These Best Gluten-free Vegan Black Bean Burgers are the best you’ll try! They are packed with amazing depth of flavor, no bland burgers here! They are also a hearty, chewy texture and are baked, not friend, as well as oil-free!
GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN BLACK BEAN BURGERS
Finally, a gluten-free vegan black bean burger that doesn’t fall apart, has a nice chew to it and doesn’t all squish out from the inside when you take a bite! Do you all know what I’m talking about?? I can’t stand it when I bite into a bean burger and the whole thing turns to mush in my hands and squeezes out from the buns.
Well, my lovely readers, these bean burgers not only hold together, they are so flippin healthy, they are basically fat-free. Did I mention they taste incredible too?? Great salsa flavor with a bit of a kick, but totally kid-friendly. So many black bean burgers are BLAND and lacking serious flavor. But these are loaded with flavor. In fact, it’s a bit hard not to eat it all before baking it!
These baked black bean burgers are nut-free, gluten-free and oil-free!
Do you know what is even cooler about these burgers? They make a great crumbled taco “meat” too! I crumble up the burgers and serve them in tortilla wraps with lots of my Mexican Tahini Sauce and it is to die for!
SECRET INGREDIENTS
These are awesome because of 2 special ingredients you wouldn’t typically expect in a bean burger recipe….cornmeal and mashed potatoes. There is NO standard flour, breadcrumbs or oats in these babies. There isn’t even your usual flax for binding. These are the 2 magic ingredients that help bind the burgers, keep the inside moist and give them a nice chew. The potatoes cook and form a nice thin crust on the outside.
The cornmeal idea is based on my super popular Barbecue Lentil Loaf recipe, where for the first time, instead of using oats or regular flour like most other recipes out there, I used cornmeal instead. This gave the lentil loaf amazing firm, “meaty” texture and made them hold together so well. With such success on that loaf, I knew a bean burger could work the same. Well, cornmeal on it’s own did NOT work…it made them too dry and completely too fragile in the burgers. So, I decided to add potatoes. I used potatoes as the base of my Gluten-free Potato Pizza Crust and it works brilliantly. It works as a binder and is firm and chewy.
Layer on your toppings of choice. We added lettuce, onions, tomatoes and my Mexican tahini, but salsa on top is equally as mind-blowing…maybe even better?!
BOOM. Bean burgers with awesome ingredients and awesome texture and flavor. Top them with my Mexican Tahini Sauce and you’re in business.
CAN YOU FREEZE THESE BLACK BEAN BURGERS?
Yes! To freeze, cook them as instructed and let them completely cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil as well. I don’t know how long these will store in the freezer, as I’ve only done it about a couple of weeks. To reheat, cook them 10-15 minutes at 300°F in the oven.
If you make these Baked Vegan Black Bean Burgers, I’d love hearing about it!
Disclaimer: These are BEAN burgers, they are made from beans, salsa and veggies and will taste like a bean burger. They are not meant to resemble meat in any way, shape or form. So, please don’t expect a bean burger to resemble meat. This is not that kind of recipe.
MORE VEGAN BURGERS AND SANDWICHES
- Cajun Red Beans and Rice Burgers
- Smoky Barbecue Sweet Potato Chickpea Burger
- Smashed Caesar Chickpea Sandwich
- Curry Chickpea Sandwiches
*This post contains affiliate links. See my full disclosure policy here.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Best Vegan Black Bean Burgers (Baked)
Ingredients
- 1 packed cup (150g) red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup (220g) mashed potatoes (skin removed)
- two 15 oz cans no-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup (180g) mild or medium heat chunky salsa (I use the Sprouts Medium Salsa, it's nice & chunky)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/4 cup medium grind coarse cornmeal (SEE NOTES at bottom!)
- For serving Mexican Tahini Sauce is amazing on the burgers
NOTE
- Weigh your measurements if possible so the texture/moisture level turns out correctly with these burgers, as it's easy to pack too much potato or not enough and it affect the texture. Make sure to use a runny salsa, not a thick chunky one, as this adds moisture, and pick one with a flavor you love, since the burgers will reflect that flavor. I would pick a mild or medium heat, or the burgers will be too spicy.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 400°F. Place the chopped bell peppers on a pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 10 minutes, they will finish cooking later in the burgers. Lower the heat to 375°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt and oregano. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.
- Cook the potatoes either in the microwave (whole with the skins on so they keep their moisture) wrapped in a wet paper towel until soft and tender. I don't recommend boiling them because excess moisture will get into the burgers. Peel and mash them completely and measure 1 full cup packed tightly and then leveled off.
