Veggie Black Bean Burger [baby-friendly]
Have you been in search of kid-friendly black bean recipes? You can call it quits because we've got this amazing recipe for BLW Veggie Black Bean Burgers jam packed with nutrition. Makes for a great freezer meal!
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"I've tasted a lot of bean burgers and confirm this is one of the best!" - Rita
Once upon a time, I, Nita, was introduced to a veggie burger recipe by a vegan friend.
Prior to this, veggie burgers had always failed me.
They would either fall apart or be way too dry. Some lacked flavour. Others were trying to be so much like meat that the texture was off. I was about to throw in the towel and accept that veggie burgers were not tasty.
Enter, this black bean burger. It's nutritious, tasty, holds together, and soooo flavourful. We've adapted it to include more nutrients babies need when starting solids.
Want more? It's also freezer friendly which means as a mom I'm SUPER into it!
Want even more? It's perfect for the entire family. At Happy Healthy Eaters, we believe in the concept of one meal for all so whether you're feeding your baby or toddler, this recipe can be easily adapted for any age and stage.
Why this BLW bean burger recipe works
🕒 15 minute prep time
🫘 Source of iron, fibre, & protein
❄️ Freezer friendly - defrost for a quick baby meal
👶 Baby friendly from 6 months+
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Why is this veggie burger recipe smart for baby?
We love this recipe for a lot of reasons. First, nutrition! First foods for babies should offer iron and this recipe does just that.
Despite their small size, black beans are a powerhouse of nutrition. Black beans contain non-heme iron, magnesium, potassium and some B vitamins too!
Beyond this, they're a great source of fibre, complex carbohydrates, and protein, which are all vital for your child's development. Okay, okay - we could go on and on about how amazing beans are for babies, so we'll leave it there for now!
Next up, the soft texture of these black bean burgers minimizes the risk of choking, which is a significant concern for young babies and toddlers who are still mastering their chewing and swallowing skills. We also have a puréed black bean dip, if you're looking for a smooth texture to serve beans to your baby!
We also love that this is a recipe for the entire family. Sharing the same meal as the rest of the family promotes a sense of inclusion and family bonding. This also allows for an opportunity for role modeling. Did you know that babies learn by observing? Seeing caregivers eat the same healthy foods encourages them to follow suit and develop healthy eating habits.
Besides, who has time to make separate meals for each person? Preparing a single meal for the entire family, including your baby, simplifies meal planning and preparation, making it easier for caregivers to manage mealtimes.
Key ingredients
Black Beans: naturally, the bulk of this black bean burger recipe is made up of black beans! Beans are little nutritional powerhouses- they're a great source of fibre, protein, iron, and folate.We call for canned black beans, which can contain some salt (unless you buy the sodium-free variety). To reduce the sodium for baby's developing kidneys, you can rinse the black beans in water. Alternatively, you could cook black beans from dried. If you choose this option, replace each can with 1 ½ cups of cooked black beans.
Ground Flax Seeds: functionally, this works as a binder to hold the burgers together, but they also add fibre and omega 3 fatty acids, a key fat for brain development. Oftentimes, people are looking for egg replacements when their babies are diagnosed with an egg allergy, and ground flax seeds can perform this binder role that eggs often do.
Oats and Panko: these both work to absorb excess moisture and improve the texture of the black bean burgers! Panko is a Japanese style bread crumb. We call for quick cooking oats because they're primed to absorb liquid easily.
Allergen information & substitutions
This recipe contain panko bread crumbs, which are made from wheat.
We teach parents exactly how to introduce food allergens inside Start Solids Confidently, our trusted baby-feeding resource.
How to make these baby-friendly black bean burgers
The full recipe is below, but here are a few key steps to visualize the process.
1. First step is to mix the ground flax and hot water together to make the "flax egg." You'll need to allow this to sit for several minutes to gel up.
2. A food processor blitzes the ingredients together and chops them up finely.
3. Using either your hands or a potato masher, you'll mash the majority of the beans so that they don't all get completely obliterated. It's nice to have some of that beany texture to bite into! But if you want to make it a more uniform texture for your little eaters, you can put all the beans in the food processor.
4. Form into patties to make burgers or little log forms for a great handheld option for babies. For the best baby-friendly texture, bake the burgers. For the best adult-friendly texture, add oil to a preheated pan and fry until a crispy crust forms.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can! Using canned black beans is a convenient alternative to soaking and boiling dry beans. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. First look for canned beans with no added sodium. If you can't find this then rinse them thoroughly. It's important to limit a baby's intake of sodium to best support their developing kidneys.
Suggested reading: Read here about the controversy on salt for babies
Absolutely! Just like adults, most babies prefer food with flavour! Additionally, getting your baby used to the spices and flavours you use in your cooking will help them to keep accepting these flavours into toddlerhood and beyond.
