Why are burgers so freakin’ delicious? I’m serious. Turkey burgers, chicken burgers, bites of Tony’s heart-attack double bacon burgers. Oh and isn’t it just convenient that they are constantly paired with the other most addictive food in the world… aka french fries?!
My willpower around juicy burgers and hot, crispy french fries = zero.
So, what’s a girl who is trying to eat healthy but has a massive craving for a burger to do?
Pretty obvious. Make a better-for-you veggie burger!
I’ve learned that the secret to eating healthy and clean isn’t about depriving yourself from the things you enjoy. It’s about making better food choices roughly 80% of the time. That means that I probably wouldn’t have a regular burger and fries all the time, but may choose to have it one day out of the week.
In the meantime if I’m craving a burger like crazy, I make these flavorful veggie burgers packed with black beans, corn, spices, and herbs. The fiber and protein from the black beans help to keep me full and the toppings add even more flavor and nutrition. Don’t knock the veggie burger until you’ve tried it!
These particular veggie burgers were inspired by my recent visit to my Grandparents in New Mexico.
During my trip, I noticed that there were a lot of green chile burgers on restaurant menus. Which to me, basically sounded like the most delicious thing on the planet. Tony also has been talking up some green chile burger he got at one of Bobby Flay’s Burger restaurants so I knew it was a delicious combo that needed to be made.
I will say that putting green chile on a burger is just so right. It really just can’t be explained as to how the flavors meld so perfectly together to create this heavenly little bite of burger bliss in your mouth.
I like it. A LOT.
Now, the thing about these burgers is that they are a bit on the spicy side. If you’re not into that, you can leave out the green chile or use a mild version. I have a feeling that unless you live in the southwest, it may be difficult to find Hatch Green Chile so feel free to substitute as you see fit.
These are absolutely delicious topped with extra green chile, avocado, tomato, and lettuce. Enjoy!
More healthy vegetarian recipes to try:
Ultimate Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Tahini Garlic Sauce
Mom’s Ultimate Vegetarian Lentil Loaf
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas with Avocado Lime Crema
Jalapeño Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos with Avocado-Lime Crema
Sesame Garlic Grilled Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Curry Dip
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
New Mexican Green Chile Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large green chile, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or regular chili powder
- 1 – 16 oz can low-sodium black bean, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour, plus more if necesssary
- nonstick cooking spray
- 6 of your favorite hamburger buns, if desired
- Tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and any other fixings you desire
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add in onions and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, green chiles and red pepper; cook and stir until soft another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cumin, oregano, and chili powder; transfer to bowl to let cool.
- Add black beans to food processor and pulse until smooth but still a little chunky. Transfer beans to the bowl and add corn, cilantro and salt and pepper. Stir, taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Next add in egg and oat flour; stir until well combined, then divide into 6 firmly packed patties and place in fridge for 30 minutes to allow patties to cool so that they stay together better when cooking. If the mixture is too wet to form into patties, you can add a tiny bit more oat flour but don't overdo it!
- When you are ready to cook the burgers, spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook, flipping once, until cooked and browned on each side. I typically cook mine for 3-4 minutes on each side. Be gentle when flipping the burgers so that they don’t fall apart.
- Place on buns or in lettuce wraps and top with extra green chile, avocado slices, tomato, lettuce, and any other toppings or condiments you desire.
Great photos! I love veggies burgers. They are sooooo good!
ohh how I love you for this post!!! I will be making these this weekend. we love black bean burgers (or any burger lol) and anything spicy. This looks amazing!
Can you use a blender instead of food processor for the black beans?
These sound delicious! I’m in love with my grill though so do you think I could throw these on the grill or would they fall apart?
what is a flax egg??
It’s a great way to substitute for an egg! The basic recipe for a flax egg is 1 tablespoon ground flax seed+3 tablespoons of water. Mix those two ingredients up, allow them to thicken for a few minutes, and you have a flax egg!
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
A flax egg is: 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons of water. They are a great option for those who are vegan.
This veggie burger looks superb, especially with that big slab of avocado on top!
Yum! The flavours sound amazing – I’m thinking a home made bread buns are in order for these babies! So excited!
I NEED this burger in my life!
I don’t see where to use the pepper/onion mix/spice mix prepped at the beginning of the recipe. Does this also get put into the food processor with the black beans?
You’ll put them all in a bowl to cool, and then will add your food-processed beans to that same bowl 🙂
I tried this recipe last night and it turned out great. My Whole Foods did not have fresh chili peppers, so I used canned and the canned were gooier then expected. So, I added more oat floor than I probably should have (I should have heeded Monique’s warning), otherwise they would have turned out great. I am going to freeze the other 4 patties and am excited for this recipe going forward. I don’t’ think I have a good food processor, and I did have to add the black beans in sections, but I made them chunky as suggested and it was the perfect texture.
Glad it still worked out for you, Lynn! Smart idea to add the black beans in sections. Perfect dinner!
one of my mom’s favorite recipes!
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Our go-to veggie burger. So delicious!!! We usually make it with the canned green chiles as I can never seem to find any fresh ones, but it definitely does not lack any of the flavour! I always recommend to my friends when they’re looking for a black bean burger recipe. We dress it with a lettuce bun and all of our favourite toppings for a low cal meatless Monday meal!
Can these be cooked in a grill or will they fall apart?
I’d recommend a flat-top grill only as these burgers tend to be soft!
Can you freeze the patties?
Yes! Feel free to shape them and freeze them before OR after cooking for up to 3 months. You can reheat them on the stovetop straight from frozen.
What can I substitute for oat flour? Breadcrumbs perhaps? Or just all purpose flour?
Bread crumbs should work!