If you’re looking for a flavorful veggie burger that actually tastes homemade and holds together beautifully, these Smokey Black Bean Burgers are for you. The combination of black beans, oats, sweet corn, and smoky spices creates a burger with a satisfying texture and just the right amount of heat. We love making a double batch to keep in the freezer for quick lunches and easy dinners. Whether you serve them as burgers, tacos, or on top of a big beautiful chopped salad, these protein-packed patties are a delicious way to add more plants to your plate.
They’re perfect for meal prep, backyard cookouts, or an easy weeknight dinner. Serve them on a whole grain bun piled high with your favorite toppings, or enjoy them alongside a big chopped salad for a nourishing and filling meal.
Serving suggestions; stuff a corn tortilla taco shell with half a burger with a dollop of Tami’s Easy Red Salsa and shredded lettuce or cabbage. Add a slice of avocado or Guacamole if you wish. Put a burger over a bed of baby greens or on top of a chopped salad. Serve with oil free fries, corn on the cob and a side salad. Use in a burrito bowl with brown rice, shredded romaine, salsa and water sauteed onions and peppers.
We like to use these corn tortillas to make our Guilt Free Corn Tortillas and Salsa.
Our favorite flavored balsamic vinegars! No added sugar - just great taste.
We hope you enjoy the video showing how to make the veggie burgers. (Update – Local Spicery has closed their business.)
These Smokey Black Bean Burgers are packed with bold southwest flavors from smoked paprika, cumin, chipotle chili powder, jalapeño, and cilantro. Made with simple pantry ingredients like black beans, oats, and corn, they come together quickly for an easy weeknight meal. The burgers are hearty, satisfying, oil-free, and freezer-friendly, making them perfect for meal prep. Serve them on a bun, tucked into corn tortillas, over a salad, or alongside crispy potatoes for a delicious whole food plant-based meal.
Cut the Smokey Black Bean Burger in half and tuck each half into a full size corn tortilla with some of Tami’s Easy Red Salsa and shredded lettuce. Or you might enjoy a dollop of the creamy Green Chili Hummus.
I like to freeze some of the burgers for future meals. Reheat in the microwave, on the stove top or thaw them out and heat them up in your air fryer.
How about some fries to go with that burger! Actually we like these Crispy Smashed Potatoes even better than fries. They are oil free and made in an air fryer. They are the perfect side dish to a delicious bean burger.
Smokey Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix the ground flax with the 3 tablespoons of water and set aside. In a medium size bowl mash the beans with a potato masher – don't over mash them as we are not looking for it to be smooth, just a mash with a few bits of beans still showing.Add all of the dry seasonings, cilantro and flax water mixture and give it a good stir to incorporate the ingredients well.Add the corn and oats and stir to combine.Make into 8 burgers.Preheat skillet over medium high heat and brown patties 4 at a time so as not to over crowd the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Don't over cook them as they will dry out.If making some ahead to freeze I prefer to brown them before freezing. Wrap individually and put in a freezer safe container. They can be heated up in the microwave, in a skillet on the stove and they can be crisped up a bit for a few minutes in the air fryer too!
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I just use the ring from the canning jar, place it on the baking sheet and fill it.
Hey! Are those “2 cans of beans’ in the ingredient list the large cans, ar the smaller? Or better yet (since I have to make beans from dry), how many cups of beans is that, drained? It looks to be anywhere from 2-4 cups but … that’s a big range! Thanks for this info …
Hi Denise,
The cans of beans I used were 15.25 ounce cans. I have never seen smaller sized cans of beans here. I don’t know how many cups of beans that is when rinsed and drained. If you google it you might find the answer to that question – I don’t happen to know off hand but Google is always my go to for answers.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
i think i measured 1 1/2 cups in 1 can of beans since i freeze my home cooked beans and i like to do them in same size as cans.
What’s the brand of the “slider tortillas”?
Mi Rancho is the brand name of the corn tortilla sliders.
I cannot find a link to order the Mealthy non stick fry pan you cooked the black bean burgers in.
Hi Diane,
Ithank you for pointing that out, I added the information to the blog post. Here it is for you – thank you for your interest!
