Grill/Barbecue

Black Bean and Corn Burgers

May 26, 2021
4
12 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 50 minutes
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

These veggie burgers are a little bit spicy, thanks to a mixture of paprika, cumin, and chili, and a little bit sweet, thanks to fresh summer corn. They've got texture, taste, and tons of nutrition, too.

This recipe was featured on our new cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Brinda Ayer cooks her way through this recipe, offering insider tips and backstory along the way.Gena Hamshaw

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups (or 2 cans) cooked black beans, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2/3 cup quick oats or bread crumbs, plus extra as needed
  • 3/4 cup fresh (or frozen and thawed) corn
Directions
  1. Sauté onion and garlic in the olive oil for eight to ten minutes, or until golden, soft, and fragrant.
  2. Add 2 cups of the beans, the cumin, the paprika, the chili powder, the sea salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the sauté pan till all is warm.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
  4. Add the oats to the bowl of a food processor and pulse them a few times. Add the onion, garlic, and bean mixture. Process everything together, until it's well combined but still has texture.
  5. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the last cup of black beans and the corn and mix well with your hands. Check for seasoning and season to taste. If the mixture is too mushy to form into patties, add a little more oats or bread crumbs.
  6. Shape mixture into four large or six smaller patties. Transfer burgers to a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (or until golden), flipping once through. Alternately, you can chill them for twenty minutes before transferring them to a grill and cooking through. You can also pan fry them in olive oil until golden on each side.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Tante
    Tante
  • DeirdreMS
    DeirdreMS
  • Barbara Annemarie
    Barbara Annemarie
  • Vinod
    Vinod
  • Sylwia Trzyna
    Sylwia Trzyna

66 Reviews

bidoun December 26, 2022
Delicious but a bit dry. I wonder if brushing them with a bit of oil before popping them in the oven would have helped.
 
Doylehr June 24, 2022
Made as written and I thought they were a bit one note. I used the oven method to cook and maybe the way to get more texture would be in a pan with a touch of oil. I would be afraid to try and put these on the grill, they are a little soft for that.
 
Tante March 21, 2022
Lovely to see how you’re going for lots of taste without the various additions of the big companies. Your recipe shows that nothing high-tech is necessary to cook up a nice vegetarian meal!
Thanks. 😄
 
DeirdreMS May 26, 2021
Super and easy. Mushed about 1/3 of the mixture in the pan with a potato masher, used a small amount of panko instead of oatmeal and a touch of water. And ramped up the spices just a bit. Made 4 nice dinner-sized burgers.
 
EmilyAnne April 18, 2021
Love these! This has become my go to veggie burger recipe - hubby likes them too, which is rare :) Double the recipe and freeze them.
 
Barbara A. February 21, 2020
simple and yummy! the texture was a little too soft to hold together for a burger patty, but I made smaller (like 2 inches or so) patties to use as a protein for grain bowls. would recommend!
 
Vinod April 27, 2019
I made these with beans I soaked and cooked myself but they were probably dryer as a result, compared to canned beans. I neglected to add water to make up for it, resulting in a dry patty that fell apart. The taste was good though! So my notes for next time are to grind the patty finer and add a splash of water to make a moister patty that holds together better
 
Susan January 5, 2019
I made these today cutting the recipe in half. Very good!!! I ate one on a whole grain thin bun with ketchup. Also made sweet potato fries😘 Enjoyed the taste and texture.
I definitely prefer making my own veggie burgers - that way I know what goes into them. Haven't been too impressed with the store bought brands.
 
Sylwia T. August 6, 2018
This is a very simple, yet tasty recipe. I've made these a few times and every time, they're a hit.
 
Katherine July 18, 2018
Prepared recipe as written because the two men in my family have been getting pushy about getting vegetarian food. I succumbed and surprised myself, and loved them myself. So did they! For once I actually followed the recipe as written, and all went well. Cooked my own beans, playing with my one pot, and they were just right. No problem with burgers holding their shape. Will go into my do-it-again file. I never thought of serving them as FoodFanaticToo did, but want to try that. It sounds delish.
 
Aburton June 25, 2018
better frozen before baking or after?
 
Susan G. June 13, 2018
Don’t use home cooked beans unless you get them super soft, because burgers won’t bind. Stick with soft canned beans.
 
SumG May 27, 2018
I have been surprised by how much I end up liking these vegetarian burgers. I wish these were offered at Burger joints, instead of those bland vegetarian burger choices. I enjoy a very similar recipe to this, but with mexican taco seasoning that adds a bit more spice and flavor: https://spicecravings.com/veggie-bean-burger
I think the only thing the Taco seasoning adds on top of the mix above is the Mexican oregano and it has much more Chilli powder.
 
Sammipeaches21 January 8, 2021
I like the taco seasoning idea!
 
