Jamaican Jerk Black Bean Burgers

Name: Jamaican Jerk Black Bean Burgers
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 48 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 2 cans (15 oz each), about 3 cups drained (500 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed well, and patted dry; 4 medium (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate; ½ cup (75 g) red bell pepper, finely diced (about ¼-inch pieces); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola; 3 tablespoons (50 g) wet jerk seasoning paste; 1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems and chopped; ¼ teaspoon (0.6 g) ground allspice; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs; kosher salt, to taste: a pinch in the sauté and a pinch in the lime mayo; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola, divided, 1½ tablespoons per batch; 6 rings (170 g) canned pineapple rings, drained and patted very dry (optional); ⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise; 1 medium (65 g) lime, zested (about 1 teaspoon), then juiced (about 1 tablespoon); 6 buns (330 g) burger buns, split; 6 leaves (60 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried; 1 large (180 g) ripe tomato, cut into 6 slices

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Smoky, spicy black bean patties seasoned with jerk paste, scallions, thyme and allspice, pan-fried until crisp outside and tender inside, then stacked with a lime mayo and optional seared pineapple.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 35 min
Total: 1 hr 23 min
Makes: 6 burgers (each patty about 4 inches / 10 cm wide)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the patties
2 cans (15 oz each), about 3 cups drained (500 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed well, and patted dry
4 medium (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts kept separate
½ cup (75 g) red bell pepper, finely diced (about ¼-inch pieces)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola
3 tablespoons (50 g) wet jerk seasoning paste
1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems and chopped
¼ teaspoon (0.6 g) ground allspice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
kosher salt, to taste: a pinch in the sauté and a pinch in the lime mayo
For cooking
3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola, divided, 1½ tablespoons per batch
6 rings (170 g) canned pineapple rings, drained and patted very dry (optional)
For the lime mayo
⅓ cup (75 g) mayonnaise
1 medium (65 g) lime, zested (about 1 teaspoon), then juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
To serve
6 buns (330 g) burger buns, split
6 leaves (60 g) butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 large (180 g) ripe tomato, cut into 6 slices

Equipment (7)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, cast iron or nonstick
Large mixing bowl
Fork or potato masher
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Wide thin spatula
Instant-read thermometer
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels

Steps

Before you start

Open and drain the beans first. Drier beans make firmer patties.
Jerk pastes vary a lot in heat and saltiness. Taste yours on its own, and start with the lower amount if it is very hot.
The chilling step is not optional. Cold patties hold together in the pan.
Cook the patties in two batches so the pan stays hot and the crust forms.

1
Dry the beans
- Drain and rinse the black beans in a colander.
- Spread them on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels and pat the tops dry.
- Leave them for 5 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
- Dry beans are the main way to avoid soggy patties.
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Ready when: Beans look matte, not shiny or wet, and no water pools on the towel
Tip: Do not skip the drying. Excess moisture is the top reason bean burgers fall apart.
2
Sauté the aromatics
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced red bell pepper, the scallion whites and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Scrape everything into a large bowl and let it cool while you mash the beans.
- Wipe out the skillet.
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Ready when: Pepper pieces are slightly softened but still bright red, and the garlic smells fragrant without browning
Tip: Cool the mixture before adding the egg, or the heat can scramble it.
3
Mash the beans
- Put about two-thirds of the dried beans (roughly 2 cups / 330 g) in the bowl with the cooled vegetables.
- Mash with a fork or potato masher into a thick, chunky paste.
- Stir in the remaining whole beans so the burgers have some texture.
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Ready when: The mixture is mostly mashed and sticky, with about one-third of the beans still whole
Tip: Don't purée it. A smooth paste gives dense, gummy burgers.
4
Season and bind
- Add the jerk paste, thyme, allspice, soy sauce, lightly beaten egg and the scallion greens.
- Stir to combine.
- Fold in the panko until evenly mixed.
- Do not taste the mixture because it contains raw egg; the jerk paste and soy sauce supply plenty of salt, and you can add more at the table.
- Press a small handful together.
- It should hold its shape and feel tacky but not wet.
- If it crumbles, add 1 tablespoon more panko.
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Ready when: A handful pressed together holds its shape and does not stick heavily to your palm
Tip: Jerk paste is often salty, so no extra salt is added to the mixture.
5
Chill the mixture
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- The panko absorbs moisture and the mixture firms up, which makes shaping easier and keeps the patties intact in the pan.
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Ready when: Mixture feels firm and cold, and is easy to scoop
6
Shape the patties
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (about 135 g / ⅓ cup plus a little each).
- With damp hands, press each portion into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Place on the sheet.
- Press any cracked edges back together.
- Refrigerate while you make the sauce.
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Ready when: Patties are uniform with smooth, crack-free edges
Tip: Damp hands stop the mixture from sticking to your fingers.
7
Make the lime mayo
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt if you like.
- Refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth and pale with flecks of zest
8
Pan-fry the patties
- Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Use a wide spatula to lay 3 patties in the pan, leaving space between them.
- Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the underside is deep brown and crisp.
- Flip gently and cook another 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Wipe out any burnt bits, add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil, and cook the second batch the same way.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep brown and crisp, and an instant-read thermometer in the center reads 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Resist moving or pressing the patties. If they stick, give them another minute; they release once the crust forms. Lower the heat if they darken faster than 4 minutes.
9
Toast buns, sear pineapple
- Wipe out the skillet if there are burnt crumbs.
- If using pineapple, add the dried rings to the skillet over medium-high heat and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned in spots.
- Remove.
- Place the buns cut-side down in the skillet and toast for 1 minute until golden.
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Ready when: Pineapple has brown caramelized spots and bun cut sides are golden
Tip: Pat pineapple very dry or it will steam instead of sear.
10
Assemble and serve
- Spread lime mayo on both halves of each bun.
- Layer a lettuce leaf and a tomato slice on the bottom, then a hot patty, a pineapple ring if using, and the bun top.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Put the lettuce against the bottom bun so the juicy tomato doesn't make it soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Keep some beans whole. The mix of mashed and whole beans gives a burger that is firm but not pasty.
Use medium heat, not high. The patties need time to heat through while the crust browns, and high heat burns the jerk paste.
For more heat, add a finely minced seeded Scotch bonnet or a few dashes of hot sauce to the mix.
Flip with a wide, thin spatula and support the patty with a second utensil if it feels fragile.

Make ahead

Shape the patties up to 1 day ahead. Stack them with parchment between layers, cover and refrigerate. Fry straight from the fridge, adding 1 minute per side if needed. The lime mayo keeps up to 3 days in the fridge.

Storage & reheating

Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked patties, separated by parchment, for up to 3 months. Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Reheat refrigerated patties in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. For frozen patties, thaw overnight in the fridge first, then reheat the same way until hot (165°F / 74°C) in the center.

Substitutions

wet jerk seasoning paste → 2 tablespoons dry jerk seasoning plus 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Dry blends are often saltier by volume, so go easy on any extra salt.
panko breadcrumbs → Rolled oats pulsed briefly in a blender, or gluten-free breadcrumbs. Use the same volume; oats make the patties slightly softer.
large egg → 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes. This makes the burgers vegan if you also use vegan mayo and buns. The 160°F check no longer applies.
mayonnaise → Plain Greek yogurt or vegan mayonnaise. Yogurt gives a tangier sauce.