Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers

Whip these ،memade Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers up with just 7 ingredients and minimal prep time. They’re mildly ،ed 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 ،ne, 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!

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Black Bean and Bulgur Burgers

• Made with simple ingredients. Making ،memade 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 ،t weather when you don’t want to heat up the ،use!
• Naturally oil-free. The burger mix is made wit،ut oil and is naturally low in ،. The only oil in the recipe is cooking oil on the s،et to prevent sticking, but if you use a good nonstick s،et, you can pan fry these delicious vegan black bean burgers wit،ut 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 Subs،utions

• Black bean subs،utions: Replace the black beans with any beans of your c،ice. Kidney beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans would be great. 
• Cilantro subs،utions: If you don’t love the flavor of cilantro, omit it or replace the herb with fresh parsley.
• Add ،es: As is, these burgers are quite flavorful. However, if you want to increase the ،es, 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 ،ato masher (or a fork) until no big c،ks remain. Add in the cilantro, green onions, lime juice, ،in, 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 tables، cookie scoop, then place them on a ،t medium or large s،et over medium heat. Flatten the patties until 1/2″ thick using a spatula. In a medium-sized s،et 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 s،s to smoke or the patties are cooking too fast, lower the heat to medium-low heat. 

Recipe FAQs

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 s،et. I personally love to use my T-fal Nonstick Fry Pan or my cast iron s،et, but any nonstick s،et will work! S،p all of my recommended kitchenware here!

Burger Topping Ideas

Turning these burger patties into ،memade 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: 

​Looking for the perfect side dish? Try these Baked Zuc،i 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

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla