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This Spicy Black Bean Burger recipe has just the right amount of spice and a nice hint of cilantro and lime. Simple prep and freezer friendly! Switch up the menu for the BBQ and enjoy this simple delicious vegetarian burger recipe.
This recipe was originally published July 2015 and updated May 2025.
Summer time was made for grilling recipes!
I am all about grilling up some burgers–Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers are my FAVE. But, I appreciate and love a good black bean burger. These spicy black bean burgers are always a great meat free option for a BBQ!
These veggie burgers are a great option for a meatless dish for the grill out, for meat eaters as well! I was quite surprised that my meat loving husband gave these burgers a chance and I credit all the spice!
Serve these burgers with some of our favorite summer recipes for a full meal: Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, Watermelon Avocado Salad With Feta or this Cajun Potato Salad!
Why You Will Love This Spicy Black Bean Burger Recipe
- A nice spicy kick. A jalapeño and some crushed red pepper up the spice level in these veggie burgers. You can easily adjust the heat to make it hotter or not so hot.
- They are freezer friendly. You can actually freeze these before or after cooking. I make a big batch and then freeze them individually before cooking a lot. Then I thaw them before tossing on the grill when I am craving a freshly grilled burger. The best!
- Easily made gluten free or vegan. Accommodate dietary needs easily with these spicy bean burgers. Use gluten free breadcrumbs or panko for gluten free variation. Make a flax egg instead of a regular egg for vegan!
Ingredients Notes
- black beans: canned black beans are perfect for this recipe. They are already cooked and ready to go right into the burgers. Drain and rinsed, make sure they aren’t overly wet–pat them dry slightly if possible.
- jalapeño (seeds removed for less spice): add as much or as little as you like. These will help control the spice level of the burgers.
- bread crumbs or panko: a binder for the burgers, that helps hold them together along with the egg. These are very necessary for the success of the burgers, so don’t substitute in any way.
- egg: I have made these with a flax egg substitute if you are interested in making them vegan, it will work. I find a regular egg holds these together much better overall. But if you use a flax egg, it is still doable. Chill the burger mixture for about 30 minutes before forming the patties for best results when making with an egg substitute.
Step 1: In a food processor, process the jalapeño, onion, and garlic until finely ground. (You can finely dice them instead if desired! or if you don’t have a food processor)
Step 2: Add in one can of black beans, cilantro, lime juice and spices. Pulse until combined (there should still be chunks of black beans in the bean mixture–again, if you don’t have a food processor, a potato masher can be used to mash things.)
Step 3: Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add in the rest of the black beans, lightly beaten egg, bread crumbs, and corn.
Step 4: Stir until combined.
Step 5: Form into burger sized patties. (Sometimes I freeze this for about 15 minutes or so to help them form better into burgers. If you are having issues forming them, chilling can help.)
Step 6: Grill over medium heat on a well oiled grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. You can also cook these in a frying pan in oil over medium heat 4-5 minutes until browned on each side. Toast up some burger buns, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- The biggest issue with any veggie burger is getting them to really hold together. I have found that sometimes the mixture seems a touch too thin so adding more bread crumbs is a great solve. But my FAVORITE thing to do is to pop the mixture in the freezer or refrigerator for 20 minutes or so and then form them into burgers. This has made a huge difference!
- Spice level–take it where you like it! I play around with the amount of heat in these spicy bean burgers based on who is joining us for dinner. I have added a bit of siracha or hot sauce, or upped the red pepper for more spice.
- Don’t overcook these spicy black bean burgers–please! If you over cook them, then they will be dry. And no one wants a dry burger.
Storage
You can store leftover cooked black bean burgers in the fridge in an airtight container for about 5 days. Uncooked patties will keep in the refrigerator for about a day or two.
To freeze, wrap burgers individually with plastic wrap or parchment paper and then foil for best results. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
What to serve with your burgers
- Guac, guac and more guac–because always be extra! This Spicy Mango Guacamole is perrrrfect with it!
- Sweet potato wedges or fries, my personal favorite! But also, this Cajun Potato Salad is a great option!
