Black Bean and Corn Burgers Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do you make black bean burgers less mushy? ›

Hearty chopped cashews add textural variation, while panko bread crumbs help bind the patties without turning them mushy.

The best veggie burgers I have eaten have always presented themselves as exactly that: veggie – not “beef style” or anything like that – just “veggie”. The most common problem faced by homemade bean burgers is that they become mushy. This is usually caused by over mashing the beans.

Black Bean Burger Serving Suggestions

Once you've cooked your patties, it's time to eat! I love to serve this homemade black bean burger with chipotle sauce, lettuce, tomato, red onion or pickled red onion, and dill pickles for crunch.

Panko breadcrumbs: breadcrumbs help the burgers bind together and create a nice firm texture. You can use gluten free panko if needed! Regular or Italian-style is great. Flax: ground flaxseed is our egg substitute to help the patties stick together so they don't fall apart when you cook them.

Eggs are the most common and effective binder, and egg replacers are an excellent alternative for vegan burgers. Other common binders include wheat germ, bread crumbs, oats, and ground flaxseeds. These are dry ingredients, though the recipe's other ingredients often add just enough moisture to make a sufficient binder.

To cook the black bean burgers, heat 1Tbsp cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add a few of the black bean burgers and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they are well browned and heated through.

Add oats to thicken, or liquid to thin, as needed. Stir in the cilantro, and let sit for 5 minutes. Shape into 4 large or 8 small patties; let them sit for 5 minutes.

Making a juicy, flavorful hamburger starts with using the ideal beef-to-fat ratio. In this case, we recommend an 80/20 ratio—that's 80% beef to 20% fat; just enough fat to make it juicy. You can use a 90/10 ratio if you like, but remember that the leaner the beef, the less flavor and juice you'll get to enjoy later on.

Consider incorporating ingredients like breadcrumbs, brown rice, quick oats, whole wheat flour, or panko to bind the mixture together. These ingredients not only add texture but also help absorb excess moisture. NOTE: use quick oats as they will hold the burger together much better than regular rolled oats.

Along with making it hot, you want to crisp the burger, on both sides, to give it good texture. Good texture means it'll have a little crunch when you bite into the burger. If you don't cook the burger enough, you undercook it, the patty might be cold and it won't have any crispness.

How do you thicken bean burgers? ›

add breadcrumbs and maybe flour.

Beans, for instance, are a good source of both zinc and iron. They are also an important protein resource. Black bean burgers are never going to be mistaken for hamburgers, but they are typically a solid choice when it comes to health.

Black beans are rich, earthy and versatile. They add extra protein to make any meatless meal satisfying, from brunch to dinner. Pair with: Bright, citrusy flavors like lemon and lime; sharp flavors like fresh onion and garlic; earthy spices like cumin and coriander.

8. Many dieters opt for black bean vs beef burgers due to the fact that black beans pack more antioxidants than blueberries and regular bean eaters have smaller waistlines and a 22 percent lower risk of obesity.

If you want a veggie burger that holds together, use binding agents like cooked grains (rice, quinoa, millet), eggs, flax eggs, bread crumbs, oats, flour or nut/seed flours like almond flour. The amount of grains or flour will depend on the recipe, but it's usually anywhere from ¼ to 1 cup.

Go easy on the shaping. When you're making your burgers, try not to manhandle them too much or else you'll end up breaking the meat into smaller pieces than you have to. We recommend simply shaping the beef into a vague burger shape with the least amount handling as possible.

Eggs are a reliable binder, but not available to those observing a vegan diet. One Green Planet recommends chia seeds and arrowroot powder as egg replacements, as well as nut butter, mustard, and dry oats, among other things, to imitate what they call the "sticky" saturated fats that keep burgers together.

Try to work as efficiently as possible and avoid squeezing too hard, since overworking the beef is a big reason why burgers fall apart. If you don't want to grill them right away, however, throw them in the fridge while you wait – colder burgers are less likely to break down when you cook them.