Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Black beans in brownies sounds wrong until you try them. The beans blend completely smooth and give the brownies a dense, fudgy texture while quietly adding protein and fibre. The aquafaba (the liquid from the can) acts as a binder, so no flax eggs or fancy stuff needed. These taste better the next day, keep well in the fridge, and clock in around 155 calories each.

Ingredients

  • 1 can (540ml) black beans, liquid reserved
  • 3 tbsp aquafaba (the reserved bean liquid)
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ⅓ cup vital wheat gluten
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp espresso powder (optional, deepens the chocolate flavour)
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (vegan)
  • Pinch of stevia or sweetener of choice

Instructions

  1. Drain the black beans over a bowl to catch the liquid — you need 3 tbsp of aquafaba. Rinse the beans well.

  2. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.

  3. Add the rinsed beans, aquafaba, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed — about 2 minutes. No visible bean pieces.

  4. Add the cocoa powder, vital wheat gluten, baking powder, salt, espresso powder (if using), and stevia. Pulse until just combined.

  5. Transfer the batter to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Press a few extra chips into the top if you like.

  6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan — it’ll be thick, that’s normal. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

  7. Let cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting. They firm up significantly as they cool — cutting early gives you a crumbly mess.

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. They taste even better on day two. Per brownie (1/9 of pan): ~155 cal | 7g protein | 5g fat | 20g carbs | 4g fibre.

Lower calorie: Skip the chocolate chips and add an extra tablespoon of cocoa powder — saves ~30 cal per brownie.

Higher protein: Stir in 2 tbsp peanut butter powder for another ~1g protein per serving with minimal extra calories.