Black Bean Burgers
★★★★★
PREP TIME
25 minutes
COOK TIME
10 minutes
MAKES
4 smaller (3-ounce) burgers, or 3 larger (4-ounce) burgers
Ingredients
1
(15.5-ounce) can black beans
2/3 cup
quick oats
1
large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon
mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon
hot sauce
1 teaspoon
chili powder
1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon
smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
1/2
red onion
2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
3 to 4
slices cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Drain the beans and spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, giving them a shake about halfway through.
- While the beans are in the oven, put the quick oats into a small bowl and use your hands to break them down a bit further. Add the egg, Worcestershire, mayo, and hot sauce. Stir and set aside to let the oats soak up some of that moisture.
- Turn your attention to the onion: Finely dice about a quarter of the onion, or 2 tablespoons worth. If you wish, you can slice some of the remaining onion to use as a topping for your burger.
- Once the beans are out of the oven, transfer them to a large bowl. Sprinkle them with the chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Mash with a fork, making sure to leave the mixture a little chunky. Add the oat mixture to the beans, and stir to incorporate. Once everything is pretty well combined, gently stir in the diced onion.
- To form the patties, you can use a 1/3 cup measure to make four equal portions. These smaller, 3 ounce burgers are the perfect fit for an English muffin (my preferred lunch size portion). If you are craving a bigger burger, use a 1/2 cup measure for the standard quarter-pound patty. Either way, using wet hands to form the patties helps.
- While these black bean burgers were designed to hold up well on a grill, the skillet method is foolproof. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook the first side for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom is browned and has formed a nice crust. Flip the patties over, lay a slice of cheese on top (optional, though highly recommended) and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet and rest on a towel-lined plate to blot any excess oil.
- Sandwich between your bun of choice, with any toppings you'd like.
