Chipotle Black Bean Burger

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A chunky, meaty, plant-based chipotle black bean burger that is so packed with flavour. With a “must try” vegan chipotle mayo recipe.

Vegan chipotle black bean burger in a glossy bun with salad and chipotle mayo.

Are you looking for a delicious, plant-based alternative to your usual burger? This chipotle black bean burger recipe might be just what you need!

Packed with protein, fibre and bold flavours, this plant-based burger is perfect for anyone seeking a satisfying, healthy and delicious meal.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or just want to try something new, the chipotle black bean burger is sure to become a favourite; whether for a weeknight supper or weekend BBQ.

And, if you’re a spicy bean lover like me, you may also enjoy our vegan rajma masala curry recipe in this post.

What is a chipotle black bean burger?

A chipotle black bean burger is a savoury and spicy veggie burger made primarily from black beans. The key to the rich and vibrant flavour of our burger is the addition of chipotle peppers, courgette and pickled gherkins.

These smoky, tangy, spicy flavours elevate the burger, giving it an irresistible taste. Our burger mixture is cooked in a pan until all the flavours have blended and infused and then once cooled enough to handle, we create our patties and sear slightly by pan frying, grilling or BBQing for that slightly crispy, flavourful crust.

Recipe highlights

Flavour-packed with chipotle, pickled gherkins, courgette and black beans
To finish cooking, pan fry, grill or BBQ – whatever works for you
Recipe comes with a delicious chipotle mayo dipping sauce for your fries and don’t forget to add a big dollop in your burger!
Makes six burgers; easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd
Great vegetarian option, as well as for vegans and even non-vegans!

Close up of chipotle black bean burger in bun stuffed with salad.

Ingredients you’ll need to make our chipotle black bean burger

Olive oil – we use a little olive oil to cook our burger mixture. If you don’t have cooking olive oil (not the drizzling sort) then use any other cooking oil you have – anything without a strong flavour will work.

Red onion – the recipe starts with the browning of red onion and this gives a lovely caramelised sweetness that is perfect for our chipotle black bean burger. If you don’t have red onion to hand, it’s fine to use white.

Garlic – to pack in some base-flavour, we use just one clove of fresh garlic; either crushed or finely grated. You really can’t beat the taste of freshly crushed (or finely grated) garlic.

Courgette (aka zucchini) – for some delicious flavour and texture, we add some grated courgette to the burger mix. This is pan-fried after the onions are browned and garlic has been added. The browning on the courgette adds another layer of flavour and balance and the courgette itself adds some lovely moisture.

Black beans – use tinned black beans for ease. Now, you may have noticed that the hardness of beans, and therefore how much you need to cook them, varies a bit between brands. To make these burgers I used an 820g tin of black beans by Sol & Mar.

I have only been able to find this brand in Lidl and if you’re familiar with Lidl, you know they rotate their range frequently so stock up when can, before they disappear. You can of course buy black beans from other grocery stores; just use two standard 400g tins.

Please don’t drain the liquid away. We will use this water/brine in the cooking process.

Chipotle peppers – these chilli peppers are red jalapenos that have been smoked and dried. Most of us are more likely to see green jalapenos on our pizza but these red smoked peppers add the most delicious flavouring to our burger and are the star in our vegan chipotle mayonnaise sauce that we will be making.

Now, I’ve used a can of chipotle which is easy to get hold of online. The cans will give you whole chilli peppers in adobo sauce which you can then blend into a paste.

I haven’t been able to find cans of chipotle in local supermarkets but I have seen chipotle chilli paste. If you haven’t been able to plan ahead any buy a can of chipotle online, you could try one of these pastes. I haven’t tried them myself so can’t make any recommendations.

Pickled gherkins – these add a lovely tang, bring out the other flavours and give that perfect taste balance in this recipe. I always keep a jar of pickled gherkins in the fridge for sandwiches and sauces. And, we will also be adding some gherkin to our vegan chipotle mayonnaise.

Gram flour – the chipotle burger mixture holds together quite nicely but just a tablespoon of gram flour is added to soak up any excess moisture. If you don’t have gram flour, you can use a tablespoon of plain flour instead.

