These easy-to-make Black Bean Cakes are a dream, kid-friendly vegetarian dish — packed with protein, super affordable and full of flavor!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Kid-approved: These black bean cakes are always a hit with my kids, and I love getting extra protein and veggies into their meals. Plus, they can eat them with their hands, just like my Noodle Pancakes, which is always fun!
- Easy to make: Using just a handful of pantry staples that you likely have on hand (like in my Brown Rice Cakes), this recipe comes together with a quick whirl in the food processor—so simple!
- Freezer-friendly: Make a double batch, freeze some, and have a quick meal or snack ready anytime, (that’s how I prep my Easy Chicken Nuggets recipe too)
- Versatile: Stack them with guacamole, kid-friendly salsa, or sour cream — or turn them into sliders for a fun twist!
The Ingredients
- Black beans: The base of these cakes, packed with plant-based protein and fiber. I love using black beans to boost the protein in recipes like S’mores Cakey Black Bean Brownies, Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas and more!
- Corn: Adds a touch of sweetness and texture. Feel free to use fresh or defrosted frozen corn.
- Cheddar cheese: Melts into the patties, adding a rich, savory flavor.
- Cilantro: Fresh and herbaceous, it gives these cakes a bright pop of flavor. If cilantro isn’t for you, leave it out – no problem.
- Garlic & Onion powder: Just enough seasoning to bring everything together without overpowering the taste.
- Breadcrumbs: Helps bind the cakes and give them a little crunch.
- Egg: Acts as a binder to hold the patties together while they cook.
- Oil: Used to sauté the cakes until crispy and golden brown.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cheese: Swap cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack, Mozzarella or a even dairy-free cheese alternative.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-freebread crumbs or ground oats as a binder instead if you need this recipe to be gluten-free!
- Vegan option: Try a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water) in place of the egg for a plant-based twist.
How to Make Black Bean Cakes
Step 1: Add the black beans, corn, cheese, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, breadcrumbs, and egg to a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined into a chunky paste.
Step 2: Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 3: Drop about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and spread it into a circle (like a pancake). Fry the cakes for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add more oil as needed for each batch.
Step 4: Once crispy and done, transfer them to a plate to cool slightly before serving. They’re great on their own or paired with your favorite dipping sauce.
Black Bean Cakes Video
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the patties in batches to ensure they fry up crispy.
- Keep an eye on the heat: If the cakes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat to avoid burning.
- Freezing tip: These cakes freeze beautifully! Let them cool, freeze on a parchment lined sheet tray, then transfer to a ziplock bag and store for up to 4 months. Defrost and reheat in the oven or air fryer for a quick meal.
- Perfect for meal prep: Make a double batch and save some for later!
FAQs
Yes! Preheat your oven to 375°F, place the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.
Store any leftover black bean cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the oven to maintain their crispiness.
They pair perfectly with a side of Cucumber Avocado Salsa, a simple salad with Citrus Herb Vinaigrette, or even inside a tortilla with tons of toppings for taco night! You can also try them with guacamole or sour cream for dipping.
More Recipes Using Black Beans
These savory Black Bean Cakes are a super toddler friendly recipe, but also a hit with adults. They not only pack power punch of protein, but plenty of flavor and fun in every bite! I’d love to know what you think of this recipe — leave a comment and rating below!
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Black Bean Cakes
Ingredients
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ear corn, cut off the cob (or 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup cilantro, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 tablespoons oil (for sautéing
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and puree.
- Heat a large saute pan over low to medium heat with 1-2 tbsp oil.
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of the bean mixture in the pan. Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture into an even circle (the size and shape of a small pancake).
- Cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook on the other side for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Cook remaining patties, adding about 1 tbsp oil for each batch, and move to a plate.
- Cool and serve.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the patties in batches to ensure they fry up crispy.
- Keep an eye on the heat: If the cakes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat to avoid burning.
- Freezing tip: These cakes freeze beautifully! Let them cool, freeze on a parchment lined sheet tray, then transfer to a ziplock bag and store for up to 4 months. Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 300°F or pop them in the air fryer for about 5 minutes or until heated through and crispy.
Nutrition
Photos by Matt Armendariz
I just found this recipe and am excited to try it out. My son is allergic to dairy, so I’d like to omit the cheese. Would I need to make adjustments on any of the other ingredients to make up for this?
Did anyone figure out why these weren’t working? I made them tonight and because of comments made sure to follow directions. These didn’t work at all. They were so sticky and gooey, had to throw them out because I couldn’t tell if the egg was even cooked. 🙁 only weelicious recipe fail so far….
I made these for the second time tonight and they were perfect! I used an immersion blender to make them (don’t have a food processor) and it worked perfectly. I think there is a learning curve to cooking them, but the second time around, they turned out just right. My nearly 2-year-old proclaimed them ‘yummy’ and I agree!
I made these out of the cook book last night and they were fantastic! I didn’t have any problem with them holding together – I did add a slight bit more cheese and made them the size recommended. Can’t wait to eat them for lunch today! Thanks!!
Pancake bust!
I make so many of your recipes for my daughter, but this one just won’t work. They won’t stay together and they are mushy. Did I do something wrong? Glad to see others had the same issue.
We love these.
Though the cakes don’t stay together, I just cook a a bunch at a time and make like a hash. It is quicker that way and the girls will eat this whether it is in cake form or not.. They love it. They eat in a wrap, or right off their plate. With, of course, some sour cream 🙂
Without being there I can’t know for sure what went wrong. Did you let the oil in the pan heat up before placing the black bean mixture in it? If the oil was too cold the black beans would just absorb the oil instead of cooking and getting that crisp coating! How thin did you make the cakes? Too thin and they’ll cook too quickly and possibly fall apart. Too thick and they’ll take longer to cook or cook unevenly.
These just fell apart…i followed the recipe exactly…it was still like mush. Any suggestions on what I could do better?
Just stumbled upon your post today and I can’t wait to try these recipes with my little ones. Thank you for the helpful info.
These are another freezer staple in our house. Sometimes they are wetter than others so, we may use more bread crumbs. The key is to let them sit a while before you try to flip and don’t make them too big, like a scant tablespoon at the most. My daughter has been eating these since 11 months and LOVES them.
These were excellent! I don’t have a food processor so I used my blender. I didn’t use oil on my pan as I have a non-stick griddle. When I tried to flip the first one it started to crumble, but I left them for a few more minutes and then they were easily flipped. Delicious, will definitely make these again!
Made these tonight… Same crumbling issues as the other posters. Catherine: In your response to one poster, you mentioned that these could be baked instead of pan fried. Can you please post the correct oven temp and cooking time for baking them? I’d love to try again… and prefer to bake instead of fry when possible anyway 🙂 Thanks! Your website is fantastic and so helpful!
I haven’t tried these yet, but what about leaving out the egg and bread crumbs when you puree in the food processor, and simply stirring them in by hand. Sees like this might help with some of the crumbling issues. This is how I used to make all sorts of similar dishes when my now 2 year old was starting finger foods. I’ll have to give it a try and report back.
Superior thinking detnmstraoed above. Thanks!
Love the flavor of these but had the same crumble issues as the ladies above. Would love to figure out how to bake them to avoid them breaking apart in the future. I did notice they firmed up a bit when allowed to cool but still turned out a bit of a mess. Hope my son likes them anyway!
Potato starch may help also.