Creating a great vegan burger that is full of flavor, has a great texture, and holds together can be tricky. After much experimentation, I finally created this Smoky Southwestern Black Bean Burger. Try it stacked on a bun with tomato, avocado, and a vegan chipotle mayo.

Preparation Tips

  • I recommend using home-cooked beans, as I find they have a much better texture and flavor. Check out my post for making beans from scratch at home. However, you can use canned beans if you prefer.
  • Lightly mash the black beans. I like to mash them with a potato masher, rather than using a food processor. The beans should be mashed just enough so they can hold together.
  • The quinoa and breadcrumbs ensure that the patty is not too dense. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover quinoa. Panko breadcrumbs have a much lighter texture than regular breadcrumbs. I recommend getting panko breadcrumbs if you can find them. If not, you can also blitz an old baguette in a food processor.
  • Sauteing the vegetables and spices really ups the flavor. It is important to get good color on the vegetables. You also want to cook the spices until you’re able to smell them in the pan. Finally, adding water to the pan will deglaze it and lift the fond, the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. The fond is where the flavor is. As soon as you add water to deglaze, stir to coat the vegetables in all the flavor you have created.
  • Finally, flour and egg replacer ensure the patty holds together and gets a nice crust on the outside. I find Ener-g egg replacer works best and is easy to use. However, another egg replacer that binds, such as flax seeds or chia seeds, might also work.
  • You can cook the patties right away. They also freeze well, so you can make them ahead of time to have on hand when needed. If the patties were previously frozen, they may need slightly longer in the pan to ensure they heat all the way through.
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Smoky Southwestern Black Bean Burger

Servings 8 patties

Equipment

  • Chopping board
  • Chef's knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Potato masher
  • Large saute pan
  • Spoonula or large wooden spoon
  • Cast iron or other heavy-bottomed pan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Cooked black beans
  • 1 cup Cooked quinoa
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbs Neutral-flavored oil
  • ½ cup Onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely diced
  • ½ cup Zucchini finely diced
  • ½ cup Corn kernels
  • 1 tsp Chili powder
  • ¼ tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ¼ cup Fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ cup Flour
  • 1 Flax seed egg

Instructions

  • Lightly mash the black beans in a large bowl. Add the quinoa and panko bread crumbs and stir to combine.
  • Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes until just golden. Add the garlic, zucchini, and corn. Cook for a few more minutes until all the vegetables are lightly browned.
  • Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, and a teaspoon of salt to the saute pan, stirring to coat the vegetables. Cook for about one minute, until fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add about one tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan, stirring to coat the vegetables.
  • Add the vegetables to the bean mixture in the bowl, along with the cilantro and a teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.
  • Add the flour to the bean mixture and stir to combine. Add the egg replacer and stir until the mixture holds together.
  • Divide the bean mixture to form 8 patties.
  • Heat oil in the cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side.