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Whip these homemade Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers up with just 7 ingredients and minimal prep time. They’re mildly spiced with tons of flavor and are the perfect, simple veggie burgers to serve up on toasted burger buns with your favorite fresh toppings.
The inspiration for this easy black bean burger recipe was derived from a beautiful, fresh bunch of cilantro. In order to let the bright, citrusy, peppery flavor shine, these burgers are made with minimal ingredients and are as pantry friendly as it gets. If you love my super easy basic Vegan Burger recipe, you’re going to love these simple and delicious black bean and bulgur burger patties!
For more burger love, these 9 Mouthwatering Vegan Burger Recipes are a Must-Try!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers
- Made with simple ingredients. Making homemade vegan black bean burgers requires just 7 ingredients, including salt!
- Ready in 30 minutes. This includes cooking bulgur wheat from scratch.
- No oven required. These black bean veggie burgers are cooked on the stovetop in just a few minutes. Perfect for hot weather when you don’t want to heat up the house!
- Naturally oil-free. The burger mix is made without oil and is naturally low in fat. The only oil in the recipe is cooking oil on the skillet to prevent sticking, but if you use a good nonstick skillet, you can pan fry these delicious vegan black bean burgers without any oil at all.
- Freezer friendly. Looking for an affordable, plant-based meal prep that’s a fraction of the cost of your favorite store-bought veggie burgers? Make a double batch of these easy vegan black bean burgers and stick them in the freezer.
The Ingredients
- Bulgur wheat: In this recipe, instructions from cooking dry bulgur from scratch is included. If you already have pre-cooked bulgur wheat you’d like to use up, use 1 ½ cups of cooked bulgur.
- Broth: Cook the bulgur in vegetable broth, no chicken broth, or water as needed.
- Black beans: Use either dry black beans or a can of pre-cooked black beans. If cooking your own beans from scratch, use 1 ½ cups of cooked, cooled black beans.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds an herbaceous flavor that livens up the black bean mixture.
- Green onions: Adds a mild onion flavor that creates depth of flavor. For a bolder onion flavor, swap in white onion or red onion.
- Lime: A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a zesty, tangy brightness and enhances the savory flavors.
- Cumin: A simple seasoning that gives these burgers a more distinct flavor.
- Salt: Adjust the amount of salt called for to taste. For example, if using salt-free beans and cooking the bulgur in water, additional salt may be desired to flavor the patty mixture.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Black bean substitutions: Replace the black beans with any beans of your choice. Kidney beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans would be great.
- Cilantro substitutions: If you don’t love the flavor of cilantro, omit it or replace the herb with fresh parsley.
- Add spices: As is, these burgers are quite flavorful. However, if you want to increase the spices, add in garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and/or Homemade Chili Lime Seasoning (Tajin) for a kick!
How to Make Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers
- 1) First, cook the bulgur. In a small pan over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the bulgur and lower the heat to medium. Simmer the bulgur in the broth for about 10 minutes. Then, once tender, drain the bulgur over a fine-mesh strainer, removing as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
- 2) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash the black beans with a potato masher (or a fork) until no big chunks remain. Add in the cilantro, green onions, lime juice, cumin, salt and well-drained bulgur. Mix to combine, then let the vegan burger mixture rest for 10 minutes to firm up and make it easier to handle.
- 3) Form the burger mixture into individual patties using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, then place them on a hot medium or large skillet over medium heat. Flatten the patties until 1/2″ thick using a spatula. In a medium-sized skillet we were able to fit 4-5 black bean burger patties in at a time.
- 4) Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Tip: Add additional nonstick cooking spray as needed to prevent sticking. If the pan starts to smoke or the patties are cooking too fast, lower the heat to medium-low heat.
Recipe FAQs
It depends on the recipe. Many veggie burger recipes are held together using plant-based binders like bread crumbs, flour, oats, or ground flaxseed to make a flax egg. These black bean burgers don’t require an egg replacer to hold them together. Instead, the bulgur helps bind them and keeps them from falling apart.
Black bean burgers can be an incredibly healthy option. This recipe is particularly nutritious, low in fat, free of cholesterol, and is made without any processed ingredients. If you’re looking for a healthy swap for a vegan burger night, these black bean bulgur burgers are an excellent choice.
