Spicy Bean Burgers (15 Minute Recipe!) ~ Veggie Inspired

Name: Spicy Bean Burgers
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) organic black beans (rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked dry beans)); 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary); 1/2 cup oat flour (or all-purpose, whole wheat, or a gluten free flour blend); 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons spicy salsa (use your favorite); 1 tablespoon oil (for pan frying (olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil)); 4 burger buns (gluten free, if desired); ketchup, mustard, onion slices, avocado slices, pickles, lettuce, tomato, etc. (optional)

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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!

Spicy Bean Burger on a bun with toppings next to chips.

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.

Table of Contents show

Ingredients you need

Recipe ingredients arrayed in individual bowls.

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? Don’t miss 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

4 photo collage of mashing the beans and combining the burger mixture.

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).

4 photo collage of forming and cooking the patties.

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/Freezing

Store these homemade spicy bean burgers in an air-tight container for 3 to 4 days.

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.

Open face burger topped with mustard and pickles.

Pro tips for success

~ 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.

Overhead view of a burger topped with salsa with the top bun offset.

FAQs

Are spicy bean burgers healthy?

Yes, these Spicy Bean Burgers are healthy! They are low in fat, high in fiber and contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

How do you make bean burgers stick together?

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.

Do black bean burgers taste like meat?

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!

Spicy bean burger on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup and mustard.

More vegan burger recipes

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

The easiest veggie burger you’ll ever make! All you need is just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes! This will become your new go-to weeknight recipe!

5 from 7 votes

Print Rate

Course: Burgers and Patties, Entrées

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

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