Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

I’ve always wanted to know how to make veggie burgers.  But…they’re not made from meat…but rather, beans and vegetables.  Herein lies my culinary dilemma: how does one make patties that stick together without natural fats and well, animal protein? I mean, I like Morningstar Farm Black Bean Burgers as much as the next veggie-fan, but I swear this company has used some crazy magic juju to get their patties to stick together so nicely.  Perhaps they have sacrificed some vegetable to the cooking gods….

And, as many vegetarians or vegans may know, veggie burgers can be really difficult to make with the wrong recipe for this very reason–how do we get the patties to stick together? Turns out, with the right recipe and a combination of mashed beans and whole ones, this dilemma naturally resolves itself.

Try the below black bean veggie burger recipe from Epicurious.com.  It’s easy, quick, clearly delicious, and you won’t have to sacrifice an asparagus to get your burgers to stick together.

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Out of the countless variations of black bean veggie burgers available online, I find this recipe to be the best one: Epicurious’s Black-Bean Burgers (the original can be found here).  Part of the benefits of this recipe are the flavors–using many of the ingredients one might add to hummus, this bean and seasoning combination is ideal; however, feel free to play around with seasonings according to your taste preferences.

Ingredients:

* 2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained

* 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

* 1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs

* 2 teaspoons ground cumin

* 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

* 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

* 4 soft hamburger buns (try the Light Brioche Buns at Smitten Kitchen)

1.) Add 1 can of drained black beans to a food processor and pulse with mayonnaise, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until a puree (that’s somewhat coarse) forms.

2.) Add puree mixture to a bowl with remaining can of beans and cilantro.  Mix to combine.

3.) Form four patties and cook either on a grill, or skillet.  Burgers will be done when the outside are crisp and slightly brown.  Transfer to buns and serve with cheese, fresh vegetables, and toppings.  Enjoy! Makes 4.

Google+