You won’t be able to resist these vegetarian burgers packed with peppers, onions, garlic, and black beans! These Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers are so easy to prep ahead, freeze, and reheat whenever you need a quick meal!
Reader Love
I’m not a vegetarian but needed recipes for an exchange student that was staying with us. I am a fan of black beans so this was a nature choice when choosing recipes. I followed the recipe to the letter and they were a big hit. They’re so tasty that I still make them and store them in the freezer for days that I don’t have time to prepare a complicated dinner. Thank you very much!
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What are the ingredients in these Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers?
These vegetarian burgers are packed with fresh ingredients, plus chickpeas, breadcrumbs, and some seasonings. It’s actually a combination of basic ingredients you might already have on hand!
Here are the ingredients in these burgers and a little info on each:
- jalapeño, green bell pepper & onion – This fresh veggie combo makes a lovely combo of flavors that compliment the black beans perfectly. After the jalapeño is blended up and cooked, the heat is reduced and the flavor comes through.
- black beans – You’ll need exactly one can of black beans for this recipe. I’ve noticed that the color of the black beans once blended can vary from brand to brand, but that doesn’t particularly matter for these veggie burgers.
- eggs – Mixing eggs into the batter helps keep the whole burger patty together after it cooks. The egg works as a binder.
- garlic – I’m a garlic lover, so I like to add fresh garlic to the blended veggies. If you don’t have any cloves on hand, minced garlic or garlic powder will also work.
- chili powder – For the tiniest touch of heat and flavor, one teaspoon of chili powder does the trick!
- salt & fresh ground black pepper – Bring all the flavors together with some salt and pepper to compliment the veggies and season the beans.
- breadcrumbs – The breadcrumbs help soak up the moisture in the beans, eggs, and veggies, leaving you with a moldable mixture that you can form into patties.
- olive oil or avocado oil – Use your preferred oil for cooking the patties on the stovetop.
Equipment you’ll need to make this recipe:
To make this recipe, you’ll need a couple specific things for the best possible results. Here are my recommendations:
- food processor – This recipe requires the use of a food processor, preferably an 8-cup volume size. I’ve had a Cuisinart 8-Cup Food Processor (affiliate link!) for years, and it continues to work well!
- 12 inch nonstick pan or skillet – I personally prefer nonstick for this recipe, but a stainless steel pan would work too. If you don’t have a 12 inch sized pan, you may need to cook the burgers in 2 batches.
- rubber spatula – These Rubbermaid High Heat Spoon Scraper (affiliate link!) are not just for cooking, I also use them for stirring and getting every single drop of whatever I’m mixing!
As long as you can stand to get your food processor out of the cupboard, these veggie burgers can be made in less than 45 minutes including chill time.
The first step is to open the can of beans, drain and rinse well, then dry them off by letting them sit in a paper towel lined bowl for a while. Use another paper towel to pay dry the beans on the top. Let the beans sit while you process the other ingredients.
First, we blend up the vegetables to make sure the pieces are nice and small before adding anything else to the food processor. Add the jalapeño, green bell pepper, and onion chunks, plus the garlic cloves, to a food processor bowl and pulse until finely diced. You’ll need to remove the lid and scrape down the sides at least once.
Next, add black beans, eggs, chili powder, salt and pepper to the food processor bowl. Process the mixture on high until blended with fine chunks remaining – it should resemble something like an odd black bean soup. Not cute, but there’s lot of flavor in there!
Transfer the black bean mixture to a mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs. Fold them in until well mixed – it will resemble a cookie dough or thick hummus texture at this point. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help the mixture firm up.
After the 20 minutes is up, use gloves to form six burger patties from the mixture and set them on a flat tray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. The oil is hot once it’s shimmers. Be sure to spread it around the pan.
Carefully place the patties into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until browned, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes until browned on that side as well.
Serve in a traditional burger style, or go with something different like pesto goat cheese, greens and avocado slices as pictured here!
What to serve with these black bean burgers:
Here are some ideas for what to serve on the burgers and what to serve them with:
- Air Fryer Jojo Potato Wedges or any kind of potatoes really!
