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These Spicy Bean Burgers might be the easiest veggie burgers you’ll ever make. They can be on your table in 15 minutes and require only 4 ingredients!
I’m kind of obsessed with making veggie burgers. You are likely to find one on our menu each week. And each week, it’s also likely to be a different recipe.
I have a few favorites that I return to often, but I love experimenting with different flavors and textures. I have found, however, that I generally prefer black bean burgers.
These Spicy Bean Burgers are so simple, it’s almost embarrassing. You can whip these up in literally just minutes. They hold together well, so stick them on a bun and load it up with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Beans ~ I use black beans for this recipe. They are a plant based grocery list staple and are so versatile.
I you don’t have black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, or chickpeas can all be used.
Want more? You’ll love my easy Black Bean Soup, Black Bean Mini Tacos, or any of these other delicious vegan recipes with black beans.
Oats ~ Use old fashioned, whole rolled oats. Steel cut oats will not work. Quick oats will work, but won’t provide as much texture as rolled oats.
Note: While oats are gluten free by nature, they are often processed in a facility that also processes wheat. For this reason, if you need gluten free, be sure to look for certified gluten free oats.
Flour ~ I generally use oat flour or brown rice flour. But all-purpose, whole wheat or a gluten free blend will also work.
Salsa ~ Go for a spicy salsa! The salsa is where all the flavor of this burger is going to come from, so now is not the time to be timid. Once the salsa is mixed with the other ingredients, the heat level is going to be tamed quite a bit, so make sure you start with a nice hot one.
If for some reason your salsa isn’t very flavorful, you an add a dash of chili powder, smoked paprika, and/or cumin to punch up the flavors a bit.
Extras ~ The beauty of this recipe is that it contains only 4 ingredients. If you want to add some extras, however, diced red bell peppers or corn would be great add-ins. Don’t use too much or the burgers will fall apart. I recommend ¼ – ½ cup.
You can also add in a sprinkle of salt and pepper, if desired.
How to make the recipe
Drain and rinse a can of black beans well and transfer them to a mixing bowl (1). Mash them with a potato masher or fork, but leave a few chunks (2).
Add the flour, oats, and salsa (3) and stir to combine (4).
Separate the mixture until 4 equal parts (about ½ cup each) and form each section into a patty (5).
Pan fry the burgers in a bit of oil over medium heat until browned and crispy on one side (6), about 5 to 6 minutes. Gently flip them over and continue to cook until they are browned and crispy on the second side (7).
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Store these homemade spicy bean burgers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze these Spicy Bean Burgers. Place them on a large plate or baking sheet in one even layer and stick in the freezer for several hours until frozen.
Once frozen, transfer the burgers to a freezer safe container or plastic bag with a piece of parchment paper between each one. They should keep well for up to 4 months.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Drain and rinse the canned beans, making sure to drain off as much liquid as possible.
~ Mash the beans by hand with a potato masher or fork. I do not recommend using a food processor as it will purée the mixture too much.
~ Stir in the remaining ingredients by hand. This allows for some texture from the beans, oats, and salsa to remain.
~ Use a spicy salsa! It will mellow out when it combines with the other ingredients, so start bold.
~ Sprinkle in some salt and pepper if for some reason your salsa doesn’t have a ton of flavor.
~ If the burger mixture seems too dry, add additional salsa 1 tablespoon at a time. On other hand, if the mixture seems too wet, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. The mixture should hold together well when pressed and a little bit may stick to your hands, but it should be easy to form the patties.
~ Pan fry the burgers over medium heat until browned and crispy.
~ Use old fashioned rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats – they won’t work. Instant oats will technically work, but won’t offer the texture that rolled oats do.
~ Use certified gluten free oats and gluten free buns to make these burgers gluten free.
~ To make this recipe oil-free, you can bake them in the oven instead. Bake at 375°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them half way through.
~ Top these burgers with your favorite burger toppings, like ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, avocado, lettuce, tomato, pickles and/or quick pickled red onions.
FAQs
Yes, these Spicy Bean Burgers are healthy! They are low in fat, high in fiber and contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
They key to a good veggie burger that doesn’t fall apart is the right ratio of dry ingredients to wet and the use of some kind of binder. In these Spicy Bean Burgers, I use both flour and oats to bind the mixture together. The also also provide texture.
While these Spicy Bean Burgers are hearty, filling, and “meaty,” they do not taste like beef hamburgers. They are full of flavor and taste delicious, so enjoy them for what they are and don’t worry about what they’re not!
More vegan burger recipes
- Vegan Mexican Burger
- BBQ Bean Burger
- Chickpea Veggie Burger
- Falafel Burger
- Lentil Burgers
- Millet Black Bean Patties
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Spicy Bean Burgers
Ingredients
For the Burgers:
- 1 can (15 oz) organic black beans rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked dry beans)
- ½ cup old fashioned oats gluten free if necessary
- ½ cup oat flour or all-purpose, whole wheat, or a gluten free flour blend
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons spicy salsa use your favorite
- 1 tablespoon oil for pan frying (olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil)
For Serving:
- 4 burger buns gluten free, if desired
- ketchup, mustard, onion slices, avocado slices, pickles, lettuce, tomato, etc. optional
Instructions
- Mash black beans in a bowl with a fork or potato masher.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and stir to combine.
- Depending on how liquidy your salsa is, you may need to add more flour. Add it 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, mixing after each addition. Likewise, if your mixture seems dry, add 1 tablespoon more of salsa at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Divide mixture into 4 sections. Form each section into a patty and place on a large plate.
