Black Bean Burger

Black Bean Burger (from AllRecipes, Total Time: 35 min., Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         ½ green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

·         ½ onion, finely chopped

·         3 cloves garlic, peeled

·         1 egg

·         1 Tbsp. chili powder

·         1 Tbsp. cumin

·         1 tsp. Thai chili sauce or hot sauce

·         ½ cup bread crumbs

Directions

1.       If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly oil a baking sheet.

2.       In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.

3.       In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.

4.       In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.

5.       Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.

6.       If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

These veggie burgers are awesome!  They were soft with a slight crunch from baking them in the oven.  I followed the directions exactly – well, maybe I added heaping Tablespoons of chili powder and cumin, but that’s the only change.  I made about 9 small patties. 

The first time I ate them, I added some Mexican cheese on top and salsa on the side.  There was definitely no need for salsa, the burgers have a nice kick to them.  But not too spicy for my husband!  I also had them as leftovers, and they re-heat well.