Bad Boy Black Bean Burger

Bad Boy Black Bean Burger

This is one of those recipes we come back to again and again when we want something seriously satisfying. The Bad Boy Black Bean Burger is smoky, hearty, and packed with so much flavour that even the most committed meat-eaters at the table go back for seconds. We're talking a proper burger with a chunky, crispy-edged patty, loads of texture from the mushrooms and black beans, and that deep smoky kick from the paprika. It takes about 40 minutes but every single one of those minutes is worth it. Make this tonight and we promise you'll be putting it on the regular rotation.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 6

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C fan (if baking burgers)
  • Large frying pan
  • Fork (for crushing mixture)
  • Let burger mixture cool before shaping

Ingredients

  • 4 portobello mushrooms - around 160g
  • 1 tbsp brown rice miso paste
  • 1 x 400g can of black beans drained
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 tbsp plant-based kimchi
  • 6 burger buns halved
  • 1 lettuce
  • pinch of salt
  • plant-based Sriracha mayo

Method

1

Prepare the vegetables

  • Peel and dice the onions and garlic
  • Cut the mushrooms into very small pieces, about the size of a pea
2

Start the burger patties

  • Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Once warm, add the chopped onion, garlic and a pinch of salt
  • Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until the onion becomes soft
  • Once the onion feels soft, add the smoked paprika and mix through
  • Cook for another minute before adding the chopped mushrooms
  • Mix everything together well and leave to cook for another 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms reduce in size and become soft
  • At this point, stir through the drained black beans and leave to cook for 5 minutes
  • Mix through the flour and miso paste and cook for a final 10 minutes
  • Crush the ingredients with a fork to bind the mixture together and mix well before leaving the mixture to one side to cool down a little
3

Shape the patties

  • Once the mixture feels firm enough to shape into patties, use your hands to shape 6 patties
  • You can either cook them straight away or cover them and leave them in the fridge until needed
4

Cook the patties

  • Once ready to serve, heat a large pan over a medium heat
  • Add a drizzle of olive oil
  • Once warm, add the burgers and cook on each side for 5-6 minutes until charred
  • You can also place them in an oven at 180˚C, fan setting for 10-15 minutes to cook through
5

Serve the burgers

  • Halve the burger buns and toast in the pan
  • Roughly slice the lettuce
  • Serve the burgers in buns piled high with kimchi, lettuce and Sriracha mayonnaise

Tips & Variations

  • Don't rush the onions: We know it's tempting to skip ahead, but giving the onions a full 5-10 minutes in the pan is what builds the flavour base. Soft and slightly golden is what you're after.
  • Chill the patties before cooking: If you've got time, pop the shaped patties in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before frying. They hold together so much better and you get a crispier crust on the outside.
  • Load up the toppings: We love these with smashed avo, pickled red onions, and a good dollop of chipotle mayo. The smoky paprika in the patty plays really nicely with anything with a bit of heat or acid.

Why This Works

The trick here is chopping the mushrooms really small, like pea-sized, so they bind into the patty without making it mushy. That step sounds fussy but it genuinely makes the difference between a burger that holds together and one that falls apart in your hands. Cooking the onions down properly before anything else goes in builds a sweet, savoury base that runs through every bite.