This chipotle black bean burger recipe inspired by MorningStar’s spicy black bean burger is packed with flavorful ingredients like black beans, sweet corn, adobo sauce, and spices such as cumin, smoked paprika, basil, and oregano. These patties made with leftover rice are easy to handle, and perfect for grilling, frying, or baking. They make for a delicious and satisfying vegan meal.
Do you need even more vegan burger recipes? Be sure to check out vegan beet burger, TVP burger, tofu burger, vegan portobello mushroom burger, or vegan pulled pork burger.
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Why you’ll love it?
We developed this recipe as a copycat recipe of MorningStar’s spicy black bean burger. Why?
- Firstly, the burger seems incredibly delicious, combining black beans, corn, brown rice, and spicy seasoning. We were intrigued by it.
- Secondly, the one MorningStar offers is vegetarian, so neither vegan nor gluten-free, since it contains egg whites and wheat gluten. Since we need the burger to be both, buying it has yet to be an option.
Try the best chipotle black bean burger recipe, and you will love it immediately. It is a flavorful, delicious, and rich vegan burger that holds together during grilling or frying, is easy to make, and uses only whole foods ingredients. The burger patty has a crispy crust, but not mush inside. On the contrary, the rice and the chunky veggie and bean texture makes it perfect.
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Ingredients
It is definitely not a 3-ingredient recipe, since you need several things to make this chipotle black bean burger. But all these spices and add-ins are essential to make a juicy, flavorful burger that you will absolutely love after the first try.
- Black beans – We actually like using this canned black bean soup since the black beans there are even more flavorful.
- Adobo sauce – This one is gluten-free) or use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (we like this one).
- Fine oats or quick-cooking oats – Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need to.
- Brown rice (or any leftover rice)
- Sweet corn (canned or pre-cooked)
- Tomato paste
- Vegetable broth
- Worcestershire sauce – We like to use this vegan and gluten-free brand. You can also use soy sauce or tamari.
- Cumin
- Sweet smoked paprika powder
- Dried basil and oregano – You can use fresh, but it is easier to work with ground spices in this recipe.
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Cornstarch (or tapioca starch) – Both work, but we haven’t tried it with other tapioca flour substitutes.
- Vegetable oil
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
- Cook brown rice according to package instructions, or use leftover rice if you have it.
- Cook dry black beans or drain canned ones. We actually like using this canned black bean soup since the black beans there are even more flavorful.
- Cook sweet corn or use canned ones.
- Measure all other ingredients.
Mixing
- Use a food processor and add ½ of the measured black beans, all oats, cooked brown rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth, and all spices.
- Pulse it a couple of times, at most 10-15 seconds. Scrape the sides with a spatula and pulse it for another 10-15 seconds. You don’t want to create a paste. See the texture you need in the below photo. Chunky, with visible pieces of black beans and rice.
- Take a large mixing bowl and add the bean mixture from the food processor. Then add corn starch, the remaining ½ of the black beans, and sweet corn.
- Mix well with a spatula. Use your hands to feel the consistency. You will be able to form a ball like the one in the below photo easily. It should be wet, but not too sticky. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and at most overnight.
Making chipotle black bean burgers
- Form burger patties in the size and thickness you like. We use approx. ⅓ cup to create palm-size, 1-inch thick patties.
- Take a skillet or frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Add heat-resistant vegetable oil like sunflower or coconut oil and wait for it to be heated. Place the patties loosely.
- Fry the burger patties for 3-4 minutes per side.
Assembling your MorningStar copycat
It wouldn’t be a true copycat recipe if we didn’t use the serving suggestion of MorningStar. This is the exact setup of how it is pictured on the packaging of their Spicy Black Bean Burger.
- Start with a toasted bun.
- First, spread a generous layer of our homemade yellow burger sauce on it (see details in the recipe card).
- Then, we added mache lettuce.
- Now, here comes the star of this recipe, the chipotle black bean burger patty.
- Topped it with sliced raw red onions.
- Then some avocado slices.
- Even more sauce.
- Cover it with the top of the bun.
Cooking tips
- Chilling time is essential – It is important that you have the mixture rest before forming and frying these chipotle black bean burgers. The oats need to soften, and the flavors need to soak in to have a delicious result. If you skip it and go directly to frying, your burger patties may have a different texture and flavor compared to how we tested them.
- Frying time depends on size – If you make thicker veggie burger patties, the time you need to cook them will be longer. If you don’t like mushy insides, we recommend choosing thinner patties.
- Only pulse and do not blend! – It is extremely crucial to only pulse the mixture in the food processor. If you blend them or mix them longer, you will lose the texture completely. You will end up mushy insides for sure. Nothing like the chipotle burgers in our photos.
Variations
- Frying or baking? – We recommend pan-frying them in a cast-iron skillet (we use this one) or in a non-stick frying pan. That would be the best method to create a crispy crust. Alternatively, you can bake them if you want them to be oil-free, but the burgers will less likely be juicy and crispy.
