Are black bean burgers vegan?
This recipe is vegan and uses a base of pulsed black beans, sweet potatoes, nuts and bread. This is flavoured with paprika, cumin and onion granules. The pulsed walnuts add a ‘meatiness’ to the texture but you can swap these for cashews, pine nuts, blanched almonds or pecans, or omit them entirely.
How do you bind black bean burgers without egg?
As this recipe is vegan the burgers are held together with sweet potato mash. The beans are blitzed with the mash alongside breadcrumbs, spices and tomato puréeto produce a smooth patty mixture. Make sure that the bean mixture is properly blended as this will also help the patties to bind.
What should I do if my patty mixture is too wet?
To help firm the patties up the recipe suggests chilling for 20 mins in the fridge. If the mixture seems too wet then you can add some extra breadcrumbs.
What if I don’t have a food processor?
The patties can be made by hand, which will result in a more chunky texture, but they should still hold together. Grate the bread to make breadcrumbs and crush the nuts in a plastic bag by bashing with a rolling pin until as fine as possible, or chop very finely using a large, sharp kitchen knife. For the cooked sweet potato and black beans, we recommend mashing them with a fork or potato masher until very smooth.
Can I use different types of beans?
You can swap the black beans for pinto beans, aduki beans or red kidney beans. You can also use white beans such as cannellini, haricot or butterbeans. Chickpeas can be a bit drier so may not hold together as well.
How to cook black bean burgers
The patties are cooked in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry them for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and heated through.
Can the black bean burgers be oven baked?
It’s possible to cook them in the oven, though this might result in a less crisp texture than when pan-fried. Brush the patties with olive oil or rapeseed oil then place on a baking sheet and cook at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10 minutes. Turn them over, brush the tops with a little more oil and cook for another 5 minutes or until crisp on the outside and heated through.
Why are my burgers sticking to the pan?
If the patties are sticking to the pan, keep cooking for a little longer before flipping. This will allow time for a golden-brown crust to form and help keep them together. Use a wide spatula or fish slice to flip them. Using a non-stick pan will also help.
Can I make black bean burgers in advance?
The recipe can be made up to the stage of shaping the patties (end of step two). Transfer these to a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for up to a day before cooking. They can also be frozen at this stage for about three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before cooking.
How to store leftovers?
Once they’ve been cooked, the burgers can be stored, covered, in the fridge, for up to three days, or frozen for about three months (defrost in the fridge overnight). They can be reheated in the oven, covered in foil to stop them burning. You can also microwave them although they won’t crisp up this way.
What to serve with black bean burgers
This recipe features a peeled carrot and cucumber side salad with coriander and lime juice that provides a refreshing zingy contrast to the burgers. For the buns themselves, we suggest adding sliced tomatoes, avocado, rocket salad and a coconut yogurt or burger sauce of your choice, but you can add anything you like. Sweet chilli jam is especially good.
Serve with your choice of sides. Try harissa sweet potato wedges with a vegan soured cream for dipping, potato wedges, crispy onion rings and vegan potato salad,
For lots of colour and crunch try our vibrant vegan coleslaw, red cabbage & pickled chilli slaw or Mexican-style corn salad (replacing the honey with agave syrup for a vegan version).
More vegan burger recipes:
Discover more of our vegan burger recipes including pulled BBQ aubergine & black bean burgers and vegan beetroot & quinoa burgers.