This can happen if the mixture is too wet. To prevent this, make sure to properly drain the bulgur and can of black beans. When draining, you may have to push the bulgur down against the fine-mesh strainer to get every last drop of liquid out.
They are vegan but they are not gluten-free. Bulgur wheat, as the name suggests, is a type of whole wheat grain. If you are looking for a gluten-free, vegan burger, try this Southwest Black Bean Burger and make it with gluten-free bread crumbs.
Top Recipe Tips
- Scoop the vegan burger patties using a cookie scoop. This makes creating evenly-sized vegan burgers quick and easy.
- Flatten them evenly. If some burgers are thicker than others, they will require different cook times. If they’re thicker than 1/2″ thick, they may be overcooked on the outside and too tender on the inside.
- Freeze the leftovers. This vegan black bean burger recipe will make about 4 burger patties. If you are cooking for 1 or simply can’t eat all of the burgers before they go bad, freeze the excess to prevent waste and save money.
- Use a nonstick skillet. I personally love to use my T-fal Nonstick Fry Pan or my cast iron skillet, but any nonstick skillet will work! Shop all of my recommended kitchenware here!
Burger Topping Ideas
Turning these burger patties into homemade veggie burgers is the most popular way to enjoy them so here are a few of my favorite toppings that complement the flavors in these burger patties:
- Additional fresh cilantro
- Red onion
- Lettuce
- Grilled pineapples
- Sliced tomatoes
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Pico de Gallo or blender salsa
- Pickled jalapeños
- Caramelized onions
- Vegan mayo or chipotle sauce
- Spicy Chipotle White Bean Dip
Looking for the perfect side dish? Try these Baked Zucchini Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, or Carrot Fries!
Storage Instructions
Leftover vegan burgers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They will also keep in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Before freezing, allow the black bean patties to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack then freeze with a piece of parchment paper in between each plant-based burger to prevent sticking.
More Vegan Burger Recipes
- White Bean Burgers
- Foolproof Mega Lentil Burger
- Easy Quinoa Chickpea Patties
- Spicy Sweet Potato and Jalapeño Burger
- Spicy Red Bean Burger
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup of vegetable or no chicken broth
- ½ cup of uncooked bulgur wheat
- 15 ounces of black beans
- ½ cup of lightly packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon of lime juice
- ½ teaspoon of cumin
- ¾ teaspoon of sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In a small pan, bring the broth to a boil. Add bulgur and lower the heat to medium. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then drain in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain very well. You may have to push the bulgur against the strainer to get every last drop of liquid.
- In a medium bowl, mash the black beans with a potato masher until no big chunks are left. Add remaining ingredients, including drained bulgur, and mix well. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, this allows it to firm up and makes it easier to handle.
- Place a medium skillet over medium heat and spray it with cooking spray. Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the patties on the hot pan and flatten them to about ½ inch thickness with a spatula. Cook 4 or 5 at a time, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, adding more cooking spray as needed. If the pan starts to smoke or the patties are cooking too fast, lower the heat to medium-low and proceed with the recipe. Serve on their own or in a tortilla with avocado and salsa!
Notes
- Scoop the vegan burger patties using a cookie scoop. This makes creating evenly-sized vegan burgers quick and easy.
- Flatten them evenly. If some burgers are thicker than others, they will require different cook times. If they’re thicker than 1/2″ thick, they may be overcooked on the outside and too tender on the inside.
- Freeze the leftovers. This vegan black bean burger recipe will make about 4 burger patties. If you are cooking for 1 or simply can’t eat all of the burgers before they go bad, freeze the excess to prevent waste and save money.
Can the bugers be baked in the oven?
Would this recipe work for meatballs, and would your recipe for sauteed mushrooms work well with this recipe?
Hi! We at Plant-Based on a Budget haven’t tried out making them into vegan meatballs however that should still work while also adjusting the cook time to doneness. Serving these alongside the sauteed mushrooms recipes sounds like a great combo!
These black bean and bulghur patties were a hit with dinner guests! Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
So glad your guests enjoyed it! It’s going to be a staple for us too!
What a great idea for a burger! Love how it holds it’s shape, too. Yummy.
Yessss! So good and so easy to make on the stovetop too!
These burgers cooked up nicely and were so filling!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Wow these sound sooo delish!!
You would love them! They’re so filling and delicious!
Love how easy these burgers are to make!