This California Black Bean Burger Recipe Tops All Other Veggie Burgers

Catherine McCord, known to many as Weelicious, is a chef, mom, entrepreneur, and cookbook author. Her latest book, Meal Prep Magic: Time-Saving Tricks for Stress-Free Cooking, is chock-full of 100 healthy and easy recipes the whole family will enjoy. Today, she's sharing one of her favorite veggie burger recipes with us. Take it away, Catherine!

I’ve tried ALL the store-bought vegetarian burgers out there, not to mention experimented with countless veggie burger recipes. So I feel confident saying that this is my hands-down favorite way to make them. The burgers are bound together by masa harina, aka corn flour, the same ingredient used to make tortillas. It gives these burgers a crisp exterior and a hearty texture. Swap in your favorite bean to personalize it to your tastes — red, pinto, or black-eyed peas all work perfectly.

California Black Bean Burger Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 36 minutes

Makes 6 burgers

Black Bean Burger Ingredients

• 2 (15-ounce/430 g) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (55 g) cooked and drained riced cauliflower*
• ½ cup (55 g) chopped onion
• ½ cup (75 g) chopped red pepper
• ½ cup (60 g) masa harina
• ¼ cup (20 g) rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Zest of 1 lime
• Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray

For Serving

• 6 buns
• Green-leaf lettuce
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced, or your favorite guacamole
• Hot sauce of choice (optional)

How To Make Your Own Black Bean Burger Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C).

2. To the bowl of a food processor, add 1 can of the beans, the riced cauliflower, onion, red pepper, masa harina, oats, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, lime zest, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth and well combined, about 10 or 12 pulses. Add the remaining can of beans and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until mostly combined, but some texture remains.

3. Use your hands to form the mixture into 6 equal-size patties. Spray a large nonstick skillet with olive oil spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. I typically cook 3 at a time so as not to crowd the burgers. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Flip burgers and cook or an additional 8 minutes. Place burgers on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for up to 20 minutes while you cook the remaining burgers. Toast buns in your toaster or under the broiler.

4. Serve burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, avocado slices, and hot sauce, if desired.

*Note: I use black beans here, but swap in your favorite. To cook the riced cauliflower, simply follow the directions on the package, then drain excess moisture before proceeding with the recipe.

To Enjoy Later

The cooked burgers can be cooled, stored in an airtight container, and refrigerated for up to 4 days. To rewarm, microwave for 45 seconds, place in a preheated to 250°F (120°C) oven for 5 minutes, or in an air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 2 minutes.

Prep In Advance

The uncooked burgers can be arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze for an hour, and then placed in labeled zip-top bags and frozen for up to 4 months. Defrost overnight and cook as directed.

Recipe excerpted from Meal Prep Magic: Time-Saving Tricks for Stress-Free Cooking. Follow Catherine on Instagram at @Weelicious.

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