If you're looking for a delicious and healthy vegan burger, look no further than these vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers! These gluten-free vegan burgers are perfect for a summer picnic or cookout. They are the best, and they're easy to make - mix all the ingredients, shape them into patties, and cook them on the stovetop or grill. Serve them with these fluffy Vegan Burger Buns.

These vegan lentil black bean burgers are easy on the budget, and they will leave you feeling full and satisfied since they are packed with protein and flavor. You might enjoy this Mango Habanero Salsa on the side!
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How to Make Vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers
- How To Serve
- Expert Tips
- Can I Bake These Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burgers?
- What Is the Texture of These Vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers?
- How Do I Prevent Mushy Lentil Black Bean Vegan Burgers?
- Recipe FAQs
- Related Vegan Recipes
- Recipe
- Comments
This recipe was inspired by my Easy Vegan Meatballs and pairs well with these tasty Baked Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes. These homemade vegan black bean burgers are delicious with Vegan Horseradish Aioli!
These lentil black bean vegan burgers are gluten-free and super easy to make - perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and a great option for meatless Monday. You can customize them however you like, I love these homemade veggie burgers because they're moist inside, and they hold together. They are not going to fall apart in your hands!
Give these hearty vegan lentil black bean burgers a try, along with these vegan burger buns!
This was everything a gourmet burger should be, and then some! So hearty and flavorful; easily, a new favorite dish!
- Sara
Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make the best vegan lentil black bean burgers:
Be sure to check out the Substitutions below for ideas on how to customize the recipe to your preference. Please note you will cook the lentils and will use precooked black beans for this recipe.
- Lentils - Cooking lentils takes 20 minutes; I often cook them the day before making this recipe. You can buy canned or precooked lentils. Drain them well to avoid mushy burgers.
- Black beans - Use precooked beans, whether you use canned black beans or cook them yourself. After cooking a batch, I usually keep some in the freezer. Rinse canned beans with fresh water and drain well.
- Ground flax seeds - Mix with water to make flax eggs as an egg replacement to help with binding the burgers. I buy pre-ground flax seeds and store them in the fridge.
- Gluten-free rolled oats - You can use regular rolled oats. Oats are used for binding the burgers.
- Psyllium husk powder - This acts as a binder and is rich in fiber. I buy psyllium husk powder in a small bag at Natural Grocers. You can easily find it online.
- Gluten-free oat flour - You can make your own by blending rolled oats in a blender.
- Sunflower seeds for texture and taste, plus they are nutritious.
- Parsley - I used Italian parsley, but you can use whichever parsley you prefer. Or cilantro!
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found on the recipe card below.
Substitutions
Feel free to experiment! The recipe is a guide. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about them.
- Black beans - You can use other beans, such as cannellini beans or chickpeas. Use cooked beans (cooked fresh or canned).
- Carrot - If you don't have any, you can skip them or use shredded zucchini (remove water) or finely chopped bell pepper instead.
- Chile powder - you can use ancho chile powder or skip it. You can try another seasoning that you enjoy!
- Ground flaxseed - you can use chia seeds as an alternative.
- Gluten-free oat flour - You can make your own by blending rolled oats in a blender.
- Grapeseed oil or avocado oil - use olive oil instead.
- Lentils - you can use cooked beans instead; rinse and drain them first if using canned beans. Want more beans than lentils? Reduce the lentils or replace them with the beans of your choice.
- Fresh parsley - you can use fresh cilantro if you prefer.
- Psyllium husk - I haven't tried this recipe with substitutes; you can try xanthan gum if you have it (use half the amount), cornstarch, tapioca flour, or arrowroot powder, or a combination of flaxseed meal and chia seeds. Let me know what you try and how it worked out!
- Sunflower seeds - if you don't have them, you can use walnuts or pumpkin seeds.
- Smoked paprika - you can use cumin if you prefer or try another seasoning such as Italian seasoning, oregano, or poultry seasoning.
Variations
- Crumble - Try serving in a wrap, crumbled in a breakfast tofu scramble, in a wrap, over tacos, pasta, or in a salad.
- Deluxe - add guacamole like my 4-ingredient guacamole, crispy onions, pickled onions, or caramelized onions.
- Gluten-free - this vegan burger is already gluten-free. Be sure to choose gluten-free buns! Or try making lettuce wraps, or choose gluten-free tortillas to make wraps.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes, diced jalapeno, adobo sauce, or chopped, roasted Hatch chiles or roasted Anaheim chiles.
- More umami - feel free to add your favorite cooked mushrooms; shiitake mushrooms would be good in this recipe.
How to Make Vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers
It's easy to make the best lentil black bean veggie burgers, even if it's your first time! Here are the steps:
Make the flax eggs. Combine ground flaxseed meal with warm water to make flax eggs. Stir with a fork and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
A food processor is helpful when making these vegan burgers - I love my Cuisinart. If you don't have one, you can use a fork or potato masher to mash the beans and lentils.

