I grew up loving veggie burgers. but back then, they were actually veggie burgers. They weren’t faux meat concoctions from a lab, developed to look and taste like meat. They were rustic, flavorful, and tasted like plants, not meat. Since real veggie burgers are getting harder to come by, I like to make my own. And this dairy-free recipe for black bean veggie burgers is one of the best that I’ve tried.
The Best Dairy-Free Black Bean Veggie Burgers
This recipe was shared with me by my friend, Annelies Zijderveld, back when she released her cookbook Steeped: Recipes Infused with Tea. It’s a vegetarian cookbook, and isn’t completely dairy free. But about half of the book is, including these dairy-free black bean veggie burgers. I’ve recently updated this post, and also have some tips and notes in the FAQs below.
What Makes these Black Bean Veggie Burgers So Special?
Unlike most other recipes, these don’t contain cheese or other dairy, yet, they aren’t strictly vegan. These days, most dairy-free veggie burger recipes shun eggs, too, which add great binding and texture that’s hard to replicate with vegan substitutes. This recipe is plant-filled and dairy-free, but uses eggs for a better result.
Are They Spicy?
You noticed the crushed red pepper! It adds just a little zing to the flavor, but we didn’t find them notably spicy. You can reduce the crushed red pepper to just 1/4 teaspoon, if concerned.
Aren’t Eggs Dairy?
You’re in luck! Eggs are from chickens, not cows, and are naturally dairy-free. If you confuse eggs with dairy, you’re not alone. See this post for more information: Are Eggs Dairy?
What’s the Green Sauce?
It’s Annelise’s Matcha Green Tea Aioli! She created it specifically for these dairy-free black bean veggie burgers. But since it’s such a versatile condiment on its own, we’ve moved the recipe to its own post.
Can I Use Other Beans?
Yes! Black beans are firm, and make these veggie burgers darker in color. But cannellini beans or pinto beans will also perform well in this recipe. Some say kidney beans make a good substitute for black beans, but they do have a thicker skin.
Can I Make these Ahead? Do they Freeze Well?
You can definitely make them ahead. You can either make the mix and refrigerate for up to one day, or bake the patties, and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days. They will even develop in flavor a little more as they chill. If they’ve already been cooked, bake them for about 10 minutes to reheat and crisp them up. You can also freeze these black bean veggie burgers. For best results, bake the patties and then freeze them in an airtight plastic bag or container.
Special Diet Notes: Black Bean Veggie Burgers
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.
For egg-free and vegan black bean veggie burgers, enjoy Candle 79’s Famous Veggie Burger Recipe.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 1 small carrot, shredded (½ cup)
- ½ medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped (½ cup)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if needed)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Matcha Green Tea Aioli, for serving (optional)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line an 18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place a 2-quart fry pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the oil to coat. Sauté the onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and salt for about 8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Turn off the heat.
- Pour 1 can of beans into a large bowl. Pour the other can of beans into a food processor with the pecans and cooked vegetables and pulse to a coarse paste.
- Add to the pulsed mixture to the whole beans. Mix in the eggs, breadcrumbs, and red pepper flakes.
- Mound ½-cup patties onto the baking sheet, pressing lightly to flatten. Leave an inch of space between each patty.
- Bake the burgers for 45 minutes, or until dry and a bit crisp.
- Serve on your favorite dairy-free hamburger buns or in lettuce wraps.
9 Comments
Mmmmm, looks like a juicy-stick-to-your-ribs kinda meal! I had to pin this!
These look fantastic! I’m totally craving a good burger now!
Oh my goodness, that looks amazing!!! Veggie burgers are one of my favorite dinners and my husband loves them to, so they’re always a winner 🙂
I LOVE Annelies’ book too! It’s such a thoughtfully-crafted collection of beautiful recipes. I’ll be sharing my review of it soon. 🙂
These burgers are gorgeous and I love all the flavors from the different veggies going on…and that aioli – yum!!
What an interesting combination, never used matcha in a aioli! I’m looking forward to giving this a try!
I have always wanted to learn how to prepare these burgers many thanks for sharing your secrets =)
Love black bean burgers, but the aioli sounds delicious with green tea powder!
Annelies’ book is gorgeous… she was recently in Portland and sampled us several delicious recipes. I have had my eye on this basil aioli since I received the book, one of my favorite things!
How awesome! I wish she was coming to my town – I’ll just have to track her down 🙂