Black Bean Protein Brownies
June 15, 2020 by Ginger Hultin MS RDN
Are you a corner-piece person or a middle-piece person? I stumbled upon a debate about this on Facebook over the weekend, and I realized I am a solid middle-piece person. However, I don’t discriminate, and I’d take a corner piece any day because I love brownies a lot. I hardly make them so I wanted to whip up a quick batch on Saturday. When I was reviewing some of the most popular recipes out there, I found them to be overly complicated. Blending, pulsing, separating ingredients, melting 1/2 the chocolate chips… I really don’t have time for that. I created the most simple, Black Bean Protein Brownies for you instead.
I have another black bean brownie recipe up on the blog, actually – one with peanut butter and jelly and it’s delicious but again, a bit more complicated than what I wanted to get into this weekend. If you follow along with me, you know that I like to keep it super, super simple because I’m always on the go and I need to a) multitask in the kitchen and b) use on-hand ingredients.
I used to grocery shop every now and then (it was challenging because I commute within the city of Seattle and with public transportation etc, it was really hard to get to the store after work) but now I go once a week to stock up. I made these brownies at the very end of my week so I hardly had any ingredients in the house, but I had the staples to make this recipe. I love being able to whip up a really simple recipe like these brownies or my vegan chocolate haystack cookies with what I’ve got in the cupboard.
Why Black Beans?
I know that putting black beans in brownies might sound like a crazy dietitian thing to do (and, well, it is) or maybe just a crunchy Seattle move (guilty as charged), but trust me—it’s actually a really great move when making brownies. First of all, they don’t make your brownies taste savory or bean-like at all. Instead, they sneak in a healthy boost of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants while giving your brownies that perfect, moist, chewy texture.
And let’s talk about the protein. Black beans pack a decent amount of plant-based protein, which helps keep you full and satisfied, and even helps balance your blood sugar—so you can enjoy your sweet treat without the sugar crash. Thanks to their dark color, black beans blend right into the batter, and if you don’t spill the beans (pun intended), no one will ever know they’re there.
Making Black Bean Protein Brownies
Like I mentioned, I needed these brownies to be simple and I actually made them in just a few minutes with minimal equipment and ingredients. I found everything I needed in the cupboard and just pulled out my Ninja blender, my mixer, a small bowl, and the pan. I was ready to go in seconds. I wanted to break down how you can make these easily at home right now if you want and include all the substitutions and tips you’ll need for a perfect batch of Black Bean Protein Brownies.
The Bean Base
I kept it simple with the bean base and simple blended the oil and beans together. You only use 3/4 cup of black beans so open up a can, rinse them well and then save the rest for other recipes. There are so many ways to use black beans and most of them are savory. If you need ideas, I’ve got some amazing sheet pan nachos on the blog and a simple vegetarian chili that I make like, once a week year-round.
Pour that bean mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, and vanilla. Blend it up and you’re ready to add the dry ingredients next! Make sure that your oven is preheating and your pan is prepped with a little coconut oil or butter because you’ll be moving quickly in this recipe.
The Dry Ingredients
In a separate small bowl, you can simply blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt. I just used a fork to blend it and it’s a very small amount so you can keep it very basic here. If you want a gluten-free product, that’s so easy if you just use a simple gluten-free flour blend. I love Bob’s Red Mill and use it even for flour-based recipes like these chocolate chip pumpkin muffins which turned out absolutely incredibly. I also make these year-round because pumpkin is so healthy, delicious, and easy to use- it comes in a can, too!
The Details
Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blend for a few minutes, and toss in those chocolate chips. I used 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, but you’ve got options. Add less—say, 1/4 cup—or more, up to 3/4 or even a full cup. You could also skip them entirely; it’s up to you! These brownies are very chocolatey and decadent, so I found that 1/2 cup was just about perfect. If anything, I might go with 1/3 cup next time.
And that’s it! Simple, satisfying, and packed with protein to keep you full and balance your blood sugar while still indulging your sweet tooth. Whether you’re team corner or team middle, these brownies are a treat you can feel good about enjoying.
I’m so proud of this recipe. If you try it, please leave a comment – it’s so good!
Black Bean Protein Brownies
Equipment
- Blender
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil for greasing the pan
- 3/4 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil try avocado or grapeseed oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting as a garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 9-inch square baking pan.
- In a blender, puree the beans with the oil until it’s smooth.
- In the bowl of a mixer, add the bean mix, eggs, cocoa, sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium-high until smooth or about 15-30 seconds.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips. Add it to the mixer and mix until incorporated or another 15-30 seconds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the surface is matte around the edges and still shiny in the middle, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Nutrition
Ginger Hultin,MS, RD, CSO
Thanks for visiting! If you're struggling with a cancer diagnosis, autoimmune condition, gut health problems, or even a medical mystery, nutrition can make a HUGE difference in your day-to-day life. I run a virtual, concierge private practice where I partner with my clients over time to help them improve their health through nutrition. Be sure to visit the blog for easy, plant-based, anti-inflammatory recipes and our "Resources" page for a variety of self-paced programs, books, e-books, and nutrition podcast episodes.
