Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies w/ Walnuts {Gluten Free}
These Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies with Walnuts are the most delicious “healthy” brownies you will ever taste. They might even be some of the most delicious brownies, period! A bold statement. I know.
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Sharon Palmer, a fellow registered dietitian and food blogger, inspired me to make these yummy vegan black bean brownies.
Sharon generously gave me a copy of her book, Plant-Powered for Life, to review and let me pick a recipe to share. Her book has so many yummy plant-based recipes, including these scrumptious brownies I know you’ll love!
Vegan Black Bean Brownie Ingredients
To make these scrumptious vegan black bean brownies, you’ll need a few simple ingredients and pantry staples, including:
- Canned black beans. Choose low or no-sodium beans.
- Sweetner. Sharon’s recipe calls for honey or agave nectar. I used maple syrup instead.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Choose CocoaVia for extra cocoa flavanols, which may support heart health.
- Chia seeds.
- Pantry staples: vanilla, vegetable oil, and baking powder.
- Dairy-free dark chocolate chips.
- Walnuts. Feel free to swap with other nuts of your choice.
Vegan Black Bean Brownies Instructions
These brownies are ridiculously easy to make. After you’ve gathered your ingredients, all you need to do is:
- Put all the ingredients (except chocolate chips and walnuts) in a blender. Blend on high-spreed until the ingredients are well combined.
- Spread the brownie batter in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and walnuts on top and gently stir them into the batter.
- Bake, cool, slice, enjoy!
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Easy Vegan Black Bean Brownies with Walnuts
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- One 15-ounce can black beans, no salt added, rinsed and drained (or 1 3/4 cup cooked)
- 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar, or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, or avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup dairy-free, dark-chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, I used pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Spray an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the black beans, sweetener, cocoa powder, chia seeds, vanilla, canola oil, and baking powder in a blender. Process until smooth. Scrape down the sides halfway through blending if needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips and walnuts evenly across the top of the brownies.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the edges pull away from the side of the pan and the brownies are firm.
- Cool for a few minutes, and slice into 16 squares.
Notes
- Reprinted with permission from Plant-Powered for Life by Sharon Palmer.
- To keep the nuts from getting too brown or burning, either stir them in to the batter, or place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the brownies half way through baking.
Nutrition
Tips for Eating More Plants
Looking to embrace more plant-based foods in your diet? Plant Powered for Life has excellent tips and a delicious assortment of plant-based recipes for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike! Here are three tips from registered dietitian Sharon Palmer:
- Take meat off the center of your plate. Some of the healthiest diets worldwide are centered around plants, and meat is used as a “seasoning” rather than the main event. When you plan your menu for the week, try adding one or more plant-based meals or centering your meals around plants, using meat as a condiment.
- Make variety your motto. If you eat the same foods repeatedly, you may miss out on key nutrients, as one veggie may be rich in calcium while another may be a good source of iron or vitamin C. Want to know the best way to add more variety to your diet? Join my Eat More Plants Challenge!
- Shop thoughtfully and purposefully. Ignore statements on the front of the box and read ingredient lists and nutrition facts panels instead. Choose products with ingredients you recognize, understand, and cook with at home.
Buy the book: Plant-Powered for Life by Sharon Palmer, RDN
Let’s Chat! Have you made vegan black bean brownies before? Have you tried other bean-based desserts? Do you try to include many plant-based recipes in your diet?
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave your comments, and if you loved it, give it a 5-star rating! And please share this post with your friends and family, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram @thespicyrd.Thanks so much for your support!
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Does the toothpick test work with these, or will that be overdry, or…?
Hi Whitney! Yes, the toothpick test works with these. Cheers!
Can I leave out the chianti seeds? Will it affect the density? Thank you.
Hi Emily! You can certainly try leaving them out. The chia seeds act as a binder and egg replacement, so it may effect the texture somewhat. You can try swapping them with ground flax seeds as well, or simply omit them.Cheers!
Your recipe for Black Bean Brownies with Walnuts looks great; however, all but one of the images you’ve used are of pecans—not walnuts. I point this out with the best of intentions. Thanks!
