I often make these on a busy week when I know I’ll have less food-prep time, or when I foresee a busy week ahead and want to add to my freezer stash to prepare.
This recipe is super easy to multiply and versatile for whatever you have on hand.
Example:
We returned home from a trip and I didn’t have time to hit the store before dinner. We could have easily ordered out but we’d already spent a little too much of our food budget on our trip.
So, I pulled up my “A list” recipes and took inventory of what we had. My Black Bean Burgers are so versatile that I knew these would do. (It also helps that we keep a well-stocked pantry with low-cost nourishing food!)
Post-Vacation Bean Burgers: black beans, rice “bread” crumbs, cream cheese, eggs and chives. I made good use of these ingredients, in addition to the spices the recipe calls for, and ended up with 9 burger patties! Not only were they delicious, they were filling, nourishing and didn’t require me to go to the store.
Maybe you stocked up on pinto beans, or white beans – use these instead! Perhaps you have mascarpone or a very soft cheddar – try these in place of what the recipe calls for. Got an onion but no shallots? Use the onion! It’ll have a very similar effect. You get it.
Do the best you can with what you’ve got. Trust me: you’re more creative than you thought. You’ll also help eliminate waste by using food you’ve already purchased (and save grocery money too).
Black Bean Burgers
Equipment
- medium bowl, large spoon, fork, skillet with lid, stove, knife and cutting board, measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cans Organic Canned Black Beans (or from scratch)
- 1.5 cups Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
- 2 Eggs OR 2 flax eggs
- 5 oz Goat Cheese
- 5 tbsp Shallots minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chives minced
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Black Peppercorn freshly ground
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Drinking Water to moisten
- 4 tbsp Avocado Oil
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the beans. (cook the beans then drain/rinse if going from scratch).
- Heat the beans either in the microwave or a steamer until warm. Place in medium or large bowl. Mash with a fork to desired consistency. I prefer some whole bean chunks in mine. Note: the mixture won’t congeal well if you don’t mash them for at least a few minutes.
- Whisk 2 eggs and add. Blend in remaining ingredients (minus the avocado oil and goat cheese) and mix well.
- Soften the goat cheese in the microwave and add. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator for at least an hour, up to a day. (This helps the mixture congeal and hold together better when distributed into patties.)
- Form mixture into 8 medium sized patties and cook 3 or 4 at a time in a skillet on medium heat with avocado oil. Be sure to flip regularly and don’t overcrowd the burgers. You may need to place the lid on for a bit if the patties are thick and you suspect they’re not cooking evenly.
Notes
- If you suspect you only need 4 burgers that week, you can freeze the other raw patties in wax paper and Ziploc baggies for up to 3 months. This is a favorite freezer-find for me on a time-crunch week!
- Buy LOW sodium beans and be sure to rinse them thoroughly to minimize salt and decrease sodium content in your burgers. This is better for overall health and especially important for folks watching their sodium intake.
Nutrition
More $ – SAVVY Tips …
- These burgers make a great ‘main’ for lunches or a post-workout snack for the adolescent athlete.
- Side suggestions: Slaw salad (A-grade) & Sweet Potato Fries (A-grade) (see Wild n’ Naked Beef).
- Need something fancy? Our Crispy Spirally Sweet Potatoes (A-grade) serve as a gourmet and delicious base to place the burger on. Just add your favorite cheese!
- Need a different look? Make black bean rolls instead of patties, top with avocado and serve this in romaine lettuce wraps! Experiment with different sauces (just watch salt + calorie + sodium contents) or use our Coconut Verde Sauce!
The Slaw Salad 
Black Bean Burgers 
Crispy Spirally Sweet Potatoes
Here’s a table with external links for each recipe ingredient (plus a few alternate ingredient ideas). As previously mentioned, prices vary per region, season, city, store and personal preference for brand or specific type of food item.
| Organic Canned Black Beans | Organic Turmeric | Shallots |
| Organic Pinto Beans | Organic Romaine Lettuce | Chives |
| Organic Great Northern Beans (or TJ’s for less $) | Organic Spinach | Goat Cheese (Costco= best deal, otherwise: Sam’s or TJ’s) |
| Eggs (Costco) | Onion | Daiya Cheddar Vegan Cheese |
| Gluten Free Breadcrumbs or TJ’s | Black Peppercorn | Chopped Garlic |
| Avocado Oil or Costco (bulk for less) | Smoked Paprika or TJ’s | Garlic Powder (organic) |
| Avocado | Black Olives or Sam’s Club (bulk) | Chili Powder or TJ’s |
| Cream Cheese or Organic at HEB | Flaxseed Meal | Organic Cumin |
*TJ’s = Trader Joe’s
