10-Step Black Bean Burger
As a long-time vegetarian I have explored the many meat alternatives available in grocery store aisles. I like a good number of them for their flavor, but always have some concern about the contents of what I am eating. For instance, the fake soy bacon I consume many mornings is not something I would consider legitimate food. The main ingredient is egg whites followed closely by soybean oil with TBHQ and textured soybean protein concentrate. Tasty? Sure! Wholesome? Mmmm.. not so much. To this end, I’ve been looking for a good, homemade burger recipe so that I can have more control over the ingredients and processing. This 10-Step Black Bean Burger is the answer.
It’s fast and requires few ingredients- a bonus in my book, as many vegetarian recipes out there involve strange and esoteric ingredients or assume you’ve got things like coconut sugar lying around the house. I took all of that out and used only things an average kitchen will have or things that can be bought at a neighborhood supermarket.
In fact, my husband and I made these for the 4th of July and discovered the only ingredient we didn’t already have in our pantry was canned black beans. This recipe is: easy to shop for, easy to make, and easy to clean up. Definitely easy to eat!
To involve your little ones: Kiddos can help mash the beans, mix all the ingredients, and shape the patties with a little guidance! This is a GREAT recipe for sensory exploration as it’s vegan and involves ingredients with many textures! Do note that the grilling of these should be an adults-only job.
10-Step Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 15 ounces black beans *check to make sure they are vegetarian
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs *can substitute a gluten-free option here
- 1 teaspoon each: paprika, cumin, and bold taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon each: salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3-4 tablespoons BBQ sauce *we use Sweet Baby Ray’s
Instructions
Step 1
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Cook the rice according to package instructions.
Step 2
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Rinse the black beans well and mash them thoroughly with a slotted spoon in a large bowl.
Step 3
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Dice white onion. Pan fry with 1 tablespoon of oil for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 4
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In a small bowl, mix the panko with the spices.
Step 5
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Add 1 cup of the rice to the beans and mix together. Then stir in the onions and panko mixture.
Step 6
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Add in the honey and BBQ sauce. Check the texture. You want a moist, but thick mixture. You can adjust the texture by adding more BBQ sauce or panko accordingly.
Step 7
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Form patties using a hamburger press or by hand with plastic wrap. We were able to make 4 patties that were about 5 ounces each.
Step 8
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Brush a grill or skillet with oil. Cook patties for 3-4 minutes per side, covered if on the grill. Pack the patty with a spatula on the grill for better grill marks. For a crispier crust, leave on a bit longer (will result in less discernible grill marks).
Step 9
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Dress burger with bun and preferred toppings.
Step 10
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Enjoy! 🙂 [Yes, that is the 10th step!]
Recipe Notes
Wrap grilled burgers in plastic and seal to freeze. They will keep for up to 6 months. Thaw and reheat in oven.
BONUS DISH: Our toddlers were hating on veggie burgers for awhile so we reheated these, covered in ketchup, served them bun-less, and called it meatloaf. They were a hit!
