If you read my homemade burger bun post, you were probably expecting this recipe. After all, these black bean burgers were the reason I made the buns in the first place. I love black bean burgers, so when I found this recipe I knew I had to give it a try. And I also love recipes that call for ingredients I always have on hand. =) These burgers have a delicious flavor. This isn’t a black bean burger trying to be a hamburger – it’s a really good black bean burger. You know what I mean? I’ve grown to love cumin and cilantro, but if you don’t like cilantro you could substitute parsley instead. These burgers are not as firm as a beef burger, so I’m not sure how they would hold up on the grill. My guess is that they’d fall apart when you tried to flip them, but you could cook them in the skillet and then just let them keep warm on the grill. I think next time I may make the burgers into sliders – like I’ve said before, everything is cuter in miniature form! =) Enjoy!
Black Bean Burgers
3/4 cup panko
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 large eggs
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the panko with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Place 2½ cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the oil, cumin, salt and cayenne. Whisk to blend. Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, the remaining 1/2 cup beans, bell pepper, and cilantro to the bowl with the mashed beans. Stir together until evenly combined.
4. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 cup each. Lightly pack into 1-inch thick patties. (At this point the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.)
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm on Homemade Burger Buns. Yield: 6 burgers
*from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
