean burgers
Yes, you can make these vegan black bean burgers on the grill for the perfect summer dinner! Here’s how:
- Prep your grill. Preheat your grill to medium high heat, about 400 degrees F. Scrape off anything left over from the last time you grilled.
- Grease some foil. Grease a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray or olive oil.
- Make your burgers. Shape your black bean burgers into ½ inch thick patties and refrigerate them for about 20-30 minutes to help them hold together. Then place your burger patties onto your greased aluminum foil.
- Grill ’em up. Place the aluminum foil with your black bean burgers directly onto the grill. Grill the burgers for 6-8 minutes on each side and be sure to flip very carefully with a metal spatula. Burgers are done when they are heated through.
Customize these black bean burgers
I love experimenting with different, fresh toppings to really take these vegan black bean burgers to the next level. Here are more ideas for topping these babies:
- Curry tahini sauce (if you like curry flavor!)
- Ketchup or BBQ sauce
- Caramelized onions
- Romaine or butter lettuce
- Goat cheese or cheddar cheese (if not vegan)
- Pickles
- Chipotle ranch or may0 or ranch (if not vegan)
- Guacamole
- Jalapeño green tahini sauce
- Vegan cheese sauce
How to store vegan black bean burgers
Store these healthy vegan black bean burgers in air tight containers the fridge for up to 4-5 days. To reheat, simply heat the vegan burger patties in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until heated through.
Freezer-friendly black bean burgers
These vegan black bean burgers freeze beautifully! The best part? You can freeze them before or after they’re cooked.
- Before cooking: shape your black bean burgers and place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container or bag. If you’re stacking the burgers I’d recommend putting wax or parchment paper in between the layers so that they don’t stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, you can either let them thaw in the fridge before cooking or cook them directly from frozen – you may just need to cook them a bit longer from frozen.
- After cooking: let your vegan burger patties cool completely before placing them in airtight, freezer-friendly containers or bags. As I mentioned above, put wax or parchment paper in between the layers of burgers if you’re stacking them. Freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop for a couple minutes on each side. You can also reheat these directly from frozen – I recommend doing so on the stovetop.
What to serve with vegan black bean burgers
Not only are these healthy vegan and gluten free black bean burgers delicious with just about any topping, they’re also great for serving with your favorite sides. I love serving these with:
- Best Healthy Coleslaw Ever (no mayo!)
- Sesame Garlic Grilled Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Curry Dip
- The Best Guacamole You’ll Ever Eat
- Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado
- Vegan Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad
I hope you love these ultimate vegan black bean burgers as much as we do! If you make them I’d love for you to leave a rating and comment so I know how how you liked them. You can also tag me on Instagram with #ambitiouskitchen so I can see your creation!
Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Tahini Garlic Cream
The best healthy vegan black bean burgers are gluten free, packed with veggies and filled with plenty of spices. This is the ultimate vegan black bean burger recipe that's easy to make, holds together well and is incredibly delicious! Top with avocado, onion, tomato and a super addicting garlic tahini sauce.
Ingredients
- For the burger:
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 -1/3 cup oat flour, gluten free if desired
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garlic Tahini Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons warm water, to thin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For serving (optional and not included in nutrition):
- 4 sprouted/whole grain or gluten free buns
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Slices of red onion
- Tomato slices
Instructions
- Mix flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and place in the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add in onion, garlic and carrot; saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots begin to soften a bit.
- Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the spices: cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Using a food processor or high powered blender, blend black beans until well blended and just a few bean chunks remain.
- Transfer to the bowl with the veggies and then stir in the flax egg and the oat flour. Taste, adjust seasonings and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Divide mixture into 4 patties. Put on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- While the burgers are in the fridge firming up, make the garlic tahini sauce by mixing together the following in a small bowl: tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt.
- After 30 minutes, place a large skillet pan over medium heat and generously spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the patties and cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and heated through.
- Place on buns with tomato, avocado, red onion and tahini sauce. Serve with sweet potato fries or a salad. Makes 4 burgers.
Recipe Notes
How to freeze vegan black bean burgers
Before cooking: shape your black bean burgers and place them in an airtight, freezer-friendly container or bag. If you're stacking the burgers I'd recommend putting wax or parchment paper in between the layers so that they don't stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, you can either let them thaw in the fridge before cooking or cook them directly from frozen - you may just need to cook them a bit longer from frozen.
After cooking: let your vegan burger patties cool completely before placing them in airtight, freezer-friendly containers or bags. As I mentioned above, put wax or parchment paper in between the layers of burgers if you're stacking them. Freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop for a couple minutes on each side. You can also reheat these directly from frozen - I recommend doing so on the stovetop.
