Black Bean Burger Patties – Freezer Meal

Here’s an easy to make black bean burger with a tasty Southwestern flavor, perfect for a meatless dinner.

I love the crispy brown outside and the tender yet not too mushy inside – thanks to the brown rice and not overly mashed black beans. It’s particularly good with a nice helping of salsa and a little bit of hot sauce. While the photos here show the patties inside our amazing homemade whole wheat hamburger buns, I often serve these patties without a bun, next to a bed of corn & lime quinoa and some salad greens. 

This black bean burger does not taste “just like a meat hamburger“. I’m not convinced that any vegetarian patty can achieve that – nor should it. These patties aren’t a substitute for anything – they’re just really good and make a delicious dinner – period. So if you’re looking for a tasty meatless meal and you love the flavor of cumin, chili and black beans – look no further!

By the way, these patties freeze very well. I always double the recipe and freeze the extras for a quick weeknight meal. In fact, this recipe is one that we use in my Freeze Ahead Meal workshops. For tips on freezing and reheating these patties, continue reading after the recipe.

Black Bean Burger Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Black Bean Burger

An easy to make black bean burger with a tasty Southwestern flavor, perfect for a meatless dinner. Ideal for freezing ahead - make a double batch.

Prep : 15 minutes mins

Cook : 10 minutes mins

Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 19oz/540 mL can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup cooked brown rice 50 g raw
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 2 finely chopped green onions
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp salsa
• 1-2 Tbsp canola oil

Instructions

• In large bowl, coarsely mash beans with a potato masher or fork being sure to leave some larger bits for texture.
• Add rice, onions, egg, bread crumbs, seasonings and salsa.
• Mix well to combine.
• Form 4 patties about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick.
• Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add patties to pan without overcrowding to allow even browning.
• Fry for 3-4 minutes per side to form crispy brown crust and allow inside to heat.
• Serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream on a bun or beside a bed of quinoa and a salad.
• Makes: 4 large patties

Notes

Freeze patties before frying, for details read main article at www.gettystewart.com.
Make small patties to serve as snacks or appetizers.
Add more bread crumbs if mixture feels too wet or sticky.

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How to Freeze Black Bean Burger Patties

Freeze ahead meals are the best, especially when they hardly take any effort at all. If you’re making a batch of these patties for one night, you might as well just double the recipe and freeze the extras. Saves you from having to pull out all the same ingredients and doing the dishes next time!

Here’s what to do:

1. Make the recipe right to the patty forming stage.
2. Form your patties and lay them out on parchment paper or plastic wrap on a flat, moveable surface (cutting board, cookie sheet, serving tray, etc.).
3. Place tray in freezer just as is for two hours to allow the patties to freeze individually.
4. Once frozen, transfer patties into an airtight freezer bag or container. If you wish, you can wrap each patty separately and tuck them into a freezer container together.
5. Use within 3 months. They will be safe to eat for much longer than that (years even), but quality will start to deteriorate after 3 months. Don’t be a hoarder – eat your frozen food!

How to Reheat Frozen Black Bean Burger Patties

The hardest part of this task is remembering to remove them from the freezer the night before or morning of.

1. Remove from freezer and thaw patties in fridge.
2. Heat oil in pan and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until hot throughout and crispy golden brown on the outside.
3. Enjoy!

Have you tried black bean burgers or other meatless burgers before?

I’ve never tried any of the store bought vegetarian patties, but I love trying different veggie patties when I go to a good local restaurant. There are some seriously tasty patties out there! However, I also like a good meat burger. For me it’s not an either or kind of thing,  I don’t look for one to replace the other and so I will continue to enjoy all types of patties.

What do you think?

If you make these patties or any other veggie patty, let me know! Take a photo, post it on Instagram and tag #getgettys so I can see it and like it!

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.