This is the best Black Bean Veggie Burger recipe ever! They are super tender, have tons of delicious flavor, and are not mushy at all. They also freeze very well so you can meal prep for healthy weeknight burgers!

Close up of a black bean veggie burger in a bun with chipotle mayonnaise and caramelized onions

Let's give a big round of applause and welcome back The Best Black Bean Burger!

These beauties first appeared on the blog back in 2012 and they still hold the title for the best damn veggie burgers in the whole world. Big claim, I know. But it's true.

When I first made them it was shortly after a camping trip I took with my sister and then 3-year-old nephew. My sister (hi, Lyndsay!) brought them camping with us and I begged her for the recipe. I've been on a bit of a meat kick these past few years but after making them again for Throw Back Thursday (love #tbt!) I've promised myself to put them into regular dinner rotation.

When my handsome man took his first bite his eyes shot open and he nearly shouted, “Holy s*** these are good!” From a man who doesn't swear much, I took it as a really good sign.

(BTW if you want to see the original black bean veggie burger pic, I've hidden it a few images below here.)

All the ingredients for these black bean veggie burgers in a glass mixing bowl

How to make the best black bean veggie burger:

The first thing you need to know is that this is a really easy recipe. Please don't forget that when you see the list of ingredients. The list is a little long, but chances are you have most of the ingredients on hand already.

Here's how you make the veggie burgers: dump everything into a bowl and mix it up. 

Ok ok, that's a little simplified, but not far from the truth. You'll need to saute the onion and garlic first, then everything else goes into the bowl.

Easy, right?

Uncooked black bean veggie burgers on a sheet pan

The trick to making your homemade black bean veggie burgers stay together:

Have you ever made veggie burgers (or even ordered them at restaurants) and have them fall apart into a big disappointing mess? But of course, you have. It happens all the time.

Veggie burgers tend to be one of two things. 1. fall apart crumbly. 2. hard and dry as a hockey puck.

This black bean veggie burger recipe is neither of those things. They are soft and tender and full of texture AND they stay together. They're miracle veggie burgers.

Do you know that long list of ingredients you swore you wouldn't be intimidated by? That's what gives these a killer texture. Oats, nuts, seeds, carrots, and, of course, black beans. There's lots going on here.

What makes them stay together is a combination of three things …

A stack of 4 black bean veggie burgers on a white plate

And the start of the list of things that keep these veggie burgers from falling apart …

  1. The right amount of eggs. A lot of burgers call for an egg or two as a binder. You're going to use 4 large eggs in these babies. They give the burgers a lot of sticking power.
  2. Breadcrumbs. I really wanted to make these without breadcrumbs, but they just don't hold together well without them. I've reduced the amount needed to the very minimum so they do their job of holding the burgers together without drying them out.
  3. A rest in the fridge. That's right, these burgers need a little time to chill before they're cooked. Once they hang out in your fridge for a half hour they have no problem sticking together. I like to use this time to clean up the kitchen so there's nearly no mess when dinner is ready.
Close up of a black bean veggie burger on a white plate

How to top your vegetarian burgers:

The sky's the limit and the world is your (vegetarian) oyster when it comes to topping your hamburger. I used to top these burgers with the more traditional lettuce, tomato, cheese, and ketchup combo. Now I've been opting for something even better …

  1. Balsamic caramelized onions. Yes, these are a thing. And yes, you want them. Thinly slice an onion and cook it over medium heat with some oil. When it's nice and soft drizzle some reduced balsamic vinegar over the top and let them cook for a few more minutes. Sweet, delicious, magical burger topping.
  2. Chipotle mayo. Because a little spice is always the answer. Put some mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!) in a bowl with a little adobo sauce. Do you know that sauce that comes with canned chipotle peppers? That's adobo. Mix some of that with some mayo and you get chipotle mayo. Yum! You can get fancy and add a little squeeze of lime, some honey, and a few drops of liquid smoke if you like. Or not. It's delicious as a 2 ingredient burger topping.

Those are my favorite two toppings for this black bean veggie burger. But don't let that persuade you from topping these with your tried and true favorites. You can't go wrong here!

Now my friends, go on and take a bite of this juicy veggie burger. You know you want to!

Close up of a black bean veggie burger on a white plate with caramelized onions on top
Two hands holding a black bean veggie burger with lots of chipotle mayo and caramelized onions
A stack of 4 black bean veggie burgers on a white plate

The Best Black Bean Veggie Burger

Yield: 10 burgers
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 8 mins
Total Time: 23 mins
This is the best Black Bean Veggie Burger recipe ever! They are super tender, have tons of delicious flavor, and are not mushy at all. They also freeze very well so you can meal prep for healthy weeknight burgers!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

5 stars (6 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 19 ounce can black beans, drained
  • 2 cups quick rolled oats, gluten-free, if needed
  • 1 ½ cups grated carrot
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free, if needed
  • 1 cup roasted sunflower seeds, chopped
  • ½ cup roasted almonds, chopped
  • ½ cup soy sauce, gluten-free, if needed
  • ¼ cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon EACH: cumin, chili powder, and oregano
  • 4 large eggs
  • Optional: ½ cup feta cheese

Instructions 

  • Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for 2 minutes. Add the sauteed veggies to a large bowl then add all other ingredients and mix well.
    1 teaspoon avocado oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Form into 10 thick patties and place them on a baking sheet or platter in a single layer.
    19 ounce can black beans, 2 cups quick rolled oats, 1 ½ cups grated carrot, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 cup roasted sunflower seeds, ½ cup roasted almonds, ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup parsley or cilantro, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon EACH: cumin, chili powder, and oregano, 4 large eggs, Optional: ½ cup feta cheese
  • Heat a splash of oil in a pan. Add veggie patties (as many as you're able to fit into a pan), making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until patties are brown on both sides and warm all the way through.
  • Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, pickles and all the condiments you like.

Notes

Patties can be frozen, uncooked, between sheets of parchment paper.
Adapted from a recipe in the cookbook Whitewater Cooks.
Serving: 1 burger patty, Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 884mg, Potassium: 362mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 3597IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 4mg
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