Air-Fryer Black Bean Burgers

If you’re passionate about your air fryer, chances are you’ve used it to cook everything from french fries to blooming onions. Put air-fryer black bean burgers on your to-make list, and you’ll be equally impressed by how well this appliance cooks a vegetarian main course.

The circulating hot air in an air fryer cooks thin, flat bean patties quickly and crisps them nicely. Some air-fryer recipes, like air-fryer zucchini, have you shake the basket multiple times to cook the contents evenly, but you need to flip these black bean patties only once, and the minimal handling helps them hold together.

This recipe is scaled for the small capacity of an air fryer and lets you mix and shape four burger patties in 10 minutes. You can cook other veggie burger recipes in an air fryer and this recipe on the stovetop, in the oven or on a grill. But it’s nice to keep the prep speedy and cooking time short when only a couple of patties fit in the compact machine at a time.

Air-Fryer Black Bean Burger Ingredients

• Black beans: If you want to reduce the sodium in the burgers, look for a can of low-sodium or no-salt-added black beans. Drain the beans well before you puree them to avoid mushy burgers. If you soak dried beans and cook them yourself, use 1-3/4 cups cooked beans and drain them thoroughly.
• Bread crumbs: Dry bread crumbs absorb the moisture in the other burger ingredients and help hold the patties together. Pulse torn pieces of a slice or two of crusty bread in the food processor, and then bake the crumbs at 350°F for about 10 minutes to dry them out. For additional flavor, use seasoned bread crumbs.
• Tomato: Tomatoes add delicious flavor to black bean burgers—and lots of moisture. Quarter the tomato, scoop out the seeds to remove some moisture, and then finely chop and scoop just the flesh off the cutting board, leaving excess juices behind.
• Jalapeno: Remove the seeds from the jalapeno before finely chopping to remove some of the heat. Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers, and avoid touching your face. Chile pepper oils can burn skin and eyes.
• Egg: An egg acts as a binder. Stir it in thoroughly to maximize its effectiveness.
• Cilantro: Just a teaspoon of minced fresh cilantro adds flavor you’ll taste throughout each patty. If you think cilantro tastes like soap, substitute fresh oregano or parsley.
• Garlic: Like cilantro, a single minced garlic clove spreads its flavor widely. Instead of picking up a knife to mince garlic, use a ribbon grater to produce flaky garlic bits that are easy to distribute throughout the bean mixture.
• Buns: Hearty whole wheat hamburger buns pair well with earthy black beans. Make this hamburger buns recipe with a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, or bake multigrain buns for your bean burgers.

Directions

Step 1: Puree the beans

Preheat the air fryer to 375°. Place the drained black beans in a food processor, and then cover and process until blended. Transfer the beans to a large bowl.

Editor’s Tip: Pulse the beans in the food processor to keep them from becoming gummy. If you don’t have a food processor, crush them with a potato masher until they form a paste with just a few broken beans remaining.

Step 2: Add the other ingredients and shape

Add the dry bread crumbs, tomato, jalapeno, egg, cilantro and garlic. Mix until combined.

Shape the mixture into four patties.

Editor’s Tip: If the mixture won’t hold its shape when you squeeze a handful, stir in another 1 to 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and then refrigerate it for 15 minutes. A wide-mouth canning ring makes an ideal mold for smooth-sided black bean burgers: Set the ring on a parchment-lined cutting board, pack the mixture tightly into it, smooth the top and lift off the ring.

Step 3: Air-fry the burgers

In batches, place the patties on a greased tray in the air-fryer basket so they don’t overlap. Cook until lightly browned on one side, three to four minutes. Turn the patties and cook until lightly browned on the other side, three to four minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining patties.

Editor’s Tip: To increase the browning, spray the patties, including the sides, lightly with oil. Cook times vary dramatically among brands of air fryers. Refer to your air-fryer manual for general cook times and adjust if necessary.

Step 4: Serve the burgers

Serve the cooked burgers on the split buns. If desired, top with sour cream and guacamole.

Editor’s Tip: If the patties seem likely to fall apart when you lift them off the tray, let them sit for a few minutes to firm up in the center.

Air-Fryer Black Bean Burger Variations

• Change the beans: Canned beans that work well in veggie burgers include garbanzo, pinto and kidney beans. You have more options if you cook dried beans. Adzuki beans add a nutty flavor, and the small red beans have a creamy texture.
• Use mushrooms: Firm mushrooms like creminis give veggie burgers a deep, meaty umami taste. Cook 3/4 cup minced mushrooms and drain them well to substitute them for the tomato. Other tomato replacements include sauteed and chopped onion or bell pepper. Swap in these vegetables instead of adding them because extra ingredients could throw off the balance and make the burgers fall apart.
• Roast the garlic: Roasting garlic mellows its harsh bite, so you can add another clove or two to the mixture. The creamy cloves mash well into the beans and help bind them together.
• Add spices: Smoke paprika, cumin and freshly ground black pepper enhance the taste of homemade black bean burgers in the air fryer. Use taco seasoning for Southwest-style burgers or curry powder for Indian-influenced ones.

How to Store Air-Fryer Black Bean Burgers

Store air-fryer black bean burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator, either cooked and cooled or uncooked. Stacking fully cooked burgers directly on one another is fine, but separate uncooked ones with a layer of parchment to keep them from sticking together. You can refrigerate the bean mixture and form it into patties before cooking.

How long do air-fryer black bean burgers last?

Cooked air-fryer black bean burgers last up to four days in the fridge. Let cooked patties cool completely before refrigerating so they’re less likely to become soggy. Store the uncooked bean mixture or shaped patties for no more than 24 hours because they contain raw egg.

Can you freeze air-fryer black bean burgers?

Air-fryer black bean burgers freeze well, which is especially helpful if you mix up a double batch. Shape the patties and freeze them cooked or uncooked, which might increase their firmness. Either way, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then stack them in a freezer-safe storage container. They’ll keep well for two to three months.

How do you reheat air-fryer black bean burgers?

Reheat homemade black bean burgers straight from the fridge or freezer. Cook them as you did initially, adding a few minutes to each side for frozen patties. If you’re cooking them for the first time from the freezer, coat the uncooked patties well with oil so that they don’t stick to the tray as they heat and thaw. Reshape fridge-cold uncooked patties before cooking as needed. If you’re uncertain that the burgers have heated completely through, check with an instant-read thermometer for an internal temperature of at least 165°.

Air-Fryer Black Bean Burger Tips

Can you make these black bean burgers on the stovetop or in the oven?

If you don’t have an air fryer, cook these black bean burgers on the stovetop or in the oven. On the stovetop, heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat and then fry the patties on both sides in batches until browned on the outside and cooked through the center. In the oven, bake the patties on a lightly oiled baking sheet at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping them halfway through. You can even make these veggie burgers on a hot grill. The stovetop, oven and grill also do a great job of reheating cooked and frozen patties.

What else can you serve with air-fryer black bean burgers?

Serve air-fryer veggie burgers with an array of toppings, such as fresh tomato and onion slices, salsa, or pickled red onions and pickled jalapeno rings. Add a side of spicy potatoes with garlic aioli, smearing a little of the sauce on the burgers. If you have enough room in your air fryer to bake a patty or two and a side, prepare air-fryer asparagus or air-fryer zucchini fries. If your air fryer is too small to double up, stick with a fresh salad and other no-cook summer sides.