Danielle May 13, 2018
These are delicious and easy to make. To anyone thinking these were bland, did you add the spices?
 
angie December 31, 2017
After mixing these up per the recipe, I tasted the mix and thought they were bland. I ended up adding a small can of diced green chilies which made all the difference.
 
Alicia October 20, 2016
We just made these for the first time, and they didn't live up to our standard black bean veggie burger recipe. For some reason, the black bean flavor ended up overwhelming everything else, so it was really one-note.
 
Melissa S. July 1, 2016
Do these stay good for a couple of days?
 
Jenniferinflorida July 1, 2016
Yes, or you can freeze
 
FoodFanaticToo May 27, 2016
Made these this evening, no tweaks to the recipe (used corn cut from the cob, and oats). Served on a bed of mixed greens dressed with lemon, olive oil, and s & p; topped with thinly sliced red onion, my daughter's Killer guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. To die for!!! Thanks so much for the recipe, which will be going into our regular rotation. Caveat: we would not enjoy this on a bun.
 
John December 10, 2015
Just looking at the picture is gorgeous. This is my lunch tomorrow.
 
Tina D. October 30, 2015
I made this tonight and I thought the burgers were a bit bland compared to other black bean burgers I have made. I added a small jalapeño with the sautéed onion, but I guess it was not enough.
 
SHAREAT.ch September 8, 2015
Sooo delicious :) I love BURGERS <3
 
Judith S. August 15, 2015
I forgot to add corn but never no mind. These are fantastic! I also used panko instead of oats and mashed with a potato masher since I don't have a food processor (gasp). The spice mixture is what makes this! I can see leaving the bean mixture in tact as a stew over quinoa or rice.
 
Leemoe J. July 21, 2015
I made these last night and they were simply amazing! I had no trouble at all, just had to add a tiny bit of liquid to get the bean mix to process, and then a dash more oats to get the consistency right. Made six good sized patties, and we wrapped them in lettuce with sautéed shallots, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Definitely will double the batch next time and freeze.
 
Irene June 28, 2015
I make this almost the same except I always toast my oats in the oven first. It makes it a little bit nutty I also add grated carrots and zucchini I have never used corn.
 
Momof3Ms June 3, 2015
I made these last night and they were pretty tasty. However, it was not without a few minor struggles. First of all, my pulsed beans, onions, garlic mixture was like soup. I had to add about 4 handfuls of oats to thicken it up. This was after I had drained the beans and there was no additional liquid. Not sure why that happened. Don't be alarmed at the color/appearance would be my biggest suggestion. My husband was less than thrilled with the "patties" while I was struggling to shape them and did ask me if I was making cat food again. I was not amused. They baked up so pretty and had a beautiful crust on them and once I slid them into a pita pocket and added lettuce, tomato and some avocado cilantro dressing, quite nice. My kids really liked them and even my husband said he would eat them again. The flavors blended together so well and next time I will add a little hot sauce or maybe some chilies to give it a little kick. Great non-meat meal that is super filling and does not leave you feeling like you have been cheated on food.
 
Kaede S. April 19, 2015
I've made these a few times and they are delish. The patties seem to retain moisture best when you use a large onion. Also, I like using panko. Finally, make sure you process the beans, onions, etc. thoroughly. No need for an egg if you'd like to keep these vegan.
 
Abbey March 11, 2015
I made these last night, and while the flavor was great, they ended up super dry and crumbly. I even added an egg for binder. I think if the recipe had said to use some of the bean liquid, it would have helped.
 
Kym W. February 26, 2015
Should the beans be drained and rinsed?
 
FoodFanaticToo May 27, 2016
yes
 
Emily February 2, 2015
These were delicious, I subbed chopped apple for the corn because I didn't have any on hand & it was sooo good! I put the burger on sprouted wheat bread with sliced avocado, hot sauce & lettuce & enjoyed every bite!
 
fuhsi January 27, 2015
Yes, you can freeze them. Never thought of meatballs but don't see why not, as long as you use them within a reasonable time.
 
Sara A. January 27, 2015
Can you freeze these and could you make them and into meatballs??
 
Randa January 18, 2015
Just made these....wow.....all my kids loved them!!! N will be a regular for this family. I have to add.....never omit the smoked paprika....it is amazing!!!!
 
Jeanette A. January 15, 2015
Just made these tonight. Delicious! My husband loved them. Fried in skillet with coconut oil about 3 minutes on each side. We cut them in half and put them in pita pockets with lettuce and red onion. We tried a different recipe before and it was disastrous. We're having the rest for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!
 
rebecca August 15, 2014
I Have to make these. I have made a mushroom and lentil burger but I feel it needs a bit more to hold it together. This is the answer!
Bec x | www.dancingthroughsunday.com.au
 
sepej July 18, 2014
The flavor of these were fantastic, but they did not hold together at all.
 
k July 12, 2014
assuming the corn is cooked?
 
k July 12, 2014
assuming the corn is cooked?
 
