June 17, 2012

Black Bean Burgers

Summer is Grilling Season!

Now that Father’s Day is here , many Dads will be spending many a summer evening with a cold beverage in front of a hot grill. Instead of having Dad (or whoever) grill up your “normal burgers” for your next BBQ or July 4th – why not whip up these delicious black bean burgers?

A few weeks ago we went out with some friends to an adorable little pub and I ordered a Vegetarian Black Bean Burger with a Guacamole Topping. It was just so delicious and strengthened my craving for these beauties even more! These burgers have enough “meaty-ness” to them that they will not only make any vegetarians around you thrilled but also keep those meat-eaters in your life more than satisfied! In actuality, Rich who normally eats two burgers was struggling to eat the unfinished parts of my burger after he had his first because they were just so filling. I can’t wait to try making these for my dad (who needs an “animal protein” in every dinner, unless it is pizza) but I think that these would even pass his test.

Get that grill heated up, and make some Healthy Happy Beautiful Black Bean Burgers (the cows will thank you)

Black Bean Burgers

Author: Eat-Live-Run & Rachel (teacher-chef)

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

approx. 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T ground flax + 3 T water/salsa liquid
1 jalapeno
2 – 4 cloves garlic
2 T tomato sauce
(at least) 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 + tsp cumin
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen and defrosted) – optional
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Instructions

Seed and roughly chop jalapeno (or just use a super thick salsa – you will need to add more breadcrumbs later if you don’t have a jalapeno and add extra liquid from the salsa though). Add it and the garlic cloves to a food processor (or high speed blender) and mince finely. Add one can of beans to the jalapeno/garlic mixture and pulse to combine. Add cumin and salt and pulse until mixture resembles chunky black bean dip Add about 1/2 of the remaining black beans and 1/2 of the corn to give them a rough chop as well.
In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax and water. Let sit for five minutes. Transfer the mixture in the food processor to a large bowl, beat your egg and stir in the bread crumbs, tomato sauce, flax, onion, and corn. Stir well until everything is combined and the right texture – adjust bread crumbs/liquids as needed (you know the texture that you need for burgers to stay together – right? good). Add remaining black beans.
Form into about 8 patties (mine were a little thick – be careful). Get your grill nice and warm (a good medium heat) and place those burgers on the grill. You are going to want to do these about 5 minute per side, and then flip them every few minutes after that (as Rich said “until they were just past a nice golden-brown). – you might need these on the grill for about 20 minutes – play it by ear/taste/whatever.