Eating whole food plant based can be SO delicious! One of the things that my kids sometimes complain about is not getting to eat “real” burgers anymore. So I decided I needed to make a burger that looked more like the color of a beef burger, but also contained a lot more nutrients. I have to be careful to really chop up vegetables as fine as possible. I find that if my oldest doesn’t SEE it, he will eat it and not complain.
You can use any kind of bean you have on hand, but I wanted to use black beans for this recipe to get the color right. The dark color hides vegetables better. Choose a low salt or no-sodium brand. If you need to add salt, add it yourself so you won’t have as much sodium.
Related reading – Top 7 Superfoods for Super Immunity
Black Rice is a great whole food plant based choice with high levels of antioxidants
I also wanted to use black rice, which I hadn’t worked with yet, but has much higher levels of antioxidants because of the dark color – anthocyanins. Black rice has even more concentrated levels of anthocyanins than blueberries! Black rice is a SUPERFOOD!
Standard disclosure – This post may contain links to affiliate products. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love!
Black rice is also called “Forbidden Rice”. But it definitely should not be forbidden from your diet because it’s super healthy! Black rice can be found at most local grocery stores in the rice section (duh) but you can also get it HERE on Amazon.
Since my oldest will refuse to eat his burger if I put any sort of vegetable on it, I decided to hide them in it. I used sautéed kale, onion, and mushrooms to add a big nutrient bang to these burgers. Just make sure you chop them very finely and they won’t notice….hopefully!
I made 8 rather large patties, but you can probably get closer to 10-12 if you make them slightly smaller.
Another idea you might consider is sprinkling the top of the burger with Everything Bagel Seasoning!
Good Carbs! Whole Grains are Whole Food Plant Based
Make sure to use a whole grain bun or lettuce leaf bun to keep this meal whole food plant based and top with any vegetables you choose – tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, avocado, pickles, low-sodium ketchup, or mustard. If you want cheese, choose a vegan brand – we like the Daiya cheddar or provolone deli style slices!
If you are looking for a delicious dessert to serve with dinner, try this Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake or Lentil Peanut Butter Cookies!
Superfood Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked black rice
- 2 cans low or no-sodium black beans, drained 15 ounce cans
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 /2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup finely chopped kale
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
- Place 1 cup of black rice in a sauce pan with 1 3/4 cup water and bring to boil. Cover, reduce to low heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until rice is tender.
- While rice is cooking, water saute onion & garlic for about 3 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms & kale, and continue sautéing for about 3-4 minutes until kale is wilted and mushrooms have softened, adding water as needed. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Puree black beans in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl and add garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning and mix until combined. Mix in onion mix & black rice and mix until combined. Add oats to thicken if necessary.
- Form patties and place on non-stick baking sheet. Makes 8-10 medium to large size patties. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake 20 more minutes.
I can’t wait to try these recipes. I have ordered a air fryer. So I’m very excited.
You had me at black bean . Will make this soon.
Yay! Enjoy, they really are delicious!
I used this recipe for my first attempt at black bean burgers, and they came out great! I’m not much in to Italian seasoning, so I used my Cajun seasoning blend, and yummy!!
Ooh, what a great alternative using Cajun seasoning, yum.
I am interested in the vegan lifestyle but a bit afraid to try a black bean hamburger. Any tips for a newbie?
If you think it is something you would enjoy then try it! The best way to get started with a vegan lifestyle is to start with simple recipes that appeal to you. Take it one meal at a time. You don’t have to go vegan all at once. You can make a side salad or some potato wedges to go with it. Let us know how it goes!
Is there an alternative to black rice?
You can use brown rice if you don’t have black rice.