This Tempeh Black Bean Burger recipe can be made vegan or vegetarian, and it works beautifully both ways. It's filling, nutritious and high in protein (18 grams per burger).
Every summer we try to come up with a new veggie burger recipe. Even though we eat veggie burgers all year long, summer seems to be the time to create veggie burgers, because non-meat eaters deserve a tasty meal when going to barbecues and summer gatherings!
Why we love this black bean burger recipe
All you need is a handful of ingredients, and it's easy to prepare! No complicated process, no food processor. All you need is one bowl and a baking sheet.
This black bean burger recipe can be made vegan or vegetarian, and it works beautifully both ways. It's filling, nutritious and high in protein (18 grams per burger) thanks to the tempeh and the black beans.
What’s in our tempeh black bean burger recipe?
- Canned black beans: They provide protein, fiber, and great texture. Mashing the by hand before mixing in the rest of the ingredients will give this veggie burger a better texture.
- Tempeh: A great source of protein, and also texture!
- Scallions: For that extra punch of flavor
- Cheese: Dairy or vegan, to hold it all together and to provide richness
- Egg or flax egg: To hold the veggie burger ingredients together
- Seasonings: To provide flavor. Be sure to use the hamburger or grilling seasoning. It gives this veggie burger a great "grilled" kind of flavor!
How to Make the Best Black Bean Burger? A Step by Step Image Guide
Crumble tempeh with spices by hand
Mash black beans by hand
Add regular or vegan cheese, scallion and either egg or flax egg
Shape and cook the black bean burgers. They can be made vegan or vegetarian.
Serve these tempeh and black bean burgers with:
- Pickled Onions
- Romesco Sauce
- Bravas Sauce
- Tomatillo Salsa
- Corn Salsa
- Schug
- Matbucha
- Sweet Potato fries
Did you like our black bean burger recipe ? Scroll down to the comments and leave us a rating! Did you love it? Share it or leave us a comment on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook! Wanna see more? Subscribe to our blog and remember to follow us on Pinterest!
This post was originally published in May 2013 and updated in July 2020
Tempeh Black Bean Burgers
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Tempeh Black Bean Burger recipe can be made vegan or vegetarian, and it works beautifully both ways. It's filling, nutritious and high in protein (18 grams per burger).
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds mixed in 3 tablespoon of water) or 1 egg, beaten
- 1-8oz package tempeh
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon grilling or hamburger seasoning mix
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup canned black beans
- 2 medium scallions, sliced thin
- ½ cup shredded vegan or dairy cheese
- 3 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it generously with cooking spray
- Combine the ground flax seeds and water in a small bowl or beat one egg. Set aside
- Crumble the tempeh in a large bowl. Add the paprika, seasoning, salt and black pepper and toss gently.
- In a separate bowl, mash the black beans slightly, using you hands. See Note 2
- Add the mashed black beans, scallions, cheese and flax mixture (or egg) to the crumbled tempeh, and using your hands, mix it all the ingredients together until well combined ( make sure all the ingredients are well mashed, so the burger holds together)
- Divide the mixture in 4 pieces and shape each one into patties, about an inch thick
- Brush both sides of each patty with olive oil and carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes then broil for about 2 minutes per side, watching them carefully so they don't burn
- Serve on a bun with your favorite fixings... We love these with Home Made Hummus, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa or Romesco Sauce!
Notes
- IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE EXTRA BURGERS AND FREEZE THEM, WE RECOMMEND FREEZING THEM ALREADY COOKED.
- Mash the black bean burger ingredients by hand instead of using a food processor for a better burger texture. The food processor will make the veggir burgers too mushy
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: sandwich
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger - no bun
- Calories: 296
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 0
Rocky
Seems like your learned your lesson!!! I am very proud of you guys for not throwing in the towel but continuing to try until you succeeded, that is a true trooper! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Hindy
This burger looks amazing!
Mary Suncin
Hi, my name is Mary. I tried this recipe and was a hit with my non-vegan family. The burger seasoning gives it a smoked grilled tasted. Hopefully, you will like it as much as I did if you decide to give it a try. Usually, all of their recipe are tasty and delicious. It will literally have your guests asking for the recipe or ask what ingredients did you to make taste so good! Enjoy!
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you Mary, so glad everyone enjoyed the black bean burgers!