- Step 1: Chop the garlic in the food processor, and then pulse the onion until it is chopped.

- Step 2: Add the lentils, cooked black beans, rolled oats, psyllium husk, spices, and salt to the food processor bowl.

- Step 3: Pulse the cooked lentils and other ingredients several times until the mixture comes together.

- Step 4: Add oat flour, flax egg, carrot, sunflower seeds, and parsley. At this step, I reserved some whole seeds to mix in.

- Step 5: Pulse until just combined.

- Step 6: Turn into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with a spoon. Let sit for 15 - 20 minutes.
The mixture should hold together easily when you pinch it with your fingers. It will be too stiff to mix with a spatula; use a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

- Step 7: Form 8 to 10 patties approximately ½-inch thick. A scale comes in handy; measure 3.5 oz of the mixture. I use a small glass bowl with a small bowl of water nearby. Dampen your palms with water, press the mixture between your palms, and move the burger mixture in a circular motion while using your left thumb (if you're right-handed) to make an edge.
- Step 8: Heat a cast-iron or non-stick frying pan over medium heat for at least 3 minutes. Once the pan is hot, add a teaspoon or two of grapeseed or avocado oil. Add two patties; they should sizzle immediately. Cook the burger patties for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side until browned. Flip the burgers and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned.
I like to cook the patties all at once; however, you can keep the uncooked ones in the refrigerator or freezer until you need them. See the Storage instructions below.
Serve these vegan black bean lentil burgers immediately with vegan burger buns and your favorite toppings. We love these with leaf lettuce, pickled onion, sliced heirloom tomato, sliced avocado, and vegan mayo and ketchup.
Note: You can cook these patties on a stovetop grill pan and follow the same instructions, or cook them on a grill outside. Baking instructions are below.
How To Serve
Serve the burgers warm with vegan burger buns and your favorite toppings:
- Ketchup, mustard
- Lettuce, tomato slices, avocado slices, 4-ingredient guacamole
- Red onion slices, pickles, or pickled red onion
- Vegan cheese slices
- Vegan mayo or Vegan horseradish aioli or barbecue sauce
Expert Tips
- Use canned beans and precooked lentils easily found at the grocery store to save time. Rinse and drain the canned beans. If the beans and lentils are wet, gently pat them dry with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel.
- Don't overprocess the burger mixture or turn it into a homogenous mixture. It's nice to get texture from the lentils and beans.
- Form your patties no larger than the burger buns.
- For the best texture, cook these burgers on the stovetop or grill. Baking takes longer and may dry out the burgers.
Can I Bake These Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burgers?
Bake these vegan burgers at 400°F for 10-12 minutes on one side until they start to crisp at the edges, then flip them over and bake for another 10-12 minutes or so until the middle of the patty feels firm.
What Is the Texture of These Vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers?
We've been to many restaurants and have encountered burgers on either side of the spectrum-mushy vegan burgers that immediately fell into our laps or vegetarian burgers that were too dry and started to fall apart.
This vegan burger falls in between; the texture is just right and it holds together with the lentils and black beans. My husband declares this to be "the perfect burger." These burgers are moist without being mushy. If your burgers turned out this way, I have suggestions; read on.
How Do I Prevent Mushy Lentil Black Bean Vegan Burgers?
You can take a few steps to prevent mushy black bean lentil vegan burgers from occurring. Here are a few tips:
- Drain the beans and lentils well, gently patting them dry with a clean, lint-free kitchen towel if needed to absorb excess moisture. After cooking beans, rinse and drain them, then place them on a rimmed baking sheet to cool down and dry slightly before placing them in a plastic bag or airtight storage container.
- If the burger mixture looks too wet, stir in a tablespoon or two of oat flour at a time. Be sure to include the psyllium husk. I haven't ever needed to add flour, but it's an option.
- If the vegan burgers are too thick, flatten them a little. They shouldn't be thicker than ½ inch, or they will take longer to cook through.
- Cook the vegan burgers for a bit longer, ensuring the pan is hot enough (medium heat). Ensure they are browned on the bottom before flipping them.