Crusty white bread roll – if you’ve ever made meatballs or burger patties from scratch then you may know that many swear by adding breadcrumbs for a moist, light textured ball or patty. And, they are right. So, we blitz one bread roll in a food processor or chopper and add it to our burger mixture once it’s prepared.

Salt and pepper – we need just salt and pepper to season our burger mix and you can of course add these to your personal taste.

Dill – just a few sprigs of dill add a touch of freshness and flavour to our vegan chipotle mayo sauce. I personally wouldn’t leave it out, but if you don’t like dill then I forgive you! You don’t need dill for the burger mixture.

Four black bean burger patties being pan-fried.

Equipment you’ll need to make our chipotle black bean burger

Medium/large pan: You will need a medium/large pan to cook your burger mixture. There’s quite a lot so you need enough room to mix your ingredients.

Cheese grater: The courgette needs to be grated and this can be done on a standard cheese grater.

Food processor: To create breadcrumbs with the bread roll. I just use my mini electric chopper which does the job.

Stick blender: This isn’t essential but is useful to blend the chipotle peppers into a paste. If you don’t have one, simply chop and mush the peppers using a knife.

Frying pan or grill: To finish cooking the burgers. Or you can grill or BBQ.

Ingredient quantities you will need

For the chipotle black bean burger

4 tbsp olive oil
125g red onion (finely diced)
1 clove fresh garlic (crushed or finely grated)
125g grated courgette (squeeze out some of the water over the sink using a thick piece of kitchen towel)
820g black beans (canned, we need the beans and the liquid)
3 tbsp chipotle peppers (use canned then finely chop by hand or ideally, use a stick blender to create a paste)
1 tbsp gram flour
40g pickled gherkins (chopped into small pieces)
1 crusty white bread roll (use food processor to turn into breadcrumbs)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

For the vegan chipotle mayonnaise

4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
40g pickled gherkins (finely chopped)
2 tbsp chipotle peppers (use canned then finely chop by hand or ideally, use a stick blender to create a paste)
Few sprigs of fresh dill (finely chopped)

How to make our chipotle black bean burger and vegan chipotle mayonnaise

To make the chipotle black bean burger

Give all the steps a quick read through so you become familiar with the recipe. It makes the process easier.
Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in your pan, just a little, then add your diced red onion. Cook on medium heat until the onions are soft and light brown. Keep moving them around, ensuring you don’t brown them too much.
Next add the garlic and cook it off for just a minute and then add the grated courgette.
Sauté the courgette until it is lightly browned then add in your black beans, including the brine/water, and the finely chopped chipotle.
Simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and then sprinkle in the gram flour. Cook for another few minutes. You should have a clumpy, sticky-ish mixture.
Turn the heat off and mix in the chopped gherkins and breadcrumbs.
Finally mix in salt and pepper and let the mixture cool enough to handle.
Once cooled, grab a bowl of cold water and keep it next to you. Divide the mixture into six taut balls and then press each down between the palm of your hands to create a patty. If the mixture is really sticky, dip your hands into the bowl of water before you create each patty.
The final step is to lightly sear the burgers by pan frying them or, you can do this under a grill or on the BBQ. To pan fry, heat up the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in your frying pan and cook the patties for about two minutes on each side. If grilling or BBQing, again, they only need a couple of minutes on each side.

To make the vegan chipotle mayonnaise

Add the vegan mayonnaise, finely chopped pickled gherkins, the dill and the mashed chipotle into a bowl and mix until well combined. And there… You’re done!

Black bean burger, in bun, with chipotle mayo on a black plate.

How to serve our chipotle black bean burger

This burger is perfect with regular grill type sides. Pick a delicious bread roll to assemble your burger, lightly toast it and then I like to fill it with freshly sliced beef tomato, avocado, green leaves, red onion, my chipotle black bean burger and of course a big dollop of vegan chipotle mayo.

It pairs brilliantly with fries, onion rings or just your favourite salad. If you’re looking for some sides you can make ahead, our vegan potato salad with dill or vegetable couscous salad are great options.

Storing any leftovers

Store any leftover chipotle mayo in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. It’s great for sandwiches or just dunking your fries in. Eat it up within three to four days.

Leftover burgers can be wrapped well in kitchen foil or an airtight container and kept in the fridge. Reheat well in the microwave before eating. They should keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy in a sandwich or simply with a salad.