No matter how many vegan meat alternatives come to market (like Beyond and Impossible), I’ll always love a good black bean burger. They pack so much flavor, and really spice up a plain ol’ burger in my humble opinion.

They’re great for any occasion, but I’m posting these on the 4th of July because Amurica, amiright? Make these for your guests and show off your thoughtfulness and the yumminess of vegan burgers, wahoo!

This recipe is loaded with spices and it makes me so happy. Making my own veggie burgers has been one of my recent favorite things to do. I love selecting and actually seeing all of the ingredients that go into the patties.

You can also make a large batch and freeze them! Way less expensive than spending $8 on a pack of 4 sad veggie patties in the freezer section.

Anyways, let’s get to it:

Burger contestant #1: The Mexi-Burger. I topped this one with cashew queso, pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, and hot sauce. I’m not going to tell you what kind of hot sauce to use, because that is a personal choice not to be taken lightly. Some guac or avocado would have also been fabulous on this guy.

Burger contestant #2: The Classic American, sans red onion because the patty is already filled with them, ya know? You could definitely still add some fresh red onion for some color, crunch, and added onion-y-ness. In the realm of condiments, I just went with ketchup but usually am a fan of spicy mustard and some vegan mayo on my classic style burgers. This is about the patties, though, the patties.

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cook Time: 24 minutes – Makes 6 to 7 large patties

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of one small onion (red or yellow)
• 1/2 of one red bell pepper
• 2 (14oz) cans of black beans, or 1 20oz can (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup oat flour or panko
• 1/4 cup corn
• flax egg (1 tablespoon flax meal + 2.5 tablespoons water, mixed in a small bowl and left to thicken for 5 minutes)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• a few cracks of fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions:

• Sauté onion over medium heat for 3 minutes (either with a small bit of oil, or water for oil-free), add the bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes or so until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender but not mushy.
• Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mash or use a food processor to mix. You want to still have some whole beans in there, so don’t go overboard with the mashing/mixing.
• Form about 6 to 7 large patties, packing each one tightly.
• Bake at 350F on a parchment lined baking sheet for 24 minutes, turning them halfway through.
• Serve with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy! They’re also delicious crumbled in a taco salad.

Note:

To freeze these patties, place them on a baking sheet and stick them in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Then you can add them to a freezer bag or container and save for a later date. I like to add a small piece of parchment paper between each patty to prevent them from sticking together in the freezer. I’ve baked them thawed and from frozen, and both work just fine!