Smoky chipotle black bean burgers are packed full of spicy flavors and incredible in a warm toasted bun with lots of creamy buttermilk slaw piled on top.
Y’all, we’ve gotta talk about your new favorite meatless burger. We’re no stranger to the black bean burger game around here, but these ones today might just clock in as the overall favorite.
Surprise, surprise chipotle is our not-so-secret weapon here and just a couple tablespoons bump all the flavors in these burgers up to a 10.
Cover this whole deal with some fresh buttermilk slaw and I think we’ve got a deal.
My favorite part about these burgers is that you don’t need to break out the grill to cook them! They cook up in minutes straight on the stovetop and I also include numerous cooking options further down in the blog post.
These Black Bean Burgers feature…
- A smoky, spicy flavor from chipotle pepper
- Creamy smashed black beans, sweet pepper, and onion
- A tangy buttermilk slaw piled on top
Making the Black Bean Burgers
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Green onion
- Buttermilk
- Mayonnaise
- Honey
- Apple cider vinegar
- Black beans
- Vegetable oil
- Sweet onion
- Sweet pepper
- Garlic
- Chipotle in adobo sauce
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Egg
- Buns
Cooking Methods
My preferred cooking method for this recipe is pan searing the burgers on the stove, however, you have many options!
- Air fryer – spray the basket of a 4-qt air fryer well and arrange burgers in a single layer. Air fry at 375F for 6 minutes, flipping burgers halfway through cooking.
- Oven – place burgers on a medium parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 400F 10-15 minutes until burgers are golden brown and heated through.
- Grill – if you want to grill these burgers, I recommend cooking them over medium heat on either a greased grill pan or nonstick aluminum foil to prevent sticking.
Tips for Perfect Black Bean Burgers
- Dry out the beans – spread the beans out onto a sheet pan and blot them dry with paper towels. Bake the beans at 350F 10-12 minutes to dry them out a bit.
- Saute veggies, then squeeze out liquid – saute the pepper, onion, and garlic on the stove until tender, then gently press liquid through a sieve to remove as much of it as possible.
- Mash beans to a semi-chunky paste – use a fork for this part, you want the beans mashed fairly well with just a few chunks for texture.
- Allow beans to cool before adding egg – you don’t want to accidentally scramble the egg, so make sure you allow time for cooling.
- Pan sear black bean burgers – I like this cooking method because it’s fast and gives the burgers a nice golden sear, but see notes above for alternative cooking methods!
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these burgers.
- Adjust heat level – decrease the chipotle down to 1 tablespoon for a mild flavor. Alternatively, for a spicier flavor increase the chipotle to 4 tablespoons or add a few shakes of hot sauce to taste.
- Skip the slaw – for a different flavor profile, skip the slaw and add your choice of toppings to these burgers. Try a slice of cheddar, fresh sliced tomato, pickled jalapenos, barbecue sauce, etc.
Storing and Freezing Black Bean Burgers
Follow these instructions for how to store and freeze burgers.
- Storing uncooked burger patties in refrigerator – wrap the patties in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator up to 6 days. Cook the patties per recipe instructions.
- Freezing uncooked burger patties – wrap the patties in plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month. When ready to cook, thaw patties in refrigerator or add an extra few minutes to the cook time if cooking directly from freezer.
- Storing cooked burger patties – store cooked patties in refrigerator up to 6 days or freeze up to 1 month. Reheat patties in air fryer or microwave several minutes until patties register 165F.
One bite of these massively flavorful burgers and I can guarantee you won’t be giving beef a second thought. The burger patties are SO creamy, packed with smoky heat, and then perfectly cooled down by all that creamy buttermilk slaw on top.
Word to the wise: grab a napkin or two cause things are gonna get messy! In the best way.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More flavor-packed burgers to make next!
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with Buttermilk Slaw
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Ingredients
Buttermilk Slaw
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 small carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 cup finely-chopped sweet onion
- 1/2 cup finely-chopped sweet pepper
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons minced chipotle in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Toasted buns for serving
Instructions
Buttermilk Slaw
- In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, and green onion. In a separate small bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar until smooth.
- Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated. Season slaw with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and spread beans out in a single layer. Bake beans at 350F 10-12 minutes until just slightly dried out. Allow to cool.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté 3-4 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute until fragrant.
- Scrape vegetables into a fine-mesh sieve and gently press on vegetables to drain out liquid. Set aside.
- Place beans in a large bowl and use a fork to gently mash to a paste (you will want several chunks) Add vegetables, chipotle, chili powder, cumin, breadcrumbs, egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold black bean mixture until just combined.
- Form black bean mixture into 4 patties. Wrap well and refrigerate until ready to use (patties may be refrigerated up to 6 days and frozen up to 1 month)
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add burgers and sear 3-5 minutes on each side, flipping once until burgers are golden brown and heated through. Repeat cooking with remaining patties, adding more oil to pan as needed.
- Serve burgers on toasted buns with buttermilk slaw spooned on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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