Black Bean Burger Recipe from the Archives
The other day I found myself thinking: “Didn’t I have a great recipe for black bean burgers at some point?” Answer: yes! A quick search revealed that ten years ago I posted a note on Facebook (remember those?!) with this very recipe. Before I posted it here for posterity, I gave it a test run. The results: this is still a great black bean burger recipe!
I was after a non-mushy bean-based burger. This recipe is pretty good in that department with one easy trick: a long rest in the fridge. Make your patties, cook them as directed, and then refrigerate the cooked patties for at least four hours (overnight works) before eating. This allows all of the starches from the various grain ingredients to set and absorb extra moisture creating a mush-free experience. Pro-tip: use a large disher scoop to create easy, evenly portioned patties.
♥ Related: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas
Meal Prep Hero
Because these are made to be reheated, these veggie burgers are a great choice for meal prepping. They were great to have on hand for easy, breezy lunches last week (any easy lunch choice these days seems like a godsend, right?) You could even double or triple the recipe and send some patties to the freezer. Freeze them uncovered on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. When your burgers are frozen solid, transfer them to a zip top bag and they will keep for up to 6 months.
“Kerry, but what if I can’t wait a few hours for them to set up?!” You can absolutely eat these immediately after cooking. The burger will be slightly soft but still totally tasty. While maybe not the optimum texture, you will still end up with a flavorful, healthy meal.
♥ Related: Smoky Chipotle Sloppy Joes
Try This!
Bonus serving suggestion: wrap these in a large tortilla with some cheese, salsa, sour cream, and slightly crushed up tortilla chips for your very own, healthy black bean burger crunchwrap! Just toast on each side in a buttered skillet on medium-high until both sides are golden brown.
Southwest Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- ½ small onion chopped fine
- 1 small poblano pepper chopped fine
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 4 large button or crimini mushrooms chopped small
- 1 15 oz can black beans
- 1 cup brown rice cooked
- ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
- ½ cup rolled oats dried, not instant
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- To 450F degrees.
- Saute onion, pepper, garlic, and mushrooms until soft and most of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. This should take about 10 minutes on medium heat.
- Pulse 1/4 can of black beans in a food processor until smooth. You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water to get the beans moving in the food processor. Rough chop the rest of the beans.
- In a large bowl, add onion mixture, black beans (both blended and chopped), brown rice, oats, cheese, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- Divide the bean mixture into 6 equal sized patties. I like to use my large disher scoop for this!
- Cook on a baking sheet in a 450F degree oven for 7 minutes; flip burgers and cook for another 8 minutes.
- These burgers are best if they cool in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight is better!) before reheating & eating. Reheat in the microwave for 2 3 minutes; or in a 400F degree oven for about 10 minutes. If you can't wait, they will taste great without the rest however the texture will be slightly soft.
- Serve with your favorite burger toppings. Since this has a bit of Southwestern flair, avocado or guacamole make great topping options.
Notes
- I like cooking brown rice in my Instant Pot because it’s much quicker (about 20 minutes vs. 60!) You can also substitute any cooked whole grain for the brown rice. Wheat berries, farro, and barley would all work here!
- Make these vegan by substituting the cheese for vegan cheese. Or leave it out all together. It’s mainly there for extra flavor!
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