- Pat dry the drained beans with a paper towel. REMOVE 1 cup of the black beans and add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining beans to a food processor. Add the potatoes potatoes to the processor. Add the reserved salsa mixture. Pulse until it all comes together in a sticky, thick mashed/chunky paste.. It should only take a few pulses. Don't over process.
- Add the beans/potato mixture to the reserved bowl of extra beans. Add the roasted bell pepper as well. Add the cornmeal.
- Mix all of it together until everything is combined well and the batter is very thick.
- The mixture should be holding together well and not too wet. You should be able to form patties, but if for some reason your mixture seems too wet (can be depending on salsa used), then place the batter into the fridge 15 minutes.
- Form 6 large even patties using a heaping 1/2 cup scoop. I like to form balls and then flatten them on the pan. Flatten each patty to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake for 25 minutes (375°F). Carefully flip them. They will still be tender at this point, so flip gently. At 25 minutes, they should have formed a thin crispy bottom making it fairly easy to flip them. If the bottoms are not coming up fairly easy and still sticking to the paper, cook 3-5 more minutes and then flip. Cook 10 more minutes on the 2nd side.
- Cool 5-10 minutes before eating, as they will firm up even more. Assemble burgers with desired toppings. I served them with my awesome Mexican Tahini as the dressing. These are even better the next day as they get even more of a chewy "meaty" texture.
Notes
Wow, these look delicious! Definitely going to have to make these for lunch sometime this week!
Brandi– thank you for another great recipe!!!
BTW– any chance you have nutrition information for your recipes?
Thank you! Hope you and your family have a merry Christmas and blessings abundant in the year to come!
Hi Kristin! I do include nutritional info on most recipes when I have the time, but sometimes I just don’t. You can however use the site caloriecount.com and plug in the ingredients using their “Recipe Analyzer” Tool if you are curious on any recipe. Hope that helps!
Winner! We’re only a month into our low-fat vegan adventure and I love that I found your burger so soon! I’m going to try Italian seasonings and make “meat” balls for a spaghetti dish. We’ve used left over patties and crumbled them into burritos and it’s great! I can see this mix being my go-to hearty meat texture while just playing with the seasonings to coordinate with the dish. No guilt in these burgers! Thank you!
So wonderful to hear Debi! So glad you loved them! I use these same burgers as crumbled “meat” as well! It works great in tacos and also over fresh salads! 🙂
After I left this comment I found your recipe for “meatballs”. As of today, would you prefer those with couscous or this recipe with Italian seasonings?
Hi Debi! The couscous balls hold together very well for balls since I created them specifically to be balls, so these burgers wouldn’t quite hold as well together as balls. Especially since the “meatballs” hold together even well when cutting with a fork. They are so delicious with all the pasta and spaghetti sauce!
Recipe says “Serves 1 burger”??
It yields 6 burgers or 4 large ones. The directions also state how many burgers it will yield depending on the size you want, hope that helps!
Potatoes…. can’t wait to try this recipe.
These turned out amazing! I have eaten many veggie burgers at expensive restaurants..and this is truly the BEST!!! On the bottom of the burger I put a slice of tomato and a leaf of lettuce; on the top I put tahini sauce, sliced leek, feta, and some bruschetta. So SO good! Only thing I will do different next time is get an actual food processor(my ninja struggled), and get bigger buns haha! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Thank you SO very much Sarah for a review that really made my day! Such a huge compliment, thank you for sharing and rating the recipe! Isn’t that tahini sauce just so good!? So glad these were such a hit!
Love love love this recipe with the Mexican tahini sauce!!! I make them a lot easier than the recipe. I don’t use a food processor, I just use my hands to mash up and works well. Using the food processor never worked well for me and was hard to get off the blade. Also, I lengthen the time in the oven to 35/15 minutes then are nice and firm. Thanks so much for all of your awesome recipes!!!
So happy you loved these! Always works perfectly for me in my food processor but perhaps it’s a different size or brand. Regardless, glad you love them!
That’s sounds divine. I don’t like stuff over processed. I’m going to make them by hand also. And I always cook until crisp. Thank you for your comment.
Love that this recipe is so simple! I’m looking forward to making it for my daughter who LOVES veggie burgers AND…….your chocolate ice cream recipe…..I am making for ME! I look forward to trying lots and lots of your recipes. Thx for sharing 🙂
I’m so happy you loved this recipe and the ice cream, thank you so much Susan!