Chanie@BusyInBrooklyn
LOVE your bright and vibrant pictures!
Ronnie Fein
Me too! Always searching for the ultimate veggie burger. This sounds terrific. And looks great.
Sina @ thekosherspoon
So perfect for meatless dinner nights! I've made veggie burgers with beans as well and it turned out great!
betsy shipley
Hi, looks great. I have made both a plain tempeh burger and black bean burger, each tasting very good so a combo of both ingredients sounds great.
Back in the mid 80's early 90's we produced Betsy's Tempeh in Mich. for 9 1/2 years. Our tempeh was a best seller since we produced it without the use of plastic bags and sold the tempeh in both patty and grated form--great for chili, sloppy joe's etc.
Currently we are working on a tempeh incubator that would be used in restaurants and small shops producing healthy food for the local community i.e. artisan tempeh!
Feel free to write with questions.
betsy shipley
Alison@AliBabka
So pretty! Those sprouts add such a unique and tasty addition to the burger!
Tamar Genger @joyofkosher
I also have been wanting to make my own veggie burger, but never get around to trying, thanks for doing the work, I can't wait to try this.
Katie @ Produce on Parade
I come across several veggie burgers but I still have never made my own! However, this recipe I will have to try! Looks wonderful, thanks for sharing! Cheers 🙂
Vicky & Ruth
Thanks!!! This one is super easy to make. Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best way to go! Enjoy 🙂
Yosef - This American Bite
Looks like a delightful and filling burger!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you
Krista
These look delicious - trying them tomorrow. Just one question - is there an alternative to broiling at the end? Can I do them in a pan on the stove instead?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi! Yes, you can do it over the stove instead. Just be very careful when transferring them to the pan, because they can fall apart while they're very hot. Hope you enjoy them and please let us know if you have any more questions 🙂
Lauren
Just wanted to say that my boyfriend and I made this recipe last evening and it was fantastic! The almond milk + ground flax seed binder (I actually ended up using rice milk since that's what I had on hand) was what made everything stick together and not crumble apart. Finally! Thank you for this recipe. It's become a favorite!
Vicky & Ruth
So glad you enjoyed it Lauren! Thank you for letting us know...we love to hear when people try our recipes! 🙂
Lisa Magoulas
Vicky & Ruth,
I'm with you on throwing in the towel on the veggie burger. I've tried so many times to put a burger together that doesn't fall apart. I'm definitely going to give this recipe a try, once I can get my hands on tempeh. My local stores don't carry it. I also love the photography, great job. Have an awesome week. Lisa
Vicky & Ruth
Great! So glad we could help inspire you to try a home made veggie burger again.
Bridgette
Just wanted to let you know that the Go Veggie Mozz is not vegan.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi! Thank you for your comment. Go Veggie! has a line of dairy free and vegan cream cheese alternatives and shreds. You can find more information at http://goveggiefoods.com/products
JJ Kale
This recipe is awesome! Like you, I've tried to find the perfect veggie burger and have not succeeded... until now. This is now my go-to veggie burger. Thank you so much for sharing!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how much you like our tempeh and black bean burger. We are so happy you are enjoying it!
Paige
Could I grill these?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Paige, great question! We never tried to cook our vegan tempeh and black bean burgers on the grill. We would suggest freezing them first and placing them in a grilling basket like this one https://www.amazon.com/WolfWise-Portable-Grilling-Stainless-Removable/dp/B01MRZEJDS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1493051071&sr=8-6&keywords=grilling+vegetable+grid. If you try it we are curious to know if they hold their shape. Let us know! Thanks
Caroline
I have been looking for my "go to" veggie burger for a long time and this is it! Make sure you "cook" the tempeh first in about 3 cups of water or broth for about 20 minutes - this makes an incredible difference. Then proceed with the recipe. I used 1 cup of leftover canned Krogers' Spicy Black Beans. I didn't use any oil except for spraying the baking sheet with Pam before cooking the burgers.
Vicky & Ruth
That's a great suggestion. Thank you Caroline. We are so happy you enjoy our Tempeh and Black Bean Veggie Burgers.
M
When you freeze them already cooked how would you heat them up?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi!
Let them thaw, then warm them up in the oven at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Marianna
Should you cook the tempeh first? This is my last attempt at a veggie burger. Every recipe I make breaks, Hoping this works..thanks
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Marianna,
No need to cook the tempeh first. Hope this recipe works for you!