- Spicy or not? – We set the spicy tone to mild. You can add Frank’s Hot sauce, sriracha, or harissa paste to make even spicier black bean burgers. Please note that these hot sauces have a different degree of spiciness. It depends on your taste which one you’d prefer to use.
Serving ideas
We served these chipotle black bean burgers similar to what they appear on the MorningStar packaging with avocado, lettuce, red onion, and yellow sauce. What else would you be able to serve them with?
- Choose classic French fries for a classic burger and fries combo. Or, try sweet potato wedges or roasted potatoes.
- Serve your burger alongside roasted cauliflower, grilled vegetable kabobs, or other vegetables.
- Rice, quinoa, or riced sweet potatoes are all excellent side dishes that pair well with the chipotle black bean burger. Try making cilantro lime rice from our copycat Chipotle veggie bowl recipe for an extra burst of flavor.
- For a lighter option, serve your burger next to a light green salad, an easy vegan coleslaw, or vegan tzatziki.
- If you want to cut back on carbs or avoid gluten, try serving your burger without the bun. Instead, grab a large lettuce leaf and all fixings.
Storing tips
In the fridge – Store fried or baked burger patties in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. Uncooked bean mixture should be used within 1 day, so they don’t get sticky or too moist.
In the freezer – You can freeze these burger patties for up to three months in an airtight freezer bag or container. The easiest way is to wrap them individually inside a ziplock bag. We don’t recommend freezing the uncooked burger mixture, since after thawing it may get too moist.
Defrosting and Reheating – Defrost your black bean burgers in the fridge or at room temperature. To recreate their crispy crust, reheat the patties on the stove.
FAQs
You can use oats, breadcrumbs, flour, starch, or vegan egg binders like chia or flax seed. All are viable options as well as their combination. In this recipe, we use oats, rice, and a bit of corn starch to make sure the burger patties stick together and easy to handle.
Juicy vegetables, tomato paste, oil, and liquid seasoning can all help to make a burger patty juicy. However, we especially love using cooked rice. It is sticky and moist, keeping the patty juicy, and helping to avoid the unwanted mushy texture.
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The Best Chipotle Black Bean Burger (MorningStar Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 18 oz Black beans
- 1 cup Fine or quick oats
- 1 cup Rice (cooked) measured as cooked
- ½ cup Sweet corn (canned)
- 2 Tbsp Adobo sauce or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 4 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp Veggie broth
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Basil dried
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp Corn starch
Optional ingredients
- Burger bun
- Mache lettuce
- Red onion
- Avocado
Yellow burger sauce
- ¼ cup Mayo
- 2 tsp Ketchup
- 1 tsp Mustard
- ¼ tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
- ¼ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Onion powder
Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
- Cook brown rice according to package instructions or use leftover rice.
- Cook dry black beans or drain canned ones. We actually like using this canned black bean soup since the black beans there are even more flavorful.
- Cook sweet corn or use canned ones.
Mixing
- Use a food processor and add ½ of the measured black beans, all oats, rice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth, and all spices.
- Pulse it a couple of times, at most 10-15 seconds. Scrape the sides with a spatula and pulse it for another 10-15 seconds. You don’t want to create a paste. It has to remain chunky.
- Add the bean mixture from the food processor to a large mixing bowl with the starch, the remaining ½ of the black beans, and sweet corn.
- Mix well with a spatula. Use your hands to feel the consistency. You should be able to form a ball with your hands easily. It should be wet but not too sticky. Chill it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and at most overnight.
Making burger patties
- Form burger patties in the size and thickness you like. We use approx. ⅓ cup of the mixture to create palm-size, 1-inch thick burgers.
- Take a skillet or frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Add vegetable oil and wait for it to be heated.
- Fry the black bean burger patties for 3-4 minutes per side.
Making the yellow burger sauce
- Add all sauce ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Mix them well with a spoon or spatula.
Assembling
- Start with a toasted bun. Then spread a generous layer of our homemade yellow burger sauce on it. Add mache lettuce. Place chipotle black bean burger patties on top. Add sliced red onions and avocado. Top it with even more burger sauce. Close it with the top bun.
Notes
- Chilling time is essential – It is important that you have the mixture rest before forming and frying. The oats need to soften, and the flavors need to soak in for the best result. If you skip it and go directly to frying, your burger patties may have a different texture and flavor compared to how we tested them.
- Frying time depends on size – If you make thicker veggie burger patties, the time you need to get them cooked will be longer. If you don’t like mushy insides, we recommend choosing thinner patties.
- Only pulse and do not blend! – It is extremely crucial to only pulse the mixture in the food processor. If you blend or mix them too long, you will lose the texture completely and end up with mushy insides.
Rosemary DeCosmo
I’ve made this recipe twice now. The changes I made is to put 1/2 less corn and add sauteed onion and shredded carrot. for me, the original recipe had too much corn. I like the flavor all the spices give the burgers.
Sue
I have made these burgers several times. They are a little spicy but I like that kind of food. The spices in the recipe are easy to adjust. I do freeze the burgers before I put them in my air fryer. Thanks for coming up with this recipe
Nandor
We are so glad you like it. Thank you for your kind words.