Learn How to Make the Base Recipe
This is a variation of the beef and bean burger base recipe featured in our Whole Life Meal Plan. If you are looking for a healthy twist to a regular chipotle burger, this recipe is for you! Substituting beans for part of the beef helps cut saturated fat while still providing quality protein. Made with black beans, smoky chipotles in adobo, 100% grass-fed beef, and spices, these chipotle burgers with black beans are delicious and nutritious!
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Learn how to slice and dice like a pro in our knife skills 101 course!
Culinary Tips for the Best Chipotle Burger
If you have picky eaters, dice the onion or shallot finely so that they don’t notice them.
When mixing the ingredients or forming the patties, don’t overwork the meat. Otherwise, the burgers will turn out tough.
Match the patty size to your bun, noting that they will slightly shrink.
Use a food thermometer to check for doneness; 155ºF is the desired internal temperature.
You can cook these burgers on the stovetop instead of the oven, but they don’t stay together quite as well. Heat a skillet over medium. Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the patties. Cook 4-5 minutes per side.
If cooking beef and black bean burgers on the stovetop, remember the 3 F’s of flavor: fire, fat, and food! Heat your pan, heat your oil, then add the burgers. Once the burgers are on the skillet, don’t move them around. Keeping them in place helps ensure browning and maximum flavor development.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Black Beans: use any low-sodium beans of your choice; pinto would make the best substitute in this recipe. You can also use 1 ½ cups of leftover beans from our stovetop or Instant Pot beans base recipes.
- Ground Beef: substitute ground bison, lamb, venison, chicken, or turkey.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: substitute plain, whole wheat, or seasoned bread crumbs, but cut back on the added salt if you do. Panko is typically very low in sodium. If you want burgers without breadcrumbs, leave them out! Just note that they might not hold together as well.
- Onion: use white, yellow, red, or green onions or shallots. You can also substitute ½ teaspoon onion powder.
- Chipotles in Adobo: substitute ¾ teaspoon chipotle powder to add heat and smokiness, but it will be missing the tang of the tomato based-sauce. Reference this article for other ideas!
- Cilantro: substitute Italian parsley, but note that it won’t provide the same flavor.
- Garlic: substitute 1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic flakes, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Cumin: substitute coriander or paprika. These spices have different flavors than cumin but will still complement the burger.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: substitute canola oil, avocado oil, or cooking spray.
We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!
Recipe Variations
Mix ¼ cup shredded cheese into the burger mixture for some gooey cheesy goodness.
Turn these beef and black bean burgers into sliders by reducing the patty size to ~2 inches in diameter.
We recommend cooking chipotle burgers with beans in the oven or on the stovetop, but you are welcome to try grilling them. We’d love to hear how they turn out for you!
Want some burger flavor inspiration?
Use our beef and bean burgers base recipe as a guide, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!
Equipment Recommendations
Use these kitchen tools for recipe success:
- Mixing Bowl
- Masher
- Measuring Spoons & Cups
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Pastry brush
- Baking sheet or griddle
- Thermometer
Find all of our favorite kitchen tools here!
Is this chipotle burgers recipe healthy?
Not all burgers are healthy on their own, but they can definitely be included in a well-balanced diet. These chipotle burgers are a much healthier choice than their greasy counterparts; by adding beans, you increase fiber, decrease saturated fat, and turn this into a plant-forward recipe. The featured ingredients in this recipe are black beans, 100% grass-fed (grass-finished) beef, and cilantro.
Black Beans
Beans of all varieties contain plant-based protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients promote gut health, decrease risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and promote a healthy weight. Beans are a key component of longevity diets around the world.
100% Grass-Fed (Grass-Finished) Beef
Red meat is not inherently bad. Most people just eat way too much and the wrong kind. Even people in the world’s longest-lived populations eat meat on occasion! The key is to eat high-quality meat, in small portions, and not too often.
Beef is a rich source of protein, B vitamins, and iron. Grass-finished ground beef is higher in healthy monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids than grain-finished beef. We recognize that grass-finished beef is usually more expensive than conventional beef, but because you are “stretching” the meat by adding beans into the recipe, it is definitely worth the cost, and the price difference essentially works itself out. By cutting back on the amount of meat you eat, you can afford to eat the high-quality stuff when you want.
Cilantro
Not only does fresh cilantro add a pop of freshness and flavor to this dish, but it adds nutrition too! Cilantro is rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that promote health and help fight diseases.
Learn more about health benefits of different foods and ingredients or in our book, To Your Taste!
Serving Suggestions
Pair these burgers with roasted russet potatoes or sweet potato wedges and a salad to make a beautiful Whole Life Plate!
Serve leftover patties crumbled onto tostadas or quesadillas, or on top of a salad drizzled with vinaigrette.
How to Store and Reheat Chipotle Burgers with Black Beans
Cool leftover burgers completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Leftover burgers can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-4 hours. Once the burgers are partially frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating for best quality. You can also reheat them from frozen, but they won’t be quite as tender and juicy, and they might not reheat evenly.
To reheat, place burgers on a pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to heat to 350ºF. Once the oven hits 350°F, your burgers should be warmed and ready!
Want more ground beef and beans recipes?
Try out these delicious recipes!
Beef Burrito Bowl with Lentils
Ground Beef and Mushroom Taco Meat
Beef and Bean Burger Base Recipe
Chipotle Burgers with Black Beans
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or cooking oil
- 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained (not rinsed)
- 1 pound 100% grass-fed (grass-finished) ground beef
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs (whole grain suggested)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ small onion, diced (~¼ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced (~1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Dash pepper
- 8 whole grain hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly brush a baking sheet with oil.
- Place beans in a large mixing bowl and lightly mash.
- Add beef, bread crumbs, cilantro, onion, egg, chipotle, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Create 8 patties with your hands and place on the pan, spaced ~1” apart.
- Cook 10-12 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155ºF. Serve on toasted buns with toppings to YOUR taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sliced tomato
- Lettuce or leafy greens
- Sliced pepper jack cheese
- Pickled jalapeños
- Sliced or smashed avocado
- Ketchup or salsa