Cayla Whiteside
Do you think these would this work without the shredded cheese?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Cayla, the cheese in this recipe acts as a binder, you can use either:
1. Flax egg (1 tbs ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water) and some flour until it hold together.
2. Mashed potatoes also may work as a binder. Boil 2 potatoes and mash them with some salt and olive oil.
3. Vital Wheat Gluten is a good binder as well
3. Use a real egg if you are not vegan
Lorenza
Personally I omitted it and used nutritional yeast and it tasted really good!
Jack Smith
I love tempeh!! Lightlife is the best I’ve got some in my fridge right now so i can’t wait to try these!
Vicky & Ruth
We do too! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Linda
My husband and I both enjoy the flavor of these, but I cannot get them to stick together. I decided to revisit the comments section to see if anyone else had this problem and posted a tip, but it doesn't look like it is an issue for others. Do you mash the black beans before adding them? We are not vegans but my husband has to watch his cholesterol so I may try subbing just the white of an egg for the flax seed + almond milk. Any other suggestions?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Linda,
Thank you for your comment. Sorry the recipe didn't work out for you. Next time you make it, make sure to mash the ingredients with your hands really well, so they stick together. You can also mash the black beans before adding them to the mixture, but you'll still have to mix everything together really well. Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any more questions.
Lori
I had the exact same problem. I think the directions need to say to mash the black beans first, then mash all together. I was lucky to get them onto the cookie sheet without falling apart. They are in the oven right now so anxious to see how they taste.
Angela
Definitely a hit. Husband and 3 kids asked for more. We used a homemade lentil tempeh and these were great. Very nice grilled flavor, and, with the addition of the vegan mozzarella, a sort of meatiness that is missing from other veggie burgers.
Vicky & Ruth
Awesome!
Ron Hoover
With regards to persistence in any topic, I am reminded of the Civil War general, Ulysses Grant whenever he repeatedly failed to win against the Rebels. He said to Abraham Lincoln, "I haven't despaired of whipping them yet". I will make the veggie burger soon. It sounds DELICIOUS!
Vicky & Ruth
Haha love that!! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Bailey
Taste is okay. They do not stay together AT ALL. Not a repeat recipe for us. Followed the ingredients and instructions exactly.
Jessica Cecilia
Thank you for sharing this recipe. A recipe very interesting to try. I will tell mom to try this recipe. I'll wait for your next recipe
Lois Friedman
Love your site and am thrilled that I found it. Keep the good recipes coming 🙂
Jean
My family thought this was delicious, and my nonvegetarian hamburger loving husband was a sceptic. Now I'm craving them. First attempt at veggie burgers. Kind of fell apart but it didn't matter they were so good. Served it with your sweet potato fries recipe which also was great. Thanks.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you do much Jean! So glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Kathy Stanford
I made these last night & used mashed Navy beans, that I had from a previous dish, instead of Black beans. I steamed my Tempeh 10 minutes first and decided to add 2 eggs. The ones I have are small. I pan cooked them, about 5 min on each side, roughly 2 T of oil in the pan. They came out great! We loved them! I put some Cheddar on top too. Yum!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for sharing Kathy. We love to see how our readers adapt our recipes!
june
I have not made this recipe as yet. I am thanking you for posting a recipe using Tempeh.
Have not come across any recipes using this ingredient
Lorenza
I made this recipe and it tastes delicious! I was missing a few things so I replaced the vegan cheese with nutritional yeast and the scallions with picked cucumbers sliced very thin. I omitted the oil - trying to cut fats -and I put some soy sauce instead. It is a great recipe even with all those replacements it was delish. I also made 5 burgers so they were a bit more thin and crisp because I like it more. Anyways thanks for this!
I will definitely make them again!
Vicky and Ruth
Great! Thank you for sharing!
Thomas
I'm not a vegetarian, but am focused on prebiotics to address some gut issues. I made this (plus a slice of bacon) and it was pretty good. I never thought I'd eat a plant based burger, but as long as there are no delusions this is an imitation burger, it does have a nice flavor profile.
Vicky and Ruth
Ha, Ha! It's a black bean burger not pretending to be anything else. Thank you for sharing!
Eva
Unless you are a crocodile how do you get that blackbean-tempeh burger into your mouth? Maybe open-face with the burger half as thick?