Hi Nina! It is a bean burger, it’s not supposed to taste like beef or turkey. Nowhere on the recipe does it claim to taste like meat, that is why they are called bean burgers, so naturally it’s going to taste like beans. I’ve eaten black bean burgers my whole life and love them. But, if you are interested in a burger tasting like meat (not sure if you are vegan or not) then you will need to try a brand called Beyond Meat that DOES claim to taste similar to ground beef. Also, these burgers are not dry at all, so it sounds to me like you used the wrong kind of cornmeal…if you used a regular cornmeal, then it absolutely will soak up all the moisture and make them dry. Hopefully this helps and clears things up!
I’m wondering what kind of GF/Vegan bun you recommend? Unfortunately, I have not found a GF/Vegan bun that I like.
This recipe looks great! 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Terri! I have never found one either. These in the photo are not gluten-free. I wish I could be of more help on the gf buns but gluten-free options out there are just not tasty…so I just stick with wheat. I have tested some versions here at home but they are not a “winner” yet, so I’ll keep at it.
Definitely the best veggie burger I’ve ever had! I wasn’t prepared for the explosion of flavors. So good!
Yay! Best feedback, thank you so much Tom for the awesome review!
Followed the recipe to a T and it turned out wonderful! The patty had a good firm texture (did not crumble or smush) but was still very moist. Also made the Mexican tahini sauce to go on the bun and it took everything to the next level.
Thank you for these wonderful recipes, soon I will make a couple dozen patties and freeze them for quick/easy family meals on busy days.
Hi Alaina, not sure what went wrong on your end either because that’s not right. As you can see from the reviews above, everybody loves them. Did you use the MEDIUM grind coarse cornmeal? Also, if yours was mushy the measurements of potato or something was off or the wrong cornmeal used or the mixture over processed. Mine are never mushy and they never take that long to cook.
I’m always a fan of your recipes, Brandi! I made these last night and my kids, who normally don’t like bean burgers, were fighting over the leftovers! Lol. They were a bit time consuming but worth it. I got ten patties and they came out nice and crispy like you said. I also left out the red peppers bc I was out and it was fine. I was happy to not do that extra step. Thanks for the great recipe! Next time I’ll have to make the tahini as well.
So glad you loved them, thank you!!
I’m allergic to corn, replacement?
There is no replacement for it in this recipe. I’d make these instead. https://thevegan8.com/2017/10/31/easiest-black-bean-burgers/
I have been obsessed with vegan burgers lately and I just made these. They are AMAZING!!!! I had extra red peppers I needed to use so I made your chipotle red pepper sauce to go with these fabulous Mexican burgers. Incredible flavor combination! I don’t have enough exclamation points to put after WOW!!!!!!!!
We’ve been making these for a couple of years now. We love them. Just thought I’d let you know! Thanks for the great recipes.
Aww so very glad to hear that, thank you Mim!
Greetings from South Africa !! Made this recipe ,today, plus the awesome Mexican Tahini sauce to go with it. The patties came out perfectly and were delicious. Loved your detailed step by step instructions, thank you! I struggled somewhat to find the red potato and cornmeal in my country, but managed to do so , after much shopping around. 🙂 This will become a staple in my diet going forward for sure. THANK YOU !!
Yay! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback Christel!
These are our favorite black bean burgers. I freeze a batch so we always have a quick meal available. Even after two months in the freezer, they taste great! Thanks for the recipe!
That’s so awesome to hear, thank you so much Sharon!!
Hi Brandi. Any idea if sweet potatoes would work?
I sent the link to this recipe to a friend. You changed it!! My printed copy says red potatoes, now any potato will work? And it also said smooth salsa so I put the salsa in the blender and made it smooth. I use regular corn meal and always have, depending on the recipe you do need to add more or less to bind it together. One more tip, sprinkle corn meal before baking on the paper like they do in a pizza place, it helps with the sticking.
Yes, because several readers have used varied potatoes, so I updated it so it’s easier for people!
What can I replace the cornmeal with?
It can’t be replaced. As noted in the post, it’s crucial to the texture of the burgers. If you don’t want to use cornmeal, this is another black bean burger recipe. It is not as sturdy or firm, but it’s another option. https://thevegan8.com/easiest-black-bean-burgers/
These are amazing! When we are with our friends at the lake & everyone is grilling burgers – I keep a few of these frozen in my freezer. Let them thaw- drop them on the grill & they are fantastic! 🌱 🍔 🌱
So happy to hear that Michelle!
I made the black bean burgers and Mexican tahini sauce today. Well, wouldn’t you know it…I forgot to add the maple syrup and water to the sauce so ended up with more of a paste. I wondered why it didn’t look like the photos but it was delicious anyway, and I didn’t have to worry about the burger sliding out of the bun. I am planning to try the queso recipe next…mmm can hardly wait!