Sometimes we caution against chili powder since "spicy" spices might be overwhelming to a baby (especially if they rub their eyes after eating some!). But, since the recipe only calls for a small amount spread across 10-15 patties, it should be fine. Having said that, if you know your baby is sensitive to spicy foods, you can dial it back.
Ideally, we recommend using a large 7 to 9 cup food processor. However a handheld immersion blender would also work for creating the initial vegetable and herb paste that this recipe requires.
A flax egg is an excellent alternative to using eggs in some recipes, especially for those who are vegan, allergic to eggs, or simply looking to add more plant-based nutrition to their diet. In this recipe the purpose of the flax is to act as a binding agent (ie: the "glue" that holds the burgers together!).
A flax egg is made by mixing ground flaxseed with water. When left to sit for a few minutes, the mixture thickens to a consistency similar to that of an egg! Magic!
Since we're dietitians we also appreciate that flax seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain development and overall health. They also contain fibre, lignans (which have antioxidant properties), and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
If you're planning to eat these burgers right away, then you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days cooked or uncooked. When serving to a baby, we always recommend that you reheat the burgers and then allow them to cool to a safe temperature.
If you'd like to freeze a batch, we find it best to freeze in between parchment paper while the burgers are shaped but not yet cooked. When you're ready to eat them, thaw in the fridge and follow the same cooking directions.
Play + books that match this recipe
When kids can play with food first, eating often comes more naturally later. Here are a few simple ways to encourage that:
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon warm water
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 19 ounce (560 ml) cans of low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained *see note
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup quick oats
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoon canola oil for cooking
Instructions
- Prepare flax egg by stirring together the warm water with the ground flax seed. Set this aside and allow it to thicken.
- In the meantime, mash black beans with two hands. It does not need to be like a smooth mashed potato consistency - lumpy and textured is okay.
- In a food processor, blitz the red bell pepper, oats, flax egg, tomato paste, and spices. Pulse mixture until everything is fairly well blended together.
- Add about 1 heaping cup of the black beans to the food processor with the paste. Blitz again for about 10 seconds until it's all well blended.
- Stir this vegetable and bean mixture into the large bowl of mashed beans.
- Using your hands, fold in the cilantro or parsley, garlic and panko bread crumbs.
- *At this point you can make some patties for your baby and then add salt to the remaining burger mix for the rest of the family.
- With lightly greased hands, form patties and drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When forming, you don't want them to be too thick, about ½" is great. If it is too thick it will not heat through and if it's too thin then it crumbles easily.
- Recommended method for cooking patties for your baby: bake at 375°F on a parchment lined baking sheet until burgers are slightly crispy and heated through, about 15 minutes and flip it once halfway through. You don't want them too crispy for a baby.
- Recommended method for cooking patties for adults: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Pan fry the burgers until the outsides are nicely crisp and the middles are hot (about 3 minutes per side).
- Optional step: Place the burgers on a parchment lined sheet and heat for another 10 minutes in an oven at 375°F. Or, if you have an airfryer, you can airfry for about 5 minutes to get them extra crisp!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! Big fan of all your recipes and I often still use the recipes from Starting Solids confidently. My daughter (1 year old) has FPIES to chicken peas and oats. What do you suggest as a good alternative to the oats in this recipe? Thanks!
I would do either rice flakes or even just more breadcrumbs - the texture will for sure be different.
Can you make these patties and then freeze and cook later? How would you recommend cooking them? Thanks!
Yes, 100%. I freeze them, then defrost and pan fry or pop into an airfryer. We hope you enjoy the recipe.
We love this recipe! I always freeze them to have on hand since it's a generous recipe.
These look soooo tasty!
We Agree!
Love these because I can freeze them and easily put them in the air fryer for a quick dinner!
I’ve tasted a lot of bean burgers and confirm this is one of the best!
Yes, we love that this one doesn't crumble! It's also soooooo full of flavor and fibre.
We made this recipe for dinner tonight for the first time. My husband and I usually only eat meat burgers, this was our first blackbean burger....and it was delicious!!! Our 17 month old also really liked it, she also enjoyed munching on the black beans while making the recipe. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try!
Thanks for looping in! We're glad to hear that the recipe worked out for the entire family. I tend to always have a batch of these uncooked in my freezer!
Looks delicious!!!’ I have to try
hi!
have loved lots of recipes you have shared, I have a nightshade sensitivity, so wondering about a good substitute for the bell pepper to make this a baby AND me friendly meal. Any ideas? I already plan to sub the tomato paste for some pumpkin puree and a splash of ACV...but I'm not sure what would match the bell pepper texture.
Hey Katie - having prepared this recipe a few times, my suggestion would be to add in 1/2 cooked and cooled mashed potatoe - sweet potato or a russet. I think it's more you need something with the right texture that will contribute to the binding! Personally, I would do sweet potato!
Looks so good! Can I use an egg vs. the flax egg? If so, how many? Thanks!
Yes, 100% you can. Instead, you'd just use one egg as the binder.