This vegan burger with black beans and lentils might look big from this perspective; it's bigger than a slider yet smaller than what you'd get at a restaurant yet the burger is thicker and not as flat.
Recipe FAQs
These burgers can be refrigerated for three days or up to three months, cooked or uncooked.
These burgers can be frozen for up to three months, cooked or uncooked. Place the patties side by side in a freezer bag or an airtight container; do not stack them directly on top of each other to prevent sticking. Place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper in between the burger layers.
Heat a quality non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of grapeseed oil. Cook the burger patties on the first side for three to five minutes, and repeat for the other side until warm. Or reheat the burgers, wrapped in foil, in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
If the burgers are a bit mushy on the inside, they are undercooked It's likely that the bean mixture was too moist, the burger was too thick, or the pan needed to be hotter. Don't flip the burger until the first side browns.
Related Vegan Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Lentil Burgers
EQUIPMENT
- Non-stick pan
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils or 1 ⅔ cup cooked lentils
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ½ medium onion, cut into large chunks approximately 1 cup, 168 g
- 2 large garlic cloves or more
- ½ cup black beans use precooked black beans; rinse canned beans well
- ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon ground psyllium husk
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup oat flour 111 g
- 2 small carrots, grated approximately ¾ - 1 cup
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil or avocado oil
For serving
- Vegan burger buns gluten-free if desired
- Lettuce
- Tomato sliced
- Red onion sliced, or pickled red onion, optional
- Avocado sliced, optional
- Ketchup sugar-free if desired, optional
- Mustard optional
- Vegan cheese optional
- Vegan mayo optional
- Pickles optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse the dry lentils. Place the lentils in a small to medium saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth; add ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low to keep simmering and cover loosely. Cook lentils for around 20 - 25 minutes, until lentils are soft but not falling apart. If they are not done at this point, check every 5 minutes until done. Strain in a colander and let cool on a baking sheet. Reserve excess lentils for another use.
- To make flax egg, combine ground flaxseed meal with ⅓ cup hot water. Stir with a and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens.
- Chop garlic in the food processor. Add onion chunks and pulse for 15 times until chopped.
- Place the cooled lentils, cooked or canned black beans, rolled oats, psyllium husk powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and remaining sea salt in the food processor bowl. Pulse several times until it comes together.
- Add the oat flour, flaxseed mixture, carrot, sunflower seeds, and diced parsley. Pulse a few times until just combined. Turn into a bowl and combine thoroughly with a spatula or spoon. The mixture should hold together easily when you pinch it with your fingers. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings as needed.
- Form 8 to 10 patties with your hands. Scoop with ½-cup measuring cup; each patty is approximately 3.5 oz.
- Heat a cast-iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the grapeseed oil. Cook the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Once brown, flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned.
- Serve immediately with vegan burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, and your favorite toppings.
NOTES
- Note: Drain and rinse canned lentils and canned black beans. If using precooked lentils, use 1 ⅔ cup.
- You can bake these burgers at 375°F for 15 minutes on one side, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes or so, until they are browned.
- Burgers can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen up to 3 months, cooked or uncooked. Reheating method is the same as the cooking method on the stovetop.
- You can cook these patties on a stovetop grill pan, and follow the same instructions. If you want to cook these lentil black bean burgers on a grill outside, it should be fine since these burgers hold together well.
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.



















asia says
Can I add shitake mushrooms to this recipe for more flavor?
Emily Miller says
Absolutely! I'd love to hear how it turns out.
Julie Mann says
Can these be baked? Also, I found the middle of the patties to be a bit mushy. Any cure for that?
Emily Miller says
Hi Julie, Did you add the ground psyllium husk? The burgers sound underdone. A few extra minutes of cooking on each side would fix that. It's possible the mixture was too wet before baking; an extra tablespoon or two of oat flour would help. Yes, you can bake these at 375°F for 15 minutes on one side, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes or so, until they are browned.
Sara says
This was everything a gourmet burger should be, and then some! So hearty and flavorful; easily, a new favorite dish!
Emily says
Thank you for trying out this recipe, Sara! We're so glad you enjoyed the burger and found it to be hearty and flavorful. It's definitely one of our favorites too!
Nathan says
These lentil burgers have so much great flavor, and I love the texture too. So satisfying! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Emily says
Thank you, Nathan, for trying this recipe and for leaving such a kind review. We're so glad you enjoyed it!
Andrea says
Yum! These look so good. I'm making these for the kids tonight.
Emily says
Thank you, Andrea, I hope you enjoy them!
Katherine says
I love that these burgers are tasty but full of nourishing ingredients!
Emily says
Thank you, Katherine, I really appreciate it!