Black Bean Burger With an Egg on Top

By David Tanis

Published July 15, 2020

Black Bean Burger With an Egg on Top
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(860)
Comments
Read comments

This is a vegetarian burger that does not mimic the texture or look of ground meat, but it isn’t meant to. It’s more like the most excellent refried beans. Though you can serve this well-seasoned patty like a traditional burger, on a bun with the usual condiments, it is at its best topped with a fried egg. Dusted with fine cornmeal, the burgers are pan-fried as the mixture is too soft to grill. After frying, they are baked until crisp. For convenience, they may be fried in advance and reheated.

Featured in: A Veggie Burger Unlike the Others

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 2(15-ounce) cans black beans, or 4 cups cooked black beans, on the firm side
  • 1cup cooked brown rice, cooled
  • 1cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 1serrano chile, finely chopped
  • 1cup chopped scallions, both white and green parts
  • ½teaspoon chipotle chile powder or pimentón picante
  • 2teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • Pinch of ground cayenne
  • Salt
  • 1large egg, beaten
  • 2tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
  • Neutral oil, such as grapeseed or safflower, for frying
  • Fine cornmeal, for coating patties
  • 1sunny-side up egg per person (optional, but recommended)
  • Toasted buns, lettuce leaves and condiments (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

554 calories; 35 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 16 grams protein; 535 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put beans in a colander set over a bowl and drain well. (Reserve juices for another purpose or discard.) Pat the beans dry with paper towels, then mash them a bit with a wooden spoon or potato masher, but leave them chunky.

  2. Step 2

    Transfer beans to a large bowl with the rice and toss together. Add chopped cilantro, serrano chile, scallions, chipotle powder, cumin and pinch of cayenne, to taste. Season generously with salt and mix well to incorporate.

  3. Step 3

    Add the egg to the cornstarch solution and beat together, then drizzle it all over the bean mixture and mix well to distribute.

  4. Step 4

    Form mixture into six thick patties of equal size. Each patty should weigh about 4½ ounces. Place patties on a baking sheet and place in freezer for 10 minutes to firm. (For a firmer mixture, prepare a day in advance of cooking and refrigerate.)

  5. Step 5

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add ½-inch oil to a heavy skillet over medium heat. Dust patties lightly on both sides with fine cornmeal. (It’s OK if they are slightly frozen.) When oil is shimmering, slip the patties into the pan; work in batches to avoid crowding, or use two pans. Fry the burgers gently, about 3 minutes per side until nicely browned, adjusting heat as necessary. Transfer burgers to a baking sheet and let them crisp further for about 20 minutes in the oven (or let them cool and reheat later).

  6. Step 6

    Meanwhile, fry the eggs, if using. Put a sunny-side-up egg on top of each warm burger, and serve on buns or warm plates with lettuce and condiments, if using. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Ratings

4 out of 5
860 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Laura George

This isn't a cooking note, as I haven't tried these yet. But THANK YOU for caring about actual veggie burgers. I cannot abide the pretend meat products (the texture of meat grosses me out, and I certainly do not want anything that looks like blood associated with my dinner). I've been happily eating veggie burgers that tasted like veggie burgers for 40 years. I cannot wait to try this recipe!

S

If anyone wants to avoid the egg binder for the bean burger, try: chickpea flour or aquafaba or flax seed egg replacer. The fried egg on top is optional. This way the recipe is more friendly to those with egg allergies or dietary avoidance.

Richard

The cooking process--frying and baking--seems needlessly cumbersome. Just bake the burgers on a (lightly oiled) baking sheet, probably for about 18-20 minutes per side. I bet it will come out just as good, with less wasted oil, less work, and less cleanup.

Bill

I couldn't make this into a patty by just mashing it by hand. I needed to use the food processor.

Mason

These came together very nicely for me. I started with dried beans and left them a bit firm, adding a little salt at the end of the boil. I didn't pat them dry, just let them drain for a minute and mashed very gently. And I probably used half as much oil as called for, but they held together better than any bean burgers I've ever made and were delicious. Next time I'll likely double the amount of serrano, but other than that it was spot on.

Sally N

Top tip - shape the burgers by filling a 1/2 cup measure with the mixture and tamping it down with the back of a spoon, before flipping out. I agree with others - baking at 375 for 20 minutes each side, on a tray lined with greaseproof paper is a much easier way to cook.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.