A black bean burger is a delicious plant-based alternative to the traditional beef burger. Make it a chipotle black bean burger for tons of flavor! Packed with fiber for gut health, blood sugar stabilization and heart health! Black beans are also a great source of folate, and a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. By mashing half the beans, and leaving the rest intact, the burgers have great texture. Egg and breadcrumbs help keep the burgers intact and they hold up to a gentle flip.
I prefer a homemade black bean burger to pre-made veggie burgers. You can control the sodium and flavor profile. We made the chipotle black bean burger because we love the flavors of chipotle and chili powder. Don’t feel like dragging out the food processor? Or don’t have a food processor? That’s ok. Make sure the onion is chopped finely and add to the black bean mixture. Getting rid of the excess moisture helps the burgers stay together, but it’s not required.
For vegetarians, a great way to replace meat and add protein into the diet is through black bean burgers! This can also be made gluten free using GF breadcrumbs and hamburger buns!
Trying to manage your blood sugar? A black bean burger is a great source of plant-based protein, but it also contains carbohydrate. 1/2 cup of beans is 15 grams of carbohydrate. One burger is about 30 grams of carbohydrate. Be mindful of this, in case you want a bun! A black bean burger on a bun would be about 60 grams of carbohydrate. Go bunless (or lettuce bun) if the bun does not fit into your carbohydrate goals for a meal.
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz can black beans low sodium
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 onion small
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder if no chipotle chili powder, use 2 tsp chili powder, and 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne, depending on spice preference
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 burger buns
Method
- Place at least half of the black beans (rinsed and dried thoroughly with a paper towel) in a bowl and mash well with a fork. Leave up to half of the remaining beans intact if you desire a little more texture.
- Put the garlic and onion into a food processor until well chopped. Wrap the garlic and onion mixture in paper towels and squeeze out excess moisture. Remove as much water as possible or the burgers won't stick together.
- Add the drained garlic and onion mixture to the bowl with the black beans. Stir in the chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add beaten egg to the bowl and combine. Stir in bread crumbs. Form mixture into 4 patties.
- To grill, place burgers on a well-greased grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Or bake patties at 375° F on a lightly oiled baking sheet, for 10 minutes on each side. Or cook on the stovetop in an oiled grill pan, cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
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An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