Denise D. July 6, 2014
I made these today and LOVE them. Follwed the recipe, the smoked paprika is a must, the spices are perfectly proportioned, the texture has a satisfying 'burger-ness' to it and the house smells so good! Had a group of teenage girls drooling over them. We put them in TJ's fresh tortillas
 
Amy July 3, 2014
I just made these and they were excellent. I have tried many other bean burgers and these were the best!
 
hkrf1017 July 3, 2014
Made these a couple nights ago and was disappointed - the flavor was excellent but they were very dry and crumbly. Maybe I kept the bean mixture in the pan too long? Drained off too much liquid from the canned beans?
 
fuhsi June 21, 2014
Made these last night and they are perfect! Has anyone made these on the grill? I baked in the oven b/c worried they'd crumble but they held together nicely using oats.
Also wonder if I can modify adding green chiles or will that throw off the moisture balance?
Going to double the recipe next time to freeze some- store bought have too much salt and added (unnecessary) ingredients.
 
Andrew S. June 21, 2014
Did mine on the grill; I cooled them in the fridge in patty form for a few hours first. No crumbling at all. Worked wonderfully.

I also think chiles or peppers with a bit of heat would make a fine addition.
 
Andrew S. June 20, 2014
I use the recipe as written, cooling the patties in the fridge for a few hours and they stayed together on the fridge with no crumbling. Held together well.
 
Jane (. June 19, 2014
This looks like a veggie burger even my fiancé would try... Love the idea of oats in a burger for texture.
 
Mayte June 13, 2014
I just made them, with a few variations (i didn't have paprika and my beans weren't black) at the top of them i added mashed avocado with lemon salt and pepper, spinach, tomatoe, ketchup and mustard, and i simply loved them, i also added to to the mixture milled flaxseed with water
 
Skye H. June 10, 2014
These are awesome! I just made them for the second time this month. I find the recipe makes way more than 6 burgers, which is great - I keep the extra mix in a container in the fridge and pan fry them one at a time when I want one. I don't have a food processor so I mushed the beans with a fork. The burgers fall apart a little while frying and are a bit messy to eat, but I don't mind.
 
Angela P. January 28, 2014
Love these! And surprise, so does hubby and our son!
 
cooks4fun January 20, 2014
I am not vegan or vegitarian but love these black bean burgers. I plan on serving with an avacado crema. Mashed avacado, sour cream & cilantro. I thought the texture & consistency was better than others I've tried.
 
Jenniferinflorida January 5, 2014
What do you consider long term?
I wouldn't freeze over a month. But that's because we eat them a lot.
 
Doede January 5, 2014
Can these be frozen long-term?
 
souptastic November 5, 2013
These are really fantastic, they are a household fave and I've made them several times. For grilling, a non-vegan variation is the addition of an egg and 1/4 cup wheat germ. They make them very cohesive especially after a brief chill in the fridge or freezer. I would probably brush them with oil/spray with pam to avoid sticking to the grill.
 
Lily S. October 29, 2013
These are delicious! Since another commenter asked - I drained and rinsed 2 cans of black beans. Also, I ended up with only about 2 1/2 cups of beans, but the recipe still worked great. I skipped the smoked paprika because I didn't have any and threw in a smoky canned adobo chili instead. I smooshed the patties together really well and didn't have a problem with them falling apart, but I was careful to only flip them once in the pan. I'm not sure they would hold up very well to grilling... I will definitely be making these again.
 
Jenniferinflorida September 15, 2013
Just made these. Great, I used red onions as I didn't have yellow
 
Laura September 12, 2013
Do you drain and rinse the black beans?
 
Zo September 11, 2013
Replacement of black beans would be?
 
angelclark September 8, 2013
Hi, looks great! Do you serve with a sauce? Any recommendations?Thanks,
 
Sharon September 8, 2013
2 TBLS Milled Flax Seed plus 5-6 TBLS Water (soak for about 5 minutes than add) (replacement for 2 eggs and will help as a binder)
 
Stacey R. September 7, 2013
We had this tonight - quite yummy! We wondered about adding a moistening ingredient to bind it a bit better, though. BBQ sauce?
 
Pepper M. September 7, 2013
Can I use old fashioned oats?
 
mstv September 5, 2013
Recs for making without a food processor?
 
Don W. September 5, 2013
How much cumin, please? Seems to be missing.
 
Gena H. September 5, 2013
Hi Don -- 1.5 teaspoons. Sorry about that!
 
Don W. September 5, 2013
Thanks. Giving them a tryout tonight.