Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers

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!

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!

How to make Freezer Friendly Black Bean Burgers:

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.

How to store Freezer-Friendly Black Bean Burgers:

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.

How to freeze Black Bean Burgers:

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.

How to reheat Freezer-Friendly Black Bean Burgers:

• 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.