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Hi Tami
I’m so enjoying your recipes since beginning this WFPB lifestyle just this past February.
I made these burgers last night and loved them.
To make the patty I put one of my muffin liners into the plastic lid to form the burger..it worked great!
Thanks again Tami!
Hi Sandy,
Welcome to the wonderful world of plants! Great tip about using the muffin liners in the plastic lid!
Thank you for passing that long.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
Hi Tami,
I just watched one of your videos
about what to use to replace
ingredients that you can’t have.
I watched the whole video in the
hope that you’d try to give an
alternative for nightshades. Sadly,
no, perhaps there are no
alternatives ? Can you comment
about this please.
Thanks Neroli
I am sorry I don’t know what you would use instead of nightshades. Maybe do a Google search and see what you can find.
When your recipe calls for ground flax seed. Do you mean the reg flax seeds that we grind ourselves or the ground flaxseed meal you buy in store. Thank you
Hi, JoAnn – you can use either, both are the same thing. Hope that helps!
I made your bean burger recipe and they turned out great. Also used one of the burgers to make a couple of tacos. Great idea and they were delicious! Made a cabbage slaw for the tacos. Since I always have bean burgers in the freezer they’re now my go to for quick tacos! We also love our Mexican food!
Hi Char,
I am so glad you like the burgers and tried them as tacos!
Stay safe,
Tami
This is a great recipe! I was surprised at how easy it was to make. I made this tonight and my girls loved it😀 I served it along our usual Mexican veggie saute that has a tomato based red sauce.
I have no luck making bean burgers. I have tried several recipes and they always turn too soft and fall apart when they are finished. That happened again today. I tasted it and I liked it, so I made a taco salad out of it. Loved it that way. I still wish I knew what I am doing incorrect that I never have a firm bean burger. I am a little over 2 months into plant based eating and have a lot to learn yet.
Hi Cindy,
I don’t know what went wrong as this recipe turns out great for me every time. Keep trying.
Welcome to the wonderful world of plants.
Tami
Cindy one suggestion if you bean burger mixture is too wet is to add some oats to make them more firm. Also you can chill the patties before cooking them – that too can help firm them up. Hope these tips help!
I made these last night, and they were excellent! (and I’ve got a lot of leftovers!) My first time ever making any sort of veggie burger! I think I flattened them too much, so they were a little fragile, but otherwise they were so good! I see that yours are thicker. That’s ok, I will definitely be making this recipe again!!!!
Hi Lynn
I am so glad you liked the burgers!
Happy Cooking,
Tami
I had a question…have you ever made the mix ahead of time and let it sit overnight in the frig before cooking? Or will it change the consistency of them. I want to mix them up today, but it’s too hot in my kitchen to cook this this afternoon.
Hi Tammie,
I have not done that but I think it should be fine. Let me know how they turn out.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
Thanks Tami,
Loved this Smokey black bean burger. Now I can stop buying the commercial black bean burgers which aren’t that healthy. Love your recipes.
Hi Cynthia,
I am so glad you like this recipe!
Finally made these came out great, hubby loved them. I wished I would have doubled the amount.
I am so glad you and hubby liked them! They freeze well so go ahead and double the recipe.
Hello have you ever baked these burgers in the oven? Thanks!
No I haven’t. I have never had good luck cooking veggie burgers in the oven. I do prefer to brown them in a skillet and then free them.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
Hi Tami.
I am a new subscriber and new to the SOS free diet. I think you and Tom were born to do what you’re doing now! You make a great team.
I have a sodium question concerning canned beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Do you always use a brand that doesn’t add salt? If so, which brand? When you use aquafaba is it from a can of no-salt-added chickpeas?
Thank you.
Memrie Kimmel
Hi Memrie,
We do buy the Whole Foods 365 Brand of no salt added beans and we also buy some S & W beans low sodium canned beans from Costco and we rinse and drain them. When I use aquafaba it is from the Whole Foods no salt added beans.
Eating these right now for dinner and they are fantastic!!! I couldn’t wait to put in a good review. The flavors in this are so wonderful. Put a couple burgers on a bowl of veggies and topped it with Tami’s ranch and nacho cheese sauce. So so good!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I like how you served it – great idea!