Black Bean Burgers That Hold Together

Ingredients

• 2 cans Black beans, canned no-salt-added, drained and rinsed
• 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 Yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 Chipotles in adobo, minced
• ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Eggs (large), beaten
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 6 Whole wheat burger buns
• 1 Avocado, sliced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• ½ Red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cups Romaine lettuce, leaves
• ⅜ cup Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 6 slices Dill pickles (optional)

Method

1. Spread the rinsed beans on a sheet pan and roast at 350°F for 15 minutes until the skins split and they look dry. This is the step everyone skips and it is why their burgers are mush.
2. Meanwhile cook the mushrooms and onion in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high, 10 minutes, until browned and dry. Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle for 1 minute.
3. Pulse two thirds of the beans in a processor to a coarse paste — not smooth. Mix with the whole beans, the mushroom mixture, panko, egg and salt.
4. Form 6 patties, pressing a shallow dimple into the centre of each so they cook flat. Chill at least 30 minutes; this is not optional.
5. Grill over medium-hot, oiled grates 4-5 minutes a side without moving them, or sear in a skillet in the last tablespoon of oil.
6. Build on toasted buns with yogurt thinned with lime, avocado, tomato, red onion, lettuce and pickles.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Toast the buns cut-side down on the grill for 30 seconds. An untoasted bun goes soggy before the second bite.

🧒 For the kids

Make a few slider-sized patties. Small food is more persuasive than a burger a kid can't get their mouth around.

🌿 From the garden

Tomatoes, lettuce and red onion straight from the beds in August.

🥡 Leftovers

Cooked patties keep 4 days. Uncooked patties freeze 3 months between parchment — cook from frozen, adding 3 minutes a side.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.