- Pasta salad like this Grilled Zucchini Pasta Salad, Tomato Basil Pasta Salad or my personal all time favorite, this Easy Lemon Orzo Salad With Feta.
- Grilled Corn of any kind! Or pop your corn in the air fryer!
- Chips–no shame in a good side of chips with your burger!
Common Questions
To keep a black bean burger from falling apart, you need a binding agent. Bread crumbs or panko are one of these. They will help hold the burger together especially when cooking. The egg also helps keep it from falling apart so both are important ingredients here!
Yes! You do not need to cook or reheat canned black beans or any canned beans before using them. You can technically eat them straight from the can if desired.
This can depend on what your goals are, and each person has a value on what healthy means. The reality is that homemade black bean burgers have a much shorter list of ingredients than frozen or store bought, so if eating less additives is your goal, then these are certainly healthy. If eating less meat is a health goal of yours, then yes, these are healthy!
If your goal is high protein, these burgers alone aren’t as high in protein as a beef burger so you may still need to add more to your meal to achieve higher protein levels.
Other Grilling Recipes
Grilling Recipes
Chili Lime Chicken
Grilling Recipes
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken
Grilling Recipes
Grilled Flank Steak Salad
Burger Recipes
Mozzarella Burgers
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Spicy Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed for less spice
- ¼ red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cans black beans (about 15 oz.), drained and rinsed
- Juice of ½ lime, about 1 Tbsp
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ¼ -½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs (more if mixture is too thin), gluten free, or panko will work
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup corn
- 1 tsp sriracha or hot sauce for extra spice, optional
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the jalapeño, onion, and garlic until finely ground. (You can finely dice them instead if you don't have. food processor.)
- Add in one can of black beans, cilantro, lime juice and spices. Pulse until combined (there should still be chunks of black beans in the bean mixture–use a potato masher if you don't have a food processor)
- Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
- Add in the rest of the black beans, lightly beaten egg, bread crumbs, sriracha (if adding) and corn and stir until combined.
- Form into burger sized patties. (Sometimes I freeze this for about 15 minutes or so to help them form better into burgers.)
- To grill: Grill over medium heat on a well oiled grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. You can add a slice of cheese in the last minute if desired. (You can use a cast iron skillet on the grill as well to keep them from breaking or falling through.)
- Stove top: You can also cook these in a frying pan in oil over medium heat 4-5 minutes until browned on each side. Grill over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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So I cooked these in a skillet. I made them much thinner than your picture but the insides were very mushy. Like refried beans. Are they supposed to feel firm? I nearly burned the outsides just trying to get them to firm up but nothing helped.
Hi! There is some level of mushiness for a lack of a better word, ha but there should still be a level of structure. Maybe the ingredients were processed slightly too much? I’m going back through posts and adding step by step guides so I will work on this one next to see other things that could be adjusted. As long as they aren’t soggy, you should be ok.
Don’t have any fresh herbs in the house.?..any thoughts on what could be substituted for the cilantro?
Hmmm good question. You could skip it all together and add some oregano or possibly even some smoked paprika or something fun like that??
I made these today and they are divine !. I just wish I had some plain yoghurt in the fridge to make a dipping sauce. Going to shop for more ingredients so that I can make them again and freeze them, they will make a lovely brunch item. Calling my step daughter to tell her even she can make these they are so easy. I had taken 2 cans of beans out the cupboard and didn’t realize until I opened the first one that I had one black bean and one kidney bean. Still worked out great.
Oh my goodness–so great to hear!!!! Thanks so much for sharing and so glad you enjoyed them!
This is on my meal plan for the week. I think my husband will love them! Black bean burgers have such a great texture that I could eat them all the time!
Hope you love them Sara!!!
Homemade black bean burgers are sneak good! These ones are no exception. The corn is my favorite part – a little crunchy to go with the savory, satisfying black bean burger.
Oh my gosh thanks for sharing. So glad you love them!!
Freezing veggie burgers to get them to hold their shape better is such a great tip! I’ve never thought about this before.
It changed my life ??
I can’t believe that they are made from black beans, they look amazing.
Thanks! You will be amazed—promise!