These spicy vegan black bean burgers make the perfect easy and healthy meal that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes! Made with oats, corn and BBQ sauce, this plant based burger recipe is packed with a delicious smokey Southwest flavour. Best veggie burgers ever! {Vegan & gluten-free-friendly}
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Healthy Black Bean Burger Recipe – So Easy & Delicious!
We’re always on a hunt for new plant-based recipes to incorporate into our weekly menu rotation, and these spicy vegan black bean burgers with oats totally fit the bill!
I find that a lot of bean burgers require a ton of prep which can be a bit of a turn off when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. That’s why I’ve been on a mission to come up with a super easy plant-based burger recipe.
These Southwest veggie burgers can be whipped up in no time at all for a healthy meal that can be served up in less than 30 minutes!
Plus, they contain just the right amount of texture, spiciness, sweetness and tanginess from the BBQ sauce, corn and spices for the ultimate flavourful and tasty bean burger.
Also, because oats are used as a binding agent, these patties hold together really well, so you don’t have to worry about them turning into a crumbly mess.
The next time you’re looking for a good burger, try out this spicy black bean burger recipe. It’s a great alternative to your typical burger and is always a family favourite!
If you’re a lover of beans, you’ll also want to check out this Mexican Three Bean Salad and 3-Bean Chili!
Why We Love this Plant-Based Burger Recipe
- Easy: You can whip these extra easy black bean burgers together in less than 15 minutes with only few simple ingredients. AND there’s no chopping involved!
- Healthy: These black bean patties are packed with plant-based protein and fibre for a quick and satisfying meal.
- Flavourful: While some bean burgers can be rather bland, these southwest veggie burgers are packed with a sweet and smoky flavour. Plus, you can easily adapt them to make them more or less spicy.
Ingredient Notes
- Black beans: For convenience, we use no-salt added canned black beans. Be sure to rinse and drain them well before combining with the other ingredients.
- Oats: Act as a binding agent to hold the burgers together. I typically use quick oats since they’re a bit finer in texture, but rolled or large flake oats would work as well.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic infuses the patties with extra flavour. Use freshly minced garlic for best results. You can also sub in garlic powder.
- BBQ sauce: Acts as an egg replacement and adds some additional smokey flavour to the burgers as well. Try to look for a lower sugar BBQ sauce if possible.
- Soy sauce: Adds a kick of flavour to the bean burgers, so no extra salt is needed. Use a reduced-sodium soy sauce. For a gluten-free option, you can also sub in Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Seasonings: Ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne fill these burgers with a Southwest flavour. Adjust the amount of cayenne that you add depending on how spicy you like your burgers.
- Corn: Adds texture and sweetness to the burgers. Use frozen, canned or fresh corn kernels.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds some colour and flavour to the patties. You can also sub in fresh parsley if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
How to Make Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats
- Place the oats in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse several times until they are partially chopped (some will be powder, some will be whole).
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the corn, and pulse until most of the beans are blended.
- Add bean mixture to a large bowl and fold in the corn.
- Using your hands, form the burger mixture into six equal-sized patties. Cook using desired method. Serve on hamburger buns along with your favourite toppings.
Cooking Black Bean Burgers
You can cook these bean burgers in few different ways. Feel free to choose your desired method.
- To bake them in the oven: I typically bake the burgers because it’s the most hands off method and is also perfect for cooking up a larger batch. Drizzle the patties with a bit of olive oil, and then bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in an oven preheated to 375° F for about 10-14 minutes. Flip after 8 minutes so that both sides become a bit crispy.
- To cook them in a skillet: Cooking the burgers in a skillet with a bit of oil is a great option since it adds a little extra crispiness to the outside of the patties. Keep the heat at medium-low and allow the patties to cook slowly, for about 5 minutes per side, flipping when the first side is golden brown and a bit crunchy. The exact timing will depend on the type of stove you have.
- To grill: Preheat an outdoor grill to 400°F. Lightly brush the patties with olive oil, spray the grill grates with a bit of oil, and grill for about 8 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side. You can also cook them on a grill-safe pan, like a cast iron skillet.
Tips for the Best Veggie Burgers
- Be careful not to process the beans into a complete paste. You still want some chunks of whole beans in the mix to add some texture.
- Form the burger to match the size of the bun. These bean burgers don’t shrink when cooking them, so be sure to make them about the same size as the bun.
- To make less spicy: To tone down the spiciness of these burgers, use a pinch of cayenne pepper or leave it out altogether if you’re not a lover of spicy foods.
- Be careful not to overcook the burgers and dry them out. They’re done when the outside of the patties are starting to get crispy, but are still slightly soft to the touch. They should hold together well.
Storage and Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: You can store any leftover bean burgers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze black bean burgers?
Yes! Black bean burgers can be easily frozen so they’re great for meal prep. Typically, I prefer to completely cook the bean burgers before freezing them. That way you can simply reheat the burger for a quick meal rather than having to cook them.
To freeze:
- Cook burgers by following the recipe below.
- Place the cooked burgers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow them to cool completely.
