Baked Black Bean Burgers

You may think you do not need another black bean burger recipe but I tend to disagree with you. And if I am right, you’re reading this because you’re intrigued about how my black bean recipe is going to change your life.

OK, I admit, that is a bit of a stretch! But these are flavor-packed patties with a jalapeño kick that are crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. Most black bean burgers are mushy or fall apart when flipped. NOT THESE!

I use buckwheat flour for the dry binder and I also enhanced the flavor of these burgers with fresh herbs, spices, and a jalapeño to give them a Southwestern flare and a slight kick. And finally to keep these vegan, instead of using an egg, I used the liquid from the beans. The black bean liquid not only helped hold the beans together, but it also gave them considerably more flavor.

Remember to drain and dry the beans. This also helps control the over all moisture in the beans. Be sure to get down & dirty and be firm with your hands when forming them into patties!

These are just as delicious cold as they are hot. I like to wrap them up falafel-style in lettuce cups or as a wrap with hummus or my famous guacamole.

My husband loves them sandwiched between a big grain free bun with all his favorite condiments. These would be great paired with my sweet potato fries or even this hearty potato salad.

I like to use black beans for this recipe because they mash up easily and I like the color of them but any bean would work. If you’re like me, you may want to cook a big batch of these and freeze them. Why..so when you’re hungry for one of these bad boys, just pop them in the oven to bake.

There you go…a quick and convenient dinner or lunch. I love these before or after a lone run because unlike a big fat greasy burger, these don’t weigh you down. It’s another plant based meal you’re going to love!

BAKED BLACK BEAN BURGERS

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons of Ghee or butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 cans (15 ounce) of drained black bean or homemade (reserve 6 tablespoons of bean liquid)
2 tablespoons of buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
6 ounces of sun-dried tomatoes chopped
a handful of fresh cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon of jalapeño chopped
sea salt and black pepper
feta (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels and spread beans over towels and let sit for 15 minutes.
Whisk the reserved bean liquid and flour in a large bowl until well combined and smooth.
Heat the ghee in a sauté pan and add onion and cook till soft but not brown. Add garlic and cook a few minutes before adding your beans. Mash beans roughly to let moisture escape into the pan. Turn off heat.
Stir in cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh cilantro and if using, feta.
Transfer bean mixture to bowl with flour mixture and mix until well combined.
Form the mixture into 8 patties and lay them on a parchment lined baking tray.
Bake them about 50 minutes at 350°F, turning them over half way through the cooking time.

[reminder]Are you a veggie burger fan? or do you prefer grass fed beef like my husband?[/reminder]