Even after all these years, there are no black bean burgers on this site, for every time I try to make one, they are either a mess and fall apart, or are dry as sawdust. Laura Wright to the rescue here! She figured out that adding a little bit of mashed potatoes works great as simultaneous moisture and glue. So thank you to her for that brilliance!

Here is her recipe, which I’ll  keep in rotation when I have leftover mashed potatoes on hand. Above, I served our burgers on cauliflower “buns,” and below on Dave’s Killer 21 Grain buns. Once you’ve made the burgers, you can play with how you like best to serve them.

Makes 4 burgers

BBQ Black Bean Burger Recipe

14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1/4 cup oat flour
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup cooked mashed potato
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the drained black beans on part of the baking sheet, spreading them out into a single layer. Place the chopped onion and garlic on the other part of the baking sheet. Sprinkle the paprika and cumin over the onions and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss the onions until all are evenly coated and spread out into a single layer.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until beans have dried up/cracked open significantly and onions are slightly browned and soft. Allow to cool.

While the black beans and onions are roasting, place the following items in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade: ground flaxseed, oat flour, 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cooked mashed potatoes, and a plenty of salt and pepper.

Once the black beans and onions have cooled, transfer them to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes thick and slightly unified. Avoid over processing! There should be whole black beans in the mix still and it should hold together when made into patties.

Portion the black bean burger mixture into 4 even patties that are less than an inch thick. Place the burgers on a plate or baking sheet and put in the freezer for 20 minutes.

When you’re ready to cook them, heat a pan or grill to medium and add oil. Place the burgers in the pan or on the grill. Brush the top facing sides with oil. Let the burgers cook on one side until browned. Flip them over and repeat on the other side.

Serve immediately on hot buns, with toppings of choice.