- Once cool, place the tray in the freezer until the burgers are frozen solid, about 3-4 hours.
- Remove the tray from the freezer and transfer each burger patty into an airtight freezer safe container or resealable bag. Place the burgers back in the freezer until you’re ready to reheat and serve.
How long can a black bean burger be frozen for?
You can freeze bean burgers for up to 3 months. Be sure to label with the date to keep track of when you put them in the freezer.
To defrost:
To defrost the burgers, transfer them to the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, or run cold water over them until they begin to soften.
To reheat:
- From the fridge: Cook in the microwave on high for 60 seconds or heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
- From the freezer: Cook in the microwave on high for 90 seconds or heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Recipe FAQs
Black bean burgers are hearty and meaty in texture, but do not taste like a beef burger. Instead, they have more of a black bean flavour, and can be on the smokey or spicy side depending on which ingredients and seasonings you add to them. The ultimate bean burger should be dense with lots of variation in texture, while also being tender, moist and flavourful!
Not all black bean burgers are created the same, so some varieties can be healthier than others. This made-from-scratch spicy black bean burger recipe makes a great nutrient-packed meal since each patty is rich in protein, fibre, iron, folate and magnesium.
Additionally, plant-based bean burgers are incredibly heart healthy since they’re low in saturated fat and rich in soluble fibre, which can help to lower those lousy (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Suggested Toppings
These spicy vegan black bean burgers can be loaded up with all of your favourite toppings!
They taste especially good with:
- Lettuce
- Sliced tomato
- Pickles
- Sliced red onion
- Sliced avocado or mashed avocado
- Mayo or vegan mayo (or try this Roasted garlic aoili)
- Chipotle mayo
- Guacamole
- Cheese (or vegan cheese)
- Ketchup
- A bit of hot sauce
- Additional barbecue sauce
What to Serve with Black Bean Burgers
Black bean burgers pair especially well with a side salad or your favourite veggie sides.
Try them with any of the following:
- Tossed Green Salad
- Dill Potato Salad Recipe
- Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
- Healthy Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
- Broccoli Salad {without Bacon}
- Asparagus Tomato Salad
- Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon and Paprika
- Roasted Garlic Potatoes
Recipe Variations
- Add extra veggies: If you’d like, you can add some chopped or shredded onion and bell peppers to the black bean mixture. I typically like to saute them first before processing them with the other ingredients to soften them and bring out more flavour.
- For a more smoky flavour: You can add a couple chopped chipotle peppers and a bit of adobo sauce or liquid smoke into the mix for a more smokey flavour.
- Make beans from scratch: If you prefer to avoid the canned beans and would rather make your own, you’ll need about 2 cups of cooked black beans.
- To make gluten-free: Use Tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and use certified gluten-free oats to avoid any potential cross-contamination with gluten.
More Black Bean Recipes:
- Vegan Black Bean Tostadas
- Healthy Black Bean Burrito Bowls
- Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Creme
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Spicy Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 19 oz can no salt-added black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like your burgers)
- Small handful of fresh cilantro (about half a cup)
- 2/3 cup corn kernels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the oats in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse several times until they are partially chopped (some will be powder, some will be whole).
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the corn, and pulse until most of the beans are blended.
- Add bean mixture to a large bowl and fold in the corn.
- Using your hands, form the bean mixture into six equal-sized patties. Cook using desired method.
Stove top:
- Heat a bit of oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Cook burgers for about 5 minutes per side flipping when the first side is golden brown and a bit crunchy. The exact timing will depend on the type of stove you have.
Baking in oven:
- Drizzle the patties with a bit of olive oil, and then bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in an oven preheated to 375° F for about 10-14 minutes. Flip after 8 minutes so that both sides become a bit crispy.
Grill:
- Preheat an outdoor grill to 400°F. Lightly brush the patties with olive oil, spray the grill grates with a bit of oil, and grill for about 8 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side. You can also cook them on a grill-safe pan, like a cast iron skillet.
Notes
- Be careful not to process the beans into a complete paste. You still want some chunks of whole beans in the mix to add some texture.
- Form the burger to match the size of the bun. These bean burgers don’t shrink when cooking them, so be sure to make them about the same size as the bun.
- To make less spicy: To tone down the spiciness of these burgers, use a pinch of cayenne pepper or leave it out altogether if you’re not a lover of spicy foods.
- Be careful not to overcook the burgers and dry them out. They’re done when the outside of the patties are starting to get crispy, but they’re still slightly soft to the touch. They should hold together well.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in March 2019 and was updated in June 2022 to include more helpful tips and photos.
The best plant based burgers I’ve ever had!
Yay!! So happy they were a winner! We love these burgers too :)
These black bean burgers are so flavourful…you seriously don’t miss the meat. They are so yummy especially with tomatoes and pickles! Thanks for a great recipe!
Aren’t they delicious?! Love these as an alternative to regular burgers! So happy you enjoyed them too!
This looks super tasty!! I can’t wait to give it a try! It’s all delicious ingredients :)
Thanks Roslia! We love these burgers! Hope you enjoy the recipe as well if you give it a try!