Vegan Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
Sometimes I’m about all the chocolate. But most of the time I’m looking for ways to feed myself that chocolate in a way that’s as healthy as possible, without sacrificing taste. That’s where these Vegan Fudgy Black Bean Brownies come in.
This isn’t my first attempt at a Black Bean Brownie. And that first batch was a seriously good. But this batch? Let me just say, amazing comes to mind.
I’ve had a passion for fiber for quite awhile. In fact, that’s one reason I have such a thing with using chickpeas. That passion has grown even more intense since listening to Dr. Garth Davis on the Rich Roll Podcast.
Do you know what he said that really caught my attention? Most of us would never have to deal with our weight if we focused on getting 35 grams of fiber per day.
Then there’s Dr. Gregor’s video, Do Vegetarians Get Enough Protein, where he points out that we’re getting more than enough protein, but missing the fiber target dramatically.
Are You Getting Your Fiber?
According to Dr. Gregor (and many other nutritional experts) most Americans are not getting enough fiber. In fact, on average, we’re consuming about 15 grams of fiber a day. That’s not a lot when you consider the recommendation of 30-35 grams per day.
Just look up the nutritional information for dairy, eggs, and other animal-based products. There’s no fiber. And most processed foods don’t include any significant amount of fiber either.
So, how are we supposed to up our fiber game?
The best way of adding fiber to your diet is…eating plants! Seriously. In fact, plants are not only the best source of fiber, they’re our only source of fiber in our diets.
I’m convinced that adding fiber is the way to go, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up some of the foods we love. That’s where these black bean brownies come in. Whereas the average brownie has less than 1 gram of fiber per serving, by including black beans in the ingredients, these Vegan Fudgy Black Bean Brownies boast nearly 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Go ahead. Have another!
Of course having a healthy dose of fiber is important, but there’s another important question that has to be answered. Does the brownie taste good?
They’re not just good…they’re crazy good!
So, in summary, these brownies are:
- chocolatey
- gooey
- rich
- decadent
- full of fiber
- easy to make
What else could you ask for!
We hope you love these Vegan Fudgy Black Bean Brownies as much as we do! If you decide to make them, take a photo and share them using #namelymarly on Instagram. We love seeing your photos!
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 15 oz can black beans with bean brine
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups dairy-free chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (substitute gluten-free baking flour)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
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Heat your oven to 350F. Spray a 8" square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.
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Combine the coconut oil and black beans in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
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Add the sugar and chocolate chips to the food processor. It will be a bit bumpy, but pulse for a few seconds (up to 20 - 30 seconds) to break up the chocolate chips. You can always chop the chocolate chips into pieces on a cutting board if you prefer not to put your food processor to the test.
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Add in the cocoa powder, flour, ground flax, and cornstarch. Give the mixture one more pulse until the ingredients are combined.
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Pour the brownie batter into your prepared pan, using a spatula to get it all. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick (or piece of spaghettinserted in the middle comes out clean.
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Once the brownies are done, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool before serving. Serve warm (or not - they're delicious either way).
Enjoy!
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake
That’s actually a great comeback to people who ask vegetarians “where do you get your protein?”–saying “where do you get your fiber?” lol. It is an awfully neglected nutrient, and if I can get it from eating brownies then all the better! 😀
Marly
I never thought about it as a comeback to that age-old question. LOVE IT!! Maybe we should design a t-shirt.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
These look beyond perfect!!!! I want a huge bite!
A L
In step #2, do you mean black beans, not chickpeas?
Marly
Great catch! I experimented making this recipe with black beans or chickpeas. Or said better – I made them once when we were out of black beans and only chickpeas were available. 🙂 You know what? They were great both ways, but the black beans version won out. The recipe has been edited. Thanks!
Marianne
I am going to a Halloween Party and I want to make cupcakes. Do you think this recipe would work well? I have these great cupcake papers with blood dripping on them and so I will make icing and red beet juice dribbles on top. I will take a photo when I make them. Love the sound of these fudgy chocolate-ie brownies.
Marly
Hi Marianne! This is a great question. I have used this recipe as cupcakes, but I could see where it could work. It doesn’t raise a lot, so it would result in some very dense, but tasty cupcakes! Please send me your photo – I’d love to see it!
Rayna
Can I use xylophone instead of sugar. I am diabetic
Marly
I assume you mean xylitol? I haven’t used xylitol in this recipe, but I’ve had great success with it in other recipes. I typically use a 1:1 ratio when baking with xylitol, but if I were you, I might start with 1 cup and see what if that works. Let me know how it goes!
Ali
These look great! When you say bean brine, do you mean that you just dump in the whole can instead of rinsing? Thanks!
Marly
Hi Ali – Yes, just pour the whole can (liquid and all) in the food processor. It’s amazing what a difference that makes!
Trisha
is bean brine the liquid that comes in the can ?
