Earth Grown Vegan Southwest Style Black Bean Chipotle Burger

Last Updated on December 26, 2018

EDITOR’S NOTE: Read our review roundup of many of Aldi’s vegan Earth Grown products at this link

This is a guest post by Katelyn.

Aldi is branching out and adding more products to its shelves, trying to appeal to healthy, allergy-friendly lifestyles. When I saw these Earth Grown Vegan Southwest Style Black Bean Chipotle Burgers, I knew I had to try them. My two favorite stores to shop at are Aldi and Whole Foods, and with additions like these, I may just stick with Aldi!

Earth Grown Vegan Southwest Style Black Bean Chipolte Burger

I love making my own black bean burgers from scratch at home, but often I deal with issues of texture, patties falling apart, and just the sheer time it takes to blend all the ingredients together fresh. I figured this would be a nice alternative to making them myself, but I worried that the same texture and consistency problems would occur.

At my local Aldi store, I found these burgers in the frozen food section with the other meat-style products. Each patty is 2.5 oz. and there are four to a box. Ingredients are nice and natural: brown rice, onions, green chilies, corn, black beans, canola oil, filtered water, chipotle pepper, soy protein concentrate, red peppers, wheat gluten, tamari (water, soybeans, salt), soy protein flour, green peppers, dried onion, cellulose gum, sea salt, brown sugar, dried garlic, natural flavor, spices. They are advertised as a good source of fiber, with 130 calories, 7 grams of protein, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 6 grams total fat, and 2 grams total sugars. They are cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat. They are also certified vegan, which is good to know, not only for vegans, but also for those of us with dairy allergies.

Earth Grown Vegan Southwest Style Black Bean Chipolte Burger

One of the patties. (Click to enlarge.)

I thoroughly enjoyed these black bean burgers. I have microwaved them and also cooked them on the stove in a nonstick pan. They held together surprisingly well, and I have not had any problems with them falling apart. Topped with ketchup and Aldi’s Burman’s Honey Mustard, my husband described them as tasting like a McDouble from McDonald’s. High praise from a carnivore! For 130 calories, they were also surprisingly filling and paired nicely on a hot summer day with chips and a soda. The “chipotle” part of these black bean burgers was not as spicy as I would have expected, but it should be noted as some people might not like the onion and chilies flavors.

The only thing I was surprised with was that, while they are advertised as black bean burgers, they were mostly made of brown rice. This makes them look more like the pale brown color of a veggie burger than the meaty look of a true homemade black bean burger.

The burgers should be kept frozen until ready to use. Do not allow them to thaw, or they could fall apart. The burgers can be cooked using a skillet (preferred), oven, deep fryer, or microwave:

  • To prepare in the skillet, cook on a nonstick pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Flip as necessary, but remember, the less you flip, the better they will hold together.
  • To prepare in the oven, place frozen burgers on a baking sheet in a 400-degree Farenheit oven. Bake approximately 10-12 minutes until browned. Turn carefully halfway through.
  • To prepare in the microwave, place burger on a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for approximately 2 minutes. (I was pleasantly surprised how well the burgers cooked up in the microwave.)

The Verdict:

Aldi’s Earth Grown Vegan Southwest Black Bean Burgers are an excellent addition to the store’s healthy alternatives and vegan products. Be aware, the main ingredient is brown rice, not black beans, but the overall product is excellent and quite tasty. Would recommend.


Katelyn Bolds is constantly on the hunt for new ways to eat clean without breaking the bank. Recently she traded in Whole Foods for Aldi and isn’t looking back. She works full-time at a publisher in Wheaton, Illinois.

About Joshua

Joshua is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. He is also a writer and novelist. You can learn more about him at joshuaajohnston.com.

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