Vegan and oil-free, these simple black bean burgers are made with only 8 ingredients and can be on your plate in about 30 minutes. Gluten-free option, too!
Let’s face it: When you follow a plant-based whole foods diet, there are some things you miss. I’m not talking about rich desserts and fried snacks. What I sometimes miss is the convenience of packaged foods, especially the ease of pulling a veggie burger out of the freezer and cooking it in the microwave in under two minutes. That’s why I decided to create a faster, easier black bean burger.
Maybe I shouldn’t be confessing this on my food blog, but the older I get, the less time I want to spend cooking. Often, it’s just a mental hurdle—once I decide what I want to make and get into the kitchen, I enjoy putting a meal together, especially if my husband is available to help with the chopping.
But for some reason, not having a child around to cook for has made me less eager to spend more than about 30 minutes on meal preparation. Maybe I’m just getting old; maybe I miss daughter E’s critical palate. Who knows? The upside is since she went away to college, I’m creating more Ridiculously Easy recipes for those of you who feel the same way about cooking. Like this recipe for 8-ingredient black bean burgers (7 if you skip the corn.)
I have lots of incredible burgers in my archives, but all of them require some vegetable chopping or cooking some ingredients in advance. My African-Inspired Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers, for instance, are amazing, if I do say so, but they require cooking sweet potatoes and chopping 4 different vegetables.
Instead of all that chopping, this easy black bean burger uses prepared salsa and just a few potent seasonings to create a burger that is firm yet moist, simple yet flavorful, in the least amount of time possible. I start by slightly grinding regular oatmeal so that some of it becomes powdery, helping the burgers stick together without added thickeners like flour or cornstarch.
I’ve made these burgers twice now—first on the bake setting and then on the air fryer setting on my Breville Smart Oven Air—and they came out equally well both baked and air-fried. Since all of the ingredients are already cooked (or don’t require cooking, like oats and corn), they only need to be cooked long enough to crisp up the exterior and warm the interior; letting them “meld” in the fridge for at least 15 minutes insures that they will hold together.
The first time I made these chipotle-flavored black bean burgers, I skipped the usual condiments and topped them with Green Tomato Pepper Butter, a tangy sweet-sour sauce that brought out their spiciness. (Check out the recipe plus a photo of our new puppy!)
The second time, I treated them like regular old burgers and topped them with ketchup and mustard. I think you’ll love them with whatever condiments you use.
P.S. I made the oil-free fries in my little Phillips air fryer, making this a two air fryer meal. I simply cut thin fries (I use a food processor) from Yukon gold potatoes, toss them with about a tablespoon of aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) and some seasonings. Then I air fry at 360F for 18 minutes, tossing and stirring every 6 minutes.
Simple Black Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned oats) (use certified gluten-free oats to assure that the burgers are gluten-free)
- 16 ounces black beans (1 can, well drained)
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari or 1/2 teaspoon salt, for gluten free)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons mild chili powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (more or less, to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed) optional
Instructions
- Place the oats in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse 5 or 6 times until they are partially chopped (some will be powder, some will be whole.) Add all ingredients except the corn and pulse until most of the beans are blended.
- Pour bean mixture into a bowl and stir in the corn. Cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form bean mixture into six patties using a scant 1/2 cup for each. Bake for 20-30 minutes, being careful not to overcook and dry them out. They're done when the outside is beginning to get crispy and they hold together well.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to around 375F. Place the burgers in a single layer and air fry until slightly crispy on the outside, about 15 minutes. (They have a tendency to stick, so consider using perforated parchment paper underneath them.)
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Enjoy!
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Laina
October 30, 2017 at 9:11 pmHi Susan,
Yes…… I’ve gotten your newsletter for years now and I’m always so excited to receive it. This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it.
I’m with you, the older I get the more I’m drawn to convenience. I hope that this recipe means that more quick meal recipes are on their way! 🙂
I so appreciate that your recipes help us all to eat more healthy and have enjoyed getting to know you throughout the years, and hearing about D and E. I hope you are all well and happy and healthy.
Suzanne Trott
October 30, 2017 at 10:37 pmThanks for the recipe. I subscribe to your newsletter and really enjoy receiving it!
Myra Delzeit
October 30, 2017 at 11:07 pmI subscribe to the newsletter! 🙂
Thanks for all you do!
Deon Qadir
October 30, 2017 at 11:19 pmI subscribe to your newsletter. 3 years ago my husband and I started followed the vegan diet due to medical conditions. You have been a blessing along my journey to add variety to our diet. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Karen
October 31, 2017 at 12:08 amI made the burgers for for dinner tonight. I have a bunch of veggie burger recipes, but this is by far the BEST one ever! It was moist and flavorful and didn’t crumble like some veggie burgers do. So, so good!
