Vegan Southwest Black Bean Burgers
Delicious, nutrient-packed vegan burgers made with pantry ingredients, are freezer-friendly, and can even be grilled!
Servings 8 burgers
Calories 282kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Southwest Black Bean Burgers
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion , diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 15-ounce cans of beans (black, kidney, navy, pinto), drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
- ⅔ cup BBQ sauce (I use Stubb’s), plus extra for serving
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 8 multi-grain burger buns
- Toppings: caramelized onions, sliced tomato, baby greens or lettuce, pickles, avocado, extra bbq sauce
Caramelized Onions (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large (softball size) onion , thinly sliced into half moons
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
Southwest Black Bean Burgers
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add raw walnuts and toast 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onion. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté 5-7 minutes until onion is soft and translucent, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once walnuts are cool, add to a food processor along with the cumin, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Process until thoroughly combined and mixture becomes a fine meal. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork or potato masher, leaving about ⅓ to ½ of the beans whole.
- To the beans, add the sautéed onions, walnut-spice mixture, cooked rice, Panko breadcrumbs, and BBQ sauce. Mix thoroughly with a spatula or wooden spoon until a moldable dough forms.
- If the mixture seems dry add 1-2 more tablespoons of BBQ sauce. If it’s too wet, add more Panko. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Firmly mold mixture into 8 patties that are about ¾-inch thick and 4 inches in diameter. You could also make 16 sliders half the size. (I suggest wearing vinyl, powder-free disposable gloves to form the burgers so your hands don’t turn orange from the spices and BBQ sauce.)
- Place the burgers on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate and chill at least 30 minutes to firm up before cooking/grilling. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)*
- When ready to cook, preheat grill over medium heat or heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Don’t overcrowd the pan if cooking on the stove.
- Either on the grill or in the skillet, cook burgers 3-4 minutes on each side. Reduce heat slightly if they brown too quickly.
- Serve burgers hot on toasted multi-grain buns with the suggested toppings or those of your choice. Enjoy!
Caramelized Onions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent.
- Add brown sugar and honey, and cook another 10-15 minutes until deeply caramelized, stirring frequently.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the beans are dry after rinsing them. Pat them with a paper towel to remove extra moisture.
- Don’t mash the black beans completely into a paste. The patties will bind better with about half of them left whole.
- I recommend wearing food prep gloves to mold the burgers to avoid orange hands from the BBQ sauce and spices.
- Refrigerate the burgers at least 30 minutes before cooking them for best results.
- Veggie burgers won’t shrink when cooked like meat burgers so buy rolls the same size as the patty.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 burger | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 70mg