Made with plant-based cream cheese, these vegan black bean jalapeno popper burgers are like no other veggie burger you’ve had before.

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Vegan or not, you need to make these black bean jalapeno popper burgers

Raise your hand if you love the flavors and textures of jalapeno poppers. Or just raise your hand if you love cream cheese. (Hint: my hand is up for both!)

Thanks to brands like Kite Hill, Daiya, and Miyoko’s, even if you’re vegan you can still enjoy the creamy, tangy condiment. 

These vegan black bean jalapeno popper burgers take the tangy, creaminess of vegan cream cheese and pair it with a slightly spicy vegan black bean patty. 

And the results: SO good! 

Whether you’re vegan, trying to eat more plant-based meals, or just looking for something different, trust me when I say that you need these jalapeno popper burgers in your life! 

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Can be as spicy or as mild as you like. 
• Oozing with tangy vegan (or regular) cream cheese.
• Easy to make ahead of time. 
• Delicious day-of and as leftovers. 

Are these vegan black bean burgers spicy? 

If you love spice, then you can definitely make yourself a spicy black bean burger. Simply keep some of the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno. 

You can also sub out the jalapeno with a spicier pepper, like a serrano pepper for extra heat. 

However, if you are not a fan of the heat, you’ll like these patties as removing the seeds from the jalapeno and the addition of cream cheese results in a very mild spice level. 

Ingredients Used to Make Vegan Black Bean Burgers with Oats

While it may look on the longer side, I promise the ingredients for these vegan black bean burgers are very straight-forward. You likely even have most of them in your pantry right now!

• Black beans: To keep the sodium in check, opt for no-added-salt black beans. You can also use another variety of bean, such as pinto or kidney. 
• Vegan cream cheese: My preferred brand is Kite Hill Original Almond Milk Cream Cheese as I like the ingredient list and the flavor and texture is on-point. But feel free to use your preferred brand. 
• Ground flax seed: To help these patties stick together, we’re using a flax egg (made by combining ground flaxseed with water). You can also use a chia “egg” instead. 
• Avocado oil: You can also use coconut or olive oil. 
• Jalapeno: I only used one jalapeno, but if you love the taste, feel free to use two. 
• Garlic: To save time, I used pre-minced garlic. 
• Shallot: You can also use 1/4 of a small sweet onion. 
• Cumin: Ground cumin. 
• Chili powder: If you don’t want these spicy, check the heat of your chili powder. 
• Smoked paprika: I love how smoked paprika adds a slight meaty flavor to veggie burgers. Feel free to use regular paprika or leave it out entirely. 
• Onion powder This will add a savory flavor. However, if you don’t have it, garlic powder can be used instead. 
• Rolled oats: Instead of breadcrumbs, this recipe uses rolled oats. Original or quick-cooking will work. If you don’t have oats, you can also use whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour, or breadcrumbs. 
• Salt and pepper

Can you use regular cream cheese if you aren’t vegan? 

Absolutely! I recommend using 1/3 less fat cream cheese. Both the tub and stick varieties will work. 

How to Make Vegan Jalapeno Popper Burgers

For the best texture and flavor, there are a few more steps than just mixing everything together. But I promise these still come together quickly and are easy to make! 

The key is having a food processor (although it’s not required, which I’ll cover next). 

To make these vegan black bean jalapeno popper burgers, here’s the basics of what you’ll do: 

1.Lightly cook the black beans in a 325 F oven and make your flax egg. 

2. Sautee the shallot, garlic, and jalapeno in avocado oil for about 3 to 5 minutes. 

3. Put everything in a food processor and pulse to combine. 

4. Make 4 patties. Using a spoon, make an indentation in the middle of each. Fill that hole with 1 tablespoon of vegan cream cheese. 

4. Push the black bean patties up and over the cream cheese to cover the secret cream cheese filling. 

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Eat and enjoy! 

How to make these jalapeno popper burgers without a food processor

Don’t have a food processor? No worries! You can still make these burgers but there are a few notes: 

• Make sure to really dice the jalapeno, shallot, and garlic to avoid big chunks in your patties, 
• Use quick-cooking oats, flour (whole wheat or gluten-free), or breadcrumbs instead of traditional rolled oats. 
• Use a fork or potato masher to mash it all together. 

How to keep black bean burgers from getting too mushy

While there are few things I love more than a really good black bean burger, so many recipes that I’ve tried in the past are too mushy. 

In addition to having the right proportions of dry to liquid ingredients, one of the biggest tips I have is to slightly cook your black beans before adding them into the mixture. This will help dry them out a bit. 

Just be sure to drain, rinse, and pat dry the beans before putting them in the oven. 

Tips for making this Vegan Black Bean Jalapeno Popper Burger recipe 

• You can skip pre-cooking the beans, just note that the texture will be slightly mushier.  
• Make sure to really drain, rinse and dry your beans. 
• Use a glove to cut your jalapeno – there’s nothing worse than accidentally touching your eyes or scratching your nose with jalapeno oils still on your hands! 
• The patties can be made a day ahead of time. Let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats before cooking. 
• You can cook these on the stove or on a grill. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on how thick your patties are. 
• Instead of making an indent in each patty, you can also divide each patty in half, add the cream cheese to one half and add the other on top, pinching to seal. 

Healthy vegan side dishes to serve with veggie burgers

• Healthy Cowboy Caviar
• Baked Sweet Potato Fries from Simple Vegan Blog
• Strawberry Avocado Hemp Salad from Grateful Grazer
• Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts from My Darling Vegan

If you tried this Vegan Black Bean Jalapeno Popper Burger recipe or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! 

Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

Print Recipe

Vegan Black Bean Jalapeno Popper Burgers

Made with plant-based cream cheese, these vegan black bean jalapeno popper burgers are like no other veggie burger you’ve had before.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: Jalapeno Popper Burger, Vegan Black Bean Burger, Vegan Black Bean Jalapeno Popper Burger

Servings: 4

Calories: 202kcal

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can no-added-salt black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds flaxseed meal*
• 2 ½ tablespoons water
• ½ tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 jalapeno seeds removed and diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ shallot diced
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• ¼ cup rolled oats traditional or quick-cooking
• 4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese softened*
• Bun and toppings of choice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place drained and rinsed black beans on the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until beans are slightly dried. Transfer the beans to a food processor and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 375 F.
• While the beans are cooking, whisk together the ground flax seeds and water in a small bowl and set aside. Next, add the avocado oil to a small skillet over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add the diced jalapeno, minced garlic, and diced shallot. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the shallot and jalapeno are softened. Transfer the cooked veggies to the food processor.
• Add the flax egg, spices, salt, pepper, and oats into the food processor along with the veggies and beans. Pulse until the mixture is well combined and sticking together. It’s okay to still have some oats and beans whole.
• Using a 1/3 cup, divide the mixture into four patties and place them on a cutting board. Using the back of a spoon, make an indent in the center of each patty and add 1 tablespoon of vegan cream cheese. Using your fingers, press the black bean mixture of each patty over the cream cheese center to fully cover it.
• Transfer the patties to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with bun and toppings of choice. Store leftover patties in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

*If not vegan, you can use 1 egg and 1/3 less fat cream cheese.

Nutrition for 1 patty, using Kite Hill Original Cream Cheese: 202 calories, 5 grams fat (0 grams saturated), 29 grams carb, 7 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 10 grams protein.

Nutrition for 1 patty, using 1/3 less fat cream cheese: 207 calories, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 30 grams carb, 7 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 10 grams protein.

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