See the full post for instructions on grilling your black bean burgers!
Nutrition
Serving: 1burgerCalories: 228calCarbohydrates: 33.2gProtein: 10.6gFat: 6.7gSaturated Fat: 1gFiber: 7.5gSugar: 2g
If you like this recipe you might also like
New Mexican Green Chile Black Bean Burgers
Vegan Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad
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Made this last night and it was delicious.
So glad you enjoyed!
Can I bake these instead? If so at what temperature and for how long?
Yes! I’d recommend 375 F for 10 minutes on each side.
These were to me just a pile of refried beans. No flavor, bad texture – immediate compost. I didn’t make the tahini sauce, that must be what makes them good.
Sorry these didn’t turn out for you! I’m surprised with all of the spices and the flax egg to hold them together. Did you follow the recipe exactly?
I was looking for a good vegan black bean burger recipe, and this turned out delicious! I baked it in the oven, and it turned out perfect and was a nice consistency. I didn’t change much—just mixed in 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed instead of making a flax egg, made 6 patties instead of 4, and sprayed with cooking spray on each side before putting in the oven. I baked at 375°F, 10 mins on each side. We ate it with the tahini sauce, avocado, and red onion. 😋
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
I never thought I could make a vegan burger but these were delicious. I was afraid I would dry them out by putting too much flour so I was conservative with it. Next time I will add more.
Otherwise, success! Thank you..
Seriously so flavorful and yummy. My whole family ate these up!
Made these tonight since my husband is supposed to be eating less red meat. They were delicious! I did use a real egg and normal flour but we both really enjoyed them!
Perfect! Such a great plant-based meal for weeknights.
Can you bake these burgers?
They surprisingly cooked very well on the grill, held together nicely.pretty tasty but not my favorite on the blog.
I’m glad the grill worked out well!
These are the best veggie burgers I’ve made! They held together very well, and have excellent flavor. I’ve tried other veggie burgers that have quinoa in them, and they fall apart easily & taste like a bread sandwich with the bun.
This brings our veggie burger game to another level! I followed the substitution for the regular eggs & breadcrumbs. So good with spicy mayo & avocado and Dave’s Killer Bread buns. Will definitely keep this in our regular rotation.
Can I use another gluten-free flour as I can not have oats
You could try GF breadcrumbs!
1 word, AMAZING! These burgers taste great and were easy to make. And the garlic tahini cream just made it that much better! Definitely going to add this into my regular dinner rotation! Even my boyfriend (the meat eater) said they are epic!! And he is really picky! You nailed this!
Ahh that’s amazing that he loved them! SO glad to hear that. Isn’t the tahini sauce incredible?! 🙂
Yes! I ended up making more to dip my veggies in!!
Nice!!
These turned out really good, I used panko. Super sturdy. I put feta and spinach on them with the garlic tahini sauce.
Nice! So happy you enjoyed them, Stephanie 🙂
we made this tonight for our LDW cookout and YUM!!! paired with grilled sweet potato fries with the curry tahini sauce to dip- meat-loving hubby approved! your recipes never disappoint 🙂
These burgers were so easy to make ahead and freeze for a quick meal. They were better quality than what you’d get at most restaurants and the garlic tahini was phenomenal.
I’ve made these so many times and they’re always amazing, They turn out great, freeze well, and are delish!
Another great Ambitious Kitchen meal. This recipe is the best black bean burger recipe you’ll find! I typically make a few modifications, such as using an egg (instead of flax egg) and breadcrumbs (instead of oat flour). The burgers have turned out phenomenal each and every time and are now a staple in our house.
I’m so happy you’re loving these, Kourtney! Those are great subs, glad they worked out 🙂
So awesome! What a delish, simple, homemade black bean burger! I loved how quickly they came together, and the tahini sauce is to die for. We had ours with fresh garden tomatoes and they were fantastic!
Oh I’m SO glad to hear that, Elizabeth! 🙂 ❤️
I made these burgers over the weekend and was so satisfied! Was craving a burger but wanted veg and this recipe really fit the bill. I didn’t have black beans on hand so I substituted Kidney Beans but aside from that- I had all the ingredients which is normally the case with Moniques recipes (and part of why I keep coming back!!) I’ve already shared the recipe with 2 friends and would definitely make these again due to how simple and tasty they were!
I’m so happy you’re loving these + my other recipes, Hannahmarie! Thank you!! ❤️ And glad to hear the kidney beans worked well in here 🙂
“This isn’t a steak. Why would you call it one on your menu?” – Ron Swanson
Very tasty, however, the texture is just gooey. I prefer one made with walnuts or rice to give it a better, firmer texture. I do llove the tahini sauce, and carrots. You really need to love garlic – the sauce, is very garlicky- which I do. Next time I would use walnuts, brown rice or quinoa.