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
- Pan fry the burger patties for 5 to 6 minutes until the first side is lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Carefully flip the patties over and pan fry another 3 to 4 minutes until browned on the 2nd side.
- Assemble burgers on buns with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
*Nutrition facts calculated for burgers only without buns or toppings.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Melody says
I have made this recipe a few times before, and the patties are so tasty! I’ve always eaten them fresh or within a day or so of cooking, but I have enough ingredients on hand that I was considering freezing a batch for quick meal prep. Have you tried freezing the patties, or do you think I should modify anything about the recipe before freezing?
Thanks so much!
Jenn S. says
Yes, I have! They freeze beautifully. Nothing different needs to be done. I’ve frozen them both before and after cooking them and either way works! So glad you like them. Thanks, Melody!
Ashley says
Amazing burger recipe! Love how easy it is and they look delicious. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Ashley!
SamanthaB says
I made these burgers last night. I used a smoky salsa and topped them wth fresh avocado. They were SO delicious and easy! They will definitely be on my regular rotation!
Jenn S. says
That’s so awesome to hear, Sam! Happy that you enjoyed them!
Pretty says
I love veggie burgers too, this recipe looks amazing! I am always looking for quick and easy recipes, thank you.
Jenn S. says
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
Kate says
I’ve made these twice so far and they are my new favorite! My husband is a big meat fan, and he really liked these as well. Quick, easy and delicious.
Jenn S. says
Hi, Kate! Thank you so much! Glad to hear they are winning over omnivores too. And you can’t be how easy they are, right?! Thank you for stopping by to let me know. Have a great weekend!
Melody says
New to veganism and so I have a question for you; what buns do you use? Having a hard time finding vegan burger buns.
Jenn S. says
Hi, Melody. Arnold brand is vegan and can be found in most grocery stores. I get them at Target. Oroweat is also vegan. If you need gluten free as well, Rudi’s hamburger buns are vegan. Store bought isn’t the healthiest (Rudi’s is probably the healthiest of those 3 I listed), but we don’t use buns all that often so I don’t worry about it too much. You might also want to check the fresh bakery section of your local grocery store….just be sure to read the labels. I have never tried making my own, but I know there are lots of recipes for homemade vegan hamburger buns online, so that’s an option too. Good luck!
Erica says
I seriously love this recipe! It’s simple, quick and very good. Being new to veganism I am happy to be able to make yummy burgers which fills the meat burger void nicely. I was really shocked as to how full I get after one burger, plus the potato rounds. Thank you for this recipe, it’s a new staple!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Erica! I’m so happy to hear that you love them! Great feedback. Sometimes simple the best. Enjoy your weekend!!
MegUnprocessed says
Looks incredibly good! Perfect for any day of the week!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Meg! Definitely a great meal any day!
Diane says
This looks so healthy and delicious!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Diane! This is the recipe that gets made most frequently in my kitchen. So easy and the kids love them!
Dorothy ShockinglyDelicious says
Not only do I want that good lookin’ burger, I want the chips you served alongside. Thank goodness you gave us that recipe, too!
Ilona says
I’ve never had vegetarian burger but I want to try it. Great recipe and I pinned it:)
Jenn S. says
This is a great one to start with, Ilona! You can load it up just like a regular burger. I hope you love it! Thanks!
Howie Fox @ HurryTheFoodUp says
No way, 13 minutes!!!?!?! Pinned! What a great recipe!
Jenn S. says
I know, right? It’s so easy! Hope you love them!
robinsveganlife says
Made these tonight using chickpeas rather than black beans (was out) and was so impressed by how great they turned out! For such a simple recipe, these patties were delicious and didnt fall apart at all. I love how salsa is the liquid ingredient! I added some extra spices, a bit of Dijon mustard and some toasted sliced almonds for crunch.
I wasn’t sure whether the oil in the ingredients list was supposed to be added to the mix or used for the cooking so I added it to the mix.
I tend to inadvertently over complicate my veggie burgers- these’ll be my new go-to.
Jenn S. says
Robin, thank you so much for this awesome comment!! I’m so glad you liked them! The oil was just for cooking, but if it worked how you did it, no worries! I love the idea of adding some nuts for crunch…I’ll have to try that next time. But, yeah, burgers that fall apart and smoosh out of the bun are just no fun, right? Thanks again for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
Susan Thrower says
I can’t wait to try these but like robinsveganlife, I was under the impression that the oil went into the mix because Step 2 says “Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.” I’m glad to have seen her comment and your reply as it’ll cut down on the fat content of the finished product.
Jenn S. says
Oh, gosh, I will change that in the instructions right now. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I can’t believe I didn’t change it before. I hope you love them, Susan. They are my go-to meal when I need something quick and easy that the whole family will love!
Rambling Vegans says
We made the burgers last night and loved them! We don’t do oil, so we left that out and baked them in the oven instead. They turned out great! Thanks so much for sharing. We’ll definitely be making these again. 🙂
sebestyen2 says
So glad you liked them! Good to know they turn out great in the oven too! Thanks!
Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies says
This burger looks great! The simplest recipes always seem to be my favorite ones. Plus, with the million different kinds of salsa I always buy, it could be a different burger every time.
sebestyen2 says
I am a salsa addict too! My favorite is the smoky peach from Trader Joe’s. Not sure how that would be in a burger, but I might have to try it! Hope you like it!