- Pesto Goat Cheese Dip and avocado slices are pictured on the burger, and trust me it’s incredible.
- Side salad or pasta salad like this pesto pasta salad or roasted veggie orzo pasta salad
Do black bean burgers taste like beef?
NO. They do not taste like beef. Sorry to burst your bubble. That’s not really the goal here.
For me, the goal is about the entire burger experience. The combo of flavors, the cheese, the veggies. Not just creating a patty of “meat” that tastes like beef. I love that the burger is filled with veggies, and I know exactly what’s in it, because I made it.
Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge. If storing in the freezer, wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and then store in an freezer-safe bag or container.
Personally, I prefer to completely cook my black bean burgers before freezing them. Then I can grab one out of the freezer and reheat it quickly in the microwave instead of having to completely cook the burger every time.
To freeze:
- Cook completely by following the recipe below, then place the burgers on a flat tray and let them cool completely.
- Once cool, place the entire tray in the freezer until the burgers are frozen solid, 3-4 hours.
- Remove the tray from the freezer and transfer the burgers into an airtight freezer safe container. Return the burgers in the container to the freezer until you need them.
- From the fridge: Cook in the microwave on High for 60 seconds OR heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
- From the freezer: Cook in the microwave on High for 90 seconds OR heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
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Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers
You won’t be able to resist these veggie packed burgers filled with peppers, onions, garlic, and a can of black beans! Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers are SO easy to prepare ahead, freeze, and reheat whenever you need a quick meal!
- Total Time45 minutes
- Yield6 burger patties 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 jalapeño, stem and seeds removed, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 small onion, cut into large chunks
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- for burgers: buns, greens, avocado, pesto goat cheese pictured – any toppings work great!
Instructions
- Prepare beans: Place rinsed beans (1 can) on a plate or bowl lined with a paper towel to help remove excess moisture. Place another paper towel over the beans and pat dry.
- Process ingredients: Add the vegetable chunks (1 jalapeño, 1/2 green bell pepper, 1/2 small onion, 2 cloves garlic) to a food processor and pulse until finely diced. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides if necessary. Next, add black beans, eggs (2), chili powder (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon) to the food processor bowl. Process on high until blended with fine chunks remaining – it should resemble something like an odd black bean soup.
- Mix & chill: Transfer the black bean mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs (2/3 cup) and fold them in until well mixed. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help the mixture firm up.
- Form patties & cook: Form six burger patties from the mixture and set them on a flat tray. Heat oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet over medium heat. Place burgers into the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until browned, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes until browned.
- Serve & store: Serve on a bun with all your favorite toppings! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 5 days.
- To freeze:
- Place the cooked burgers on a flat tray and let them cool completely.
- Once cool, place the entire tray in the freezer until the burgers are frozen solid, 3-4 hours.
- Remove the tray from the freezer and transfer the burgers into an airtight freezer safe container. Return the burgers in the container to the freezer until you need them.
- To reheat:
- From the fridge: Cook in the microwave on High for 60 seconds OR heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
- From the freezer: Cook in the microwave on High for 90 seconds OR heat in a pan on the stove over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Homemade Black Bean Burgers from All Recipes. Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal and includes black bean patty only.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger patty
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Protein: 8g
Did You Make This?
I love seeing what you made! Leave a review below, and be sure to tag me at @ProjectMealPlan when you share a photo!
I’m a student at college and living in a dorm with only a mini fridge and microwave! I’m also a vegetarian so when I can across this recipe I made a double batch and put some in the fridge and freezer! Well those didn’t last long so I made another double batch. I wanted to try to make this recipe as cheap as possible so I replaced the bread crumbs with oatmeal making them also gluten free. They turned out amazing! Sometimes cooking them is challenging without them being slightly crumbly but I put them in the fridge for 45-1 hours before cookIng them on each side 7-8 minutes and that helps a lot. I will definitely be making more of these soon! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for your comment and rating, I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. I am SO impressed that you’re making veggie burgers in your dorm room! Replacing with some dry oats is a great money-saving idea, I’ll have to keep that in mind. Your comment is super helpful to me and other readers, thank you again! -Danielle