Hi, there! Sorry to hear that about the texture–I haven’t had that issue! Great idea to add some walnuts, rice, or quinoa. Hope you can try that soon!
These were INCREDIBLE. Made them for a very skeptical husband, and even I was a bit skeptical, but the texture and taste were. The pairing of it with the garlic tahini sauce was wonderfully and the warm tastes of chili power really made this a great sandwich.
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Looking forward trying these tasty meals
Hope you find some here that you love!
Very easy to put together and the warm spices make it so tasty and the burger holds together really well!! I’ve been looking for additional ways to get more protein and this may be my new go-to option.
One note in the recipe, it says to rest the burgers in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, but after 30 minutes to add them to the pan to cook. I went for the middle and rested for 20 mins….Is 10-15 mins too short?
So glad you enjoyed! 30 minutes is perfect, but they should be fine with 20 too! I hope they turned out well for you!
These are the best black bean burgers I’ve ever made! So easy to make and even my 10 month old ate them. The tahini sauce is addicting and so good with sweet potatoes!
So happy to hear that! And YES love that sauce with sweet potatoes 🙂
Simple and tasty recipe. It has become my go-to veggie burger.
So happy to hear that!
Seriously so delicious and SO easy! I love how there’s minimal ingredients, minimal dishes, and that you can cook then serve, cook then freeze for later, or just freeze right away. My 9 month old loves them and I love that I have such a simple, healthy, convenient dinner to feed her!
Absolutely! Glad you both enjoyed!
I’ve made these before and they last well in the fridge and heated up again throughout the week! Do you think the results would be good with another type of bean, such as pinto?
I really loved this black bean burger. The tahini sauce is perfect with it. I had one leftover and found that it was much firmer microwaving the next day. Right out of the pan it was a little soft and squeezed out of the bun some. If I can plan ahead I will make fully to enjoy the next day!
Noted on the microwave option here! Glad you love this one.
LOVE these burgers! Especially good with Dave’s Bread buns 🙂
Love those buns, too! Glad you enjoyed!
Hi! Can I use this recipe with sprouted black beans?
I think that should be fine!
These are my go to black bean burgers, so flavorful and have a great texture. I always double the recipe and freeze them, such an easy and delicious meal to reheat
I just heard a podcast that encourages us to leave reviews ON THE post of the food blogger. So here it goes: YUM!
These black bean burgers are so easy to make (the most difficult thing being to shred the carrot- my muscles were confused at me 😉 and in addition to being flavorful and easy, they can be prepared ahead of time and the suggestions for toppings here are wonderful- the tahini sauce is my new thing for everything! Make sure you do the required refrigeration so the burgers fry up well. Bon Appetit
Thank you so much! The comments & ratings mean the world 🙂 so happy you love this one – that tahini sauce is the best!
Just a question is most of the calories really coming from the tahini?
Hi! They mostly come from the black beans + oat flour as there are only 2 tablespoons of tahini in the sauce.
Delicious! We used a regular egg because we didn’t have the flax…yum! Cannot wait to eat another one 🙂
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
gave this recipe a shot and…….thank goodness I did!!!! so delicious! thank you!
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
Awesome recipe – turned out SO much better than our last set of burgers. 5 stars. 🙂 BUT the only complaint I would have is that it suggests the use of cooking spray, which is a less eco-friendly option to certain oils and comes with more plastic/metal waste in the container. I know this is something the vegan community cares about, so would be awesome to see this more deeply considered in future recipes! Would encourage people learning from your recipes to use more eco-friendly options in the future 🙂
Thanks so much for the tip! I’ll be sure to note this moving forward. Glad you loved the burgers!
My favorite black bean burger recipe! I chop the carrots in my food processor instead of shredding and serve with roasted red peppers. Love that this is completely vegan!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These are delicious. I used regular egg + bread crumbs, also added curry powder + turmeric to the tahini sauce. We served them with sweet potato fries and mixed some of the tahini sauce with ketchup for dipping. It was sooo good. My husband, who was not excited about the idea of black bean burgers, thought it was a great meal too.
Love that! So delicious!
I rarely comment however, after making so many consistently great recipes from this site I felt compelled to write. These burgers were delicious! Another one to add to the keeper file!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂 thanks for your comment!
Best veggie burgers I’ve ever made! They turned out great! I used whole wheat flour. I baked them for 20 minutes at 350 F, flipping halfway through and then I broiled on each side for 2 minutes. Planning on making a double batch soon to freeze for easy dinners during the week!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!