Margaret Styczynski
October 31, 2017 at 1:17 amI subscribe to your newsletter. (And I’m happy I do)
Stephanie
October 31, 2017 at 7:19 amI subscribe to your newsletter
Julie Nydam
October 31, 2017 at 9:36 amI subscribe to your newsletter
Joyce Roessler
October 31, 2017 at 9:58 amI subscribe to your newsletter
Pamela Karakula
October 31, 2017 at 12:35 pmI too have an empty nest now and feel need the easier , simpler meals. Can’t wait to try the green tomato pepper butter and the black bean burgers . I am a newsletter subscriber.
Deborah Mashhour
October 31, 2017 at 1:07 pmI subscribe to your newsletter.
Pam
October 31, 2017 at 4:10 pmI subscribe to your newsletter.
Debi T
October 31, 2017 at 7:00 pmThis looks yummy! And I do subscribe to your newsletter.
Cathy P.
October 31, 2017 at 7:00 pmI subscribe to your newsletter. This recipe looks great! I can’t wait to try it, my husband is a burger fan so we like to try different recipes. I’m with you with simple recipes, though. Thank you
Linda
October 31, 2017 at 10:43 pmThese burgers sound great – can’t wait to try them. I subscribe to your newsletter and enjoy your recipes
Diana Lopes
November 1, 2017 at 12:14 pmTho I love spending hours and hours in the kitchen, I also love easy recipes every now and then! I’ll sure keep this in my file!
Deanne O'Donnell
November 1, 2017 at 4:25 pmI SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR NEWSLETTER!
Darlene Chamberlin
November 1, 2017 at 6:51 pmI love this recipe and will have to give it a go!
Pamela Shelley
November 1, 2017 at 6:51 pmI subscribe to your newsletter.
Thanks!
Robin M
November 1, 2017 at 6:54 pmI happily subscribe to your newsletter and love your recipes
Eric pastor
November 1, 2017 at 6:56 pmI subscribe to the newsletter
Mary
November 1, 2017 at 7:06 pmThis looks incredible. And by the way, I subscribe to your newsletter! 😉
Wendy
November 1, 2017 at 7:09 pmThis was so tasty and so easy ,……………so glad “I subscribe to your newsletter,”
Katrina Golding
November 1, 2017 at 7:12 pmI subscribe to your newsletter and your recipes have changed my life for the better. I would love nothing more than a copy of the book. The nutrition info is awesome and greatly appreciated. Thank you for all you do! A fan and forever follower!! 😍
Alana
November 1, 2017 at 7:31 pmI subscribe to your newsletter and cook your recipes like it’s my job!
Pam
November 1, 2017 at 7:41 pmI subscribe to your newsletter
Cynthia Kresge
November 1, 2017 at 7:43 pmI can’t wait to try these! And I subscribe to your newsletter.
Do you think the french fries would cook well in convection oven? I like the idea of coating them with a little aquafaba – I’m thinking it will help the seasoning stick.
Susan Voisin
November 1, 2017 at 8:08 pmThey’ll do great. I would increase the temperature to 400 and turn them after 10 Minutes. I’m not sure how long they’ll take to cook.
Stephanie Davison
November 1, 2017 at 7:54 pmI subscribe to your newsletter. Can’t wait to try these out, because sometimes I just want a burger patty without having to go through all the fuss.
Anne
November 1, 2017 at 7:54 pmI subscribe to your news letter
Lisa
November 1, 2017 at 8:25 pmI subscribe to your newsletter
christine thiel
November 1, 2017 at 8:33 pmthis sounds like a winner. i am a newsletter subscriber and would like to enter for the cookbook giveaway.look forward to your posts. thanks, CAT
Kathy
November 1, 2017 at 8:37 pmI subscribe to your newsletter and this sounds great.
My GI doctor said to eat more fiber and I have been having some black beans on salads.
This sounds like a great way to incorporate more fiber into my diet. Thanks.
TEENA APPLEGATE
November 1, 2017 at 8:53 pmI subscribe to your newsletter!!
Kathy
November 1, 2017 at 9:04 pmI subscribe to your newsletter. 😉 Can’t wait to try this recipe!
christine
November 1, 2017 at 10:04 pmi subscribe to your newsletter!!!
Ruth Howard
November 1, 2017 at 10:30 pmI subscribe to your newsletter.
Vonciele
November 2, 2017 at 12:05 amI subscribe to your newsletter
R. Rivera
November 2, 2017 at 1:06 amI SuBscIbe tO yOuR NeWsLeTTeR!!!!!!!! LoVe IT.
geo
November 2, 2017 at 1:38 amI subscribe to the newsletter
Amy
November 2, 2017 at 3:22 amI subscribe to (and love) your newsletter.
Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes.