Southwest Black Bean Burgers (Printable Version)
Hearty vegetarian patties with black beans, corn and smoky southwest spices, creating a satisfying meat-free burger alternative.
# What You'll Need:
→ Burger Mixture
01 - 2 (15 oz / 425 g) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
02 - ½ cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
03 - ½ cup breadcrumbs (or panko)
04 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
05 - ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 egg (or flax egg for vegan option)
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp chili powder
11 - Salt and pepper, to taste
12 - 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
→ Burger Assembly
13 - 4 burger buns, toasted
14 - 4 slices pepper jack or cheddar cheese (optional)
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - 1 tomato, sliced
17 - ½ red onion, thinly sliced
18 - Lettuce or baby spinach
19 - Optional: chipotle mayo or salsa
# Steps to Follow:
01 - In a large bowl, mash black beans with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth, leaving some chunks for texture.
02 - Add corn, breadcrumbs, onion, cilantro, garlic, egg, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Let rest 5 minutes.
03 - Shape mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.
04 - Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for 4–5 minutes per side, until crispy and heated through. Add cheese during last minute if using.
05 - Lightly toast buns in the skillet or oven.
06 - Place lettuce on the bottom bun, then the black bean patty, followed by avocado, tomato, onion, and optional sauces. Top with the bun and serve.
# Additional Tips::
01 -
- Ready in just 30 minutes from start to finish
- Uses simple pantry ingredients most people already have
- Freezes beautifully for quick future meals
- Customizable with your favorite toppings
- Perfect healthy alternative to meat burgers
02 -
- High in fiber with approximately 45% of your daily needs per serving
- Excellent source of plant protein at 16g per burger
- Much lower in saturated fat than beef burgers
- Can be made completely gluten free by using GF breadcrumbs and buns
03 -
- Briefly toast your spices in a dry pan before adding them to the mixture this wakes up their essential oils and dramatically improves flavor
- For even cooking and perfect round shapes, use a wide mouth jar lid lined with plastic wrap as a form when shaping your patties
- Refrigerating formed patties for 30 minutes before cooking firms them up substantially and reduces the chance of crumbling in the pan