Marly
Hi Trisha! Yes, bean brine is the liquid in the can. I’ll add a note to the recipe to clarify. 🙂
Melody
do you need to melt the coconut oil first? I don’t use it often so I am never sure.
Marly
I don’t typically melt the coconut oil, but if it’s cold where you are, you might need to. I will put a container in the microwave with water and heat that up for about a minute and sit the container of coconut oil in that to loosen it up. Hope that helps!
Nancy
When you said with bean brine, do you mean the liquid in the can? Use the whole can-beans and liquid??
Marly
Hi Nancy – Yes, the bean brine is the liquid in the can. I’ll add a note to the recipe to clarify. Thanks!
Jana
Can you substitute Turbinado sugar for the granulated sugar?
Marly
Hi Jana – I’ve always had good luck substituting turbaned sugar for granulated sugar. I use a 1:1 ratio. I have not tried that substitution with this recipe so I can’t say for sure, but I think it should be just fine. Let me know how it goes!
Melanie
This recipe sounds delicious. I was wondering, would it also work with different beans, like kidney beans?
Marly
Kidney beans have a distinct flavor that I think might come through in the finished product. That said, I would probably try it if it were the only beans I have in the house. Just be prepared the final outcome is not guaranteed. I have tried this recipe with a can of chickpeas and it worked great! Hope that’s helpful – let me know how it goes!
Alby
I don’t have flaxseeds. What could be a good substitute?
Marly
You could just replace it with cornstarch. Let me know how it turns out!
Amanda
These look so great ! Do you think almond meal could be used instead of all purpose flour??
Marly
I have used almond meal in other recipes with great success and since there’s just a little bit of flour in this recipe, I think it should work fine. That said, I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure. Of course, now I totally want to try it!
Stephanie
Would honey work instead of sugar?
Marly
I haven’t tried using honey in this recipe so I can’t say for sure. It could change the texture of the finished brownies.
Nutmeg Nanny
I really love black bean brownies so I’m all over this! They looks so fudgy and delicious….yum!
Marly
Thanks so much! I hope you love this recipe. We sure do. By the way, loving your snapchat! 🙂
Derek
Made these last week and had to make them again this week because they were soooooo delicious! Great recipe.
Marly
Thanks, Derek! I’m so glad to hear this. Just so you know, you have company…we made this recipe again too…and again. 🙂
Ivalu Visani
HI! instead of Black beans what can i use??
Marly
I love this question Ivalu, because I’ve actually made this same recipe using chickpeas instead. Just like with the black beans, pour the entire can into the food processor, including the liquid from the can. You can add some powdered cocoa if you’d like to make it a little darker, or go with it as is for a more lighter chocolate color. Let me know how it goes!
Melanie
I’ve made these brownies twice already, they’re absolutely delicious. The second time I added some seasalt (about half a tablespoon), that worked out great as well!
katie
Added in some pecan nuts and rosemary for a ‘grown up’ version, taking out the choc chips (gasp)
Ended up lovely! So fudgy, and not cloyingly sweet.
Connie
I was so skeptical about combing black beans with brownies that I read through review after review on Google to see if the hype was true. After making this recipe tonight I can hands down say, this is one of the best brownie recipe I have ever made. And not just for black bean brownies – all brownies. Thank you so much for sharing! Can’t wait to make this again and again.
Alyssa
I’d like to double or even triple this recipe for a party… Anything I should look out for? Thanks!
Jen
The taste was phenomenal! Couldn’t even taste the beans! However, they turned out very ver gooey. Do I just add more flour or bake longer? (I baked for 40 minutes)
Marly
Hi Jen, You’re making me think I should make another batch…like maybe tonight! Sometimes these brownies seem too gooey when they’re first pulled out of the oven, but after they cool they firm up. This is especially true if you store them in the fridge. They will firm up quite a bit. If not, yes, I would recommend cooking a little longer, but I’d put a piece of foil over the top so the top doesn’t get too crispy. Hope this helps!
Allison
Hi I’m just wondering if you used Cacao powder? Traditional cocoa powder would have milk in it no? Which would mean these aren’t Vegan?
Marly
Hi Allison. Thanks for your note. Most cocoa powders are made after the cocoa butter is removed from the bean. What’s left is ground into a powder, creating cocoa powder. However, there might be some cocoa powders where milk products have been added. For the most part, I have no trouble finding dairy-free cocoa powders. Hope that’s helpful!
Paula
Surprised to see, white refined sugar, white refined flour and refined cornstarch in this “healthy” recipe.. Mmmm wouldn’t go near it!!!
Marly
Hi Paula. Thanks for your comment. I understand that the word “healthy” is relative. I mean, some people think raisins are not healthy. I get that. This recipe uses only a half a cup of flour, compared to 15 oz (basically 2 cups) of black beans. That’s a pretty good ratio. I agree that it’s important to pay attention to how much sugar we consume. I care about these things as well which is one of the reasons we have reserve treats like these brownies for indulgences.