Start Your Plant-Based Journey For $8/month* With The Forks Meal Planner! Get It Now

Black Bean Smash Burgers with Caramelized Onions

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 4 burgers + ¾ cup sauce
  • Serving size: 1 burger + 1 Tbsp. sauce
  • Print/save recipe

These hearty, flavor-packed black bean burgers are perfect for your next cookout or weeknight dinner. Seasoned with a savory, smoky blend of cumin, garlic, and caramelized onions, the thin smashed patties soak up extra flavor from the grill. A creamy smash burger sauce made with tofu, Dijon, and dill pickle relish adds a tangy kick. Serve the patties on a toasted bun with fresh lettuce and tomato for a truly scrumptious meal. Best of all, the components can be prepped ahead of time, making this an easy go-to option for meal planning.

Leftover burger sauce? Use any leftover sauce as a sandwich spread, dip, or dressing for potato salad.

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

By Caitlyn Diimig, RD,

Share

Ingredients

  • ½ of a 12-oz. package extra-firm silken tofu, drained
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper
  • 2¼ cups chopped onions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained (1½ cups)
  • ¼ cup whole wheat panko
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
  • 4 leaves butterhead or Bibb lettuce
  • 4 to 8 tomato slices

Instructions

  • For burger sauce, in a food processor, combine tofu, ketchup, red wine vinegar, mustard, and garlic powder. Process until smooth. Stir in dill pickle relish.
  • For patties, in a food processor combine bell pepper, ¼ cup of the onions, and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. In a large bowl mash ¾ cup of the black beans with a potato masher or fork until nearly smooth. Stir in remaining beans, bell pepper mixture, panko, cumin, and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper. Divide the mixture into four portions and shape into ½-inch-thick patties. Transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper; gently smash patties with a burger press or spatula to ¼-inch thickness. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
  • Meanwhile, for caramelized onions, heat a large skillet over medium. Add the remaining 2 cups onions and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium 15 minutes or until onions are softened and deep golden brown, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Season with paprika and the remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper; cook 1 minute more. Keep warm.
  • Heat a griddle over medium-high. Add patties; cook 8 minutes or until browned, carefully turning once halfway through cooking. Layer lettuce and tomato on bun bottoms, and top with patties. Top each patty with onions, about 1 tablespoon of the burger sauce, and bun tops. Store leftover burger sauce in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (1 burger + 1 Tbsp. sauce): 393 calories, 68 g carbohydrates, 21 g protein, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 371 mg sodium, 16 g fiber, 10 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (0)

(0 from 0 votes)

Recipe Rating

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

headshot of Caitlyn Diimig, RD

About the Author

Caitlyn Diimig, RD

Caitlyn Diimig is a registered dietitian and food editor for Dotdash Meredith and Allrecipes magazine. Her love for all things food, health, and writing landed her in a career in food media, where she has worked for nearly a decade. Whether editing complex health information into easy-to-understand stories or developing 30-minute delicious recipes for dinner tonight, she makes leading a healthy lifestyle achievable through food. Diimig has years of experience helping people with diabetes. She has worked for Diabetic Living magazine and is a former co-chair for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Young Professional Leadership Council of Iowa. Follow her on LinkedIn.

See More from this Author

Join our mailing list

Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.

By providing your email address, you consent to receive newsletter emails from Forks Over Knives. We value your privacy and will keep your email address safe. You may unsubscribe from our emails at any time.