Hi Daniel! Thanks so much for your great observations 🙂 The original recipe, which I shared with permission from Plant Powered for Life, is titled “Black Bean Brownies with Walnuts” and the photo from the book (with the glass of milk) does have walnuts in it. In the recipe, I noted in parenthesis, that I used pecans, so my own photos have pecans pictured in them. Either way, I hope you get to try them-they’re delicious! Cheers!!
I’ve been looking for a good black bean brownie recipe, I will have to try this one
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Cheers!!
These look great. Did you know that eating dark chocolate can help prevent hearing loss? Here’s a good blog post explaining its benefits (and why we should eat more of it!) bit.ly/1LRluEp
I love black beans, but I have to confess I’m dubious about black bean brownies. I’ll have to try them, but will have to look for chia seeds first! I love my Plant Powered for Life book!
Hi Laurie! I definitely hope you’ll give them a try-I think you’ll love them 🙂
These look so yummy. I am bound and determined to get my husband to like black bean brownies [he thinks he can taste the beans, he’s crazy]. I think I’ll whip some of these up and not even tell him.
I recently wrote a brownie recipe for a magazine and it was fun for my toddler to make because it was just oozing with butter and chocolate in outrageous quantities. I thought it wise not to make them for a while, but I do love them. So the timing of your fabulous recipe that probably thinks it is naughtier than it is, is very welcome indeed. Absolutely YUM x
I follow a mostly plant based diet already, eating meat maybe once a week. These brownies sounds awesome and I have two RD friends visiting me next week, one is vegan and one is gluten free so these will be a perfect treat to share 🙂
The brownie clusters look scrumptious, EA. And super healthy!
I am not on any one specific diet, but I try to eat lots of fruit and vegetables and less meat just because it is healthier (and I like it!)
I try to eat a more plant based diet as I am getting older and want to keep healthy. I am going to try the black bean brownies for my grandchildren as it is hard to get them to eat healthy sometimes.
I would say my diet is flexitarian. I am not a big fan of meat so I eat lots of fruits and veggies. Going to farmer’s markets motivates me to add more fruits and veggies to my meals, and to try new things.
I still haven’t made black bean brownies – it’s been on my list to try for a while. Love all the great tips!
I am trying to include more veggies in my diet. I am not ready to be a vegetarian but I am including more meatless meals in my diet.
I made black bean brownies years and years ago.. but I had totally forgotten about them until I saw your FB teaser. I’m so glad to see this recipe, and I’m eager to get my hands on a copy of this book!! We’ve adopted a (mostly) vegan diet recently, and I’m perusing all things plant-based!
I’m a pescatarian so I include a lot of plant based foods because I don’t/can’t eat fish everyday (gets expensive!)
My diet is very much a plan-based one. I have celiac so I’m gluten-free, but I’m also soy, egg, dairy, and meat free. Eating non-processed whole foods if just easier for me in the first place!
I don’t follow a specific diet. I try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as I can, limit meat intake and strictly organic.
I’ve made black bean brownies two times now, but they don’t come out this good! I should definitely try this recipe soon.
I have been curious about black bean brownies. These look to yummy! Will definitely have to try this recipe.
I love black bean brownies! These sound so good with the nuts!
I have been putting the black bean brownie idea off myself. I think you talked me into it with your pictures. Love that these are dairy free too!
I love cookbook giveaways! I don’t adhere to one particular type of diet, I just mostly focus on incorporating as many whole foods with few ingredients as possible.
So glad you stopped by Kaylin! I think your advice is priceless 🙂 Good luck with the giveaway!
I try my best to eat lots of fruits and veggies, but my biggest struggle is getting to the grocery store twice a week to ensure I can stock up and have items handy! Keeping frozen veggies and fruit helps me in this department.
I am an eater of everything – with a focus on plants, but a sprinkling of meat and fish in there too for some satiating protein!
Great tip Marisa! i am a huge fan of keeping frozen fruits and veggies in the freezer too! I think our eating styles are a lot alike 🙂