These black bean burger bowls are incredibly delicious — a crispy smashed black bean patty topped with cheddar cheese, served over crisp romaine with tomatoes, red onion, pickles and a dill pickle vinaigrette.
Now this is how I like my dinner to look!
These bowls start with a simple base of lettuce, tomatoes and pickled onions, then get crowned with cheesy black bean smashburgers, your favorite condiments and plenty of pickle-forward dressing.
I love a good burger bowl or burger salad because the contrast of a savory patty on top of crisp greens and bright toppings is so refreshing. While I often use beef, the black bean version has become a favorite — it’s flavorful, textured and satisfying.
This recipe is based on my black bean smashburgers. The mixture includes grated cheese so the patties hold together in the pan, and I smash them thin in a hot skillet for crisp, crunchy edges — truly the best part.
After the patties cook, I add another slice of cheddar so there’s cheese inside and on top. Because there’s already cheese in and on the burger, I usually skip adding cheese to the salad itself, but feel free to add more if you like — I won’t judge.
Load these bowls with any other burger toppings you enjoy. I love a drizzle of mustard and a few extra pickles — sometimes I want three kinds of mustard on this. Ketchup, BBQ sauce or honey mustard work too, and a good burger sauce is always welcome as an extra drizzle.
Pickles are my love language.
I adore pickles — tangy, briny and bright. The dill pickle vinaigrette I use here is a longtime favorite: it’s tangy, full of pickle flavor and balances the richness of the cheesy patties perfectly.
Beyond flavor, the texture in this bowl is what sells it: crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crunchy edges on the smashed patties and a zippy dressing that ties everything together. It’s a combo I could have every day.
I can get behind this meal every day.
Black Bean Burger Bowls
Black Bean Burger Bowls
Ingredients
Black bean burgers
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- Mustard, ketchup or any condiments you love
Pickle vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup diced dill pickles or dill relish
- 3 tablespoons dill pickle juice from a jar of dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons diced shallot
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salads
- Pickled onions, for topping
- 8 to 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- A few spoonfuls of hamburger dill chip pickles
Instructions
Black bean burgers
- Place the black beans in a bowl and use a fork to coarsely smash them, leaving a mix of whole and smashed beans.
- Add the egg, bread crumbs, grated cheese, smoked paprika, garlic powder and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Use your hands to bring the mixture together; it should be moist enough to form a patty. If needed, mash more beans with a fork.
- Divide into four equal portions and form into balls.
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place a bean ball in the skillet and press it down with the back of a jar or glass (lightly spray the glass with nonstick spray) to smash the patty as thin as possible. Cook 1–2 minutes until golden, then gently flip.
- Cook the other side until brown, golden and crisp. Add a slice of cheddar to each patty and let it melt. Assemble the salad bowls and top with the burgers, dressing and any condiments you like.
Salads
- Assemble the salad in a large bowl. Toss the romaine with salt and pepper, then add pickled onions, tomatoes and pickles. Top with the smashed burger and drizzle with the pickle vinaigrette.
Pickle vinaigrette
- In a bowl, whisk together diced pickles, pickle juice, shallot, garlic, Dijon and honey. Season with salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Store refrigerated for a few days.
Did you make this recipe?
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Major fave.