Wow guys, wow, has it been some time. If you've seen my instagram this past week, then you know that there's been a little bit of a reason why I've been so distant off the internet. Spoiler alert: ITS A BABY! Frank and I are expecting our first "little squirrel" as we're lovingly calling him/her this July. Needless to say, while exciting, beautiful and amazing of a time in our lives, first trimester did NOT help me keep up with the blog when all I was eating was bagels and saltines. Now that the cats out of the bag, I hope to get back to recipe creation, blogging and being my all around sarcastic self on the web.
The last few weeks we've been talking about making a black bean burger, and while I've made various veggie burgers in the past, it'd been some time since I had done a black bean version. While my taste buds are coming back to enjoying things other than straight carbohydrates, I thought this might be a time to get creative with something simple. After perusing the internet for some inspo, I had originally landed on another recipe that I had just planned to make. But luck would have it that I was missing a good majority of the ingredients (because if you didn't know most veggie burger recipes have an insanely long list of ingredients) and I decided it was more work to head to the store than to just rework and create my own recipe.
The result? Frank thought that I had followed someone else's recipe because they turned out SO GOOD.
Most veggie burgers I've had or made in the past really are dry, crumbly and lack in flavor. The beauty of this recipe is that they not only can be prepped and kept in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal, but also they wold be perfect for grilling - which I think would amplify the flavors. Slightly southwest, these look (and taste) more like a real burger than some I've had out in a restaurant. The best part about these? Less than 10 ingredients, less than 10 minutes to prep, vegan and could totally be made gluten free. Lets get at it.
These are most easily made in a food processor, so I highly recommend using that, although you could finely chop and mash all together if you're without one.
Throw a roughly chopped 1/2 of a small to medium onion and mushrooms (whichever kind you like) into the food processor. Blend for a minute to break down into much smaller pieces. The rest? Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth - maybe 1-2 minutes. It'll form a stiff paste, and shouldn't be too wet. If you find yours is too wet add a little more breadcrumbs.
Once blended, form into patties - I was able to get about 5 normal sized patties out of this batch. Place on a piece of parchment on a plate or pan and hen place into the freezer for at least 2 hours. You'll want them firm all the way through before cooking.
Freezing them helps them hold together - and also allows them to be more firm if you plan to grill. (Just think, you throw Bubba burgers right on the grill out of the freezer, and they come out amazing every time.)
If you plan to cook in the oven, bake at 425 for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They will get golden and browned on each side.
We served ours on salads and in wraps and I highly recommend slicing avocado, or a little ranch dressing on these - the flavors go together just perfectly.
How do you like your burger best? Let me know in the comments below.
Vegan Black Bean Burger
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 of a small or medium onion, roughly chopped
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
Directions
Roughly chop onion and mushrooms and place in food processor. Pulse until chopped finely.
Add in remaining ingredients into food processor. Blend 1-2 minutes until smooth. Batter should be smooth but not too wet or sticky. If it is, add in a a few more tablespoons of bread crumbs.
Form into patties - should get about 5 out of this batch. Place on a piece of parchment on a plate or pan and place into freezer for at least 2 hours.
When ready to cook: bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Both sides should be golden and brown. If grilling, place on medium heat and flip when browned, should only be a few minutes.
Serve with a salad, in a sandwich or a wrap and top with your favorites.
xx
Rita