simple black bean burgers

A simple post for a simple recipe.

I was in a pinch to make dinner last night with a fairly empty kitchen.  I didn’t just want to throw together scraps and call it a meal.  Sometimes that totally works and is nice and easy but it’s been happening a bit too frequently.  I wanted a meal, instead of 4-5 disjointed foods cooked separately + thrown on a plate.

Veggie burgers are about the greatest thing ever.  I almost always have the ingredients on hand that it takes to make a batch of burgers.

It’s not that other burger recipes are too involved, it’s just that this recipe is less involved.

No food processor.

No cooking quinoa, millet, or potatoes to bulk them up and add texture.

No eggs or breadcrumbs for binding.

But not to worry, they have one of my favorite veggie burger textures ever and are easily packed into patty form.

You’ll need a fork, a bowl, a pan, and the ingredients you see below.  To help bind this burger together I used a surprise ingredient.  Almond butter!  It worked like a charm.

Print this!

Simple Smoky Black Bean Burgers 

vegan, gluten-free // yields 6 patties

revised 2/21/2013

• 1 3/4 cups black beans, rinsed + drained
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup roasted corn
• 4-6 tablespoons partially ground [gluten free] oats
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons almond butter or tahini
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne [optional]
• 1-2 tablespoon oil for cooking

1. In a small pan over medium-high heat add 1 tsp of oil and once hot add your corn [fresh or frozen].
2. Cook for 5-7 minutes until golden brown, stirring every minute or so.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl combine the black beans and almond butter and mash with a fork until about 2/3 of the beans are mashed. 
4. Add in the onion, corn, seeds, garlic, and all of the spices.  Gently mix until combined.
5. Add in the partially ground oats and mix gently to combine.  Avoid mashing and over-mixing.
6. At this point the mixture should form a sticky dough that can be formed between your palms into patties.  Compact into a ball and then carefully flatten in between your palms, cupping/pressing the edges until a firm patty is formed.
7. Place a large pan or flat griddle over medium heat with 1-2 Tbsp oil. 
8. Form the mixture into 6 medium patties, about 3/4 – 1” thick.  Tightly packed.
9. Place them in the pan [avoiding overcrowding] and cook for 5-7 minutes per side until golden brown.  Make sure your heat is not above medium and possibly even a touch below.  You may need to cook them in two batches.  If they’re placed too tightly together it makes them hard to flip.
10. Flip carefully and cook on the other side for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
11. Serve with your favorite salsa, cheese, avocado, and/or the topping below.

notes:  It’s important that the onion is finely diced to avoid large pieces that won’t hold well in the burger.  To partially grind oats, place rolled oats [certified GF if needed] in a food processor, blender, coffee grinder, magic bullet, etc. and grind them about half-way to flour.  If your burgers are not holding together try mashing the mixture more and/or adding 1 more tablespoon of almond butter or tahini.

Tomato Corn Pepper Topping

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup corn
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1.5 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• pinch of salt + pepper

1. Set a medium size pan over medium heat with the oil.
2. Once hot cook the pepper for 2-3 minutes, then add the corn and cook for another 5-7 minutes until starting to brown.  Stir frequently.
3. Add the tomatoes, smoked paprika, salt + pepper and cook for about 3 minutes until some of the tomato liquid cooks off.
4. Serve on top of burgers.

…

The easiest and possibly best tasting veggie burger in my lineup. 

As always, I recommend doubling the recipe for quick + easy leftovers.

Enjoy!

Ashley

grilled cauliflower steaks with roasted red pepper sauce, polenta, and greens

I’ve had a gas range for over a year now.

Why is this the first time I’ve roasted a red pepper???

Ridiculous!

It’s just too easy.

Too delicious.

And oh so pretty.

The only other thing I like this charred are marshmallows.

Another first…grilled cauliflower!

This recipe idea came from our new favorite restaurant in town, Restaurant 415.  It’s a small but fun and flavorful menu.  They feature a diverse selection of tapas and a small but excellent list of entrees. 

If you were curious about the cauliflower steak, it’s simply a 1 inch slab of cauliflower cut from the whole head.  The kind of annoying thing is that you only get 2-3 “steaks” per head, but not to worry as you can grill up the loose cauliflower as well.

Simply wrap the remaining cauliflower in foil and grill it up.  The texture ends up being a combination between grilled + steamed.  Either way you can’t go wrong. 

As I move through each photo, I’m excited for every part of this meal.  First thinking the cauliflower was my favorite and then remembering the red pepper sauce that I was slurping up with a spoon.  But then, what about the creamy polenta which I have an undying love for!?!? 

I don’t want to choose, and I don’t want you too either.

So just make it all at once.

How have I not made polenta before?  It was…too easy.

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Polenta, and Greens 

vegan, gluten-free // serves 2-4

Grilled Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1-2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• salt
• pepper

1. Preheat your grill to about 350 degrees.
2. Wash the cauliflower and starting from the outside start slicing about 3/4-1” thick slabs down through the stem.  At first the florets will fall of the stem but once you get into the middle section you should get 2-3 full slabs.  If it falls apart on you, not to worry!  Make sure to cut any of the leafy greens off of the stem.
3. Lightly coat the steaks with oil and season both sides with salt + pepper.
4. For any of the cauliflower that fell apart, coat as specified above and then wrap tightly 1-2 sheets of foil.  Place the slabs and/or the foil pack on the grill for about 5 minutes.
5. Flip once and cook for another 5 minutes.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• 2 red peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons diced tomatoes [opt]

1. Over medium heat on a gas range place your washed + dried pepper on its side on the grate.
2. Heat each pepper for about 3-5 minutes per side [about 4 sides] until charred.  Watch your pepper and stove very closely the entire time!  If you don’t have a gas burner, you can roast your peppers in the oven instead, but keeping the skins on.
3. Let the peppers cool and then cut around the stem in a circular fashion and pull the top off with the stem and seeds.
4. Remove other seeds in the pepper, trying to retain the juice inside.
5. Place the peppers, oil, garlic, salt + pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
6. Taste + add more salt if needed.  If the mixture doesn’t smooth out blend in 1Tbsp at a time of diced tomatoes [canned or fresh] until smooth.
7. Heat the sauce over med-low heat and bring to a light simmer until ready to serve.  Stir as needed.

Sautéed Greens

• 1 large bunch of spinach/kale/collards/chard/etc.
• 1/2 tablespoon butter

1. Heat a pan to medium heat and once hot add the butter.
2. Once melted, add in the greens [stems removed] and cook until wilted, stirring often.  About 4-7 minutes.
3. Season with a small amount of salt + pepper after the dish is compiled if desired.

Creamy Polenta

• 1 cup polenta grits
• 3 – 3.5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. In a medium sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to boil, add the salt, then add in the polenta and stir.
2. Cover + reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed [check your package directions for a possible cook-time difference].  Add more water to smooth out if needed.
3. Stir in the butter and serve immediately. 

notes:  Cook the polenta last so it’s creamy and ready to serve when everything is complete.  Spread the polenta, then add the spinach, then the cauliflower, and then smother everything in the red pepper sauce.  This meal is very easily made vegan by subbing a vegan spread in place of butter.

I promise the cooking process isn’t as crazy as it looks.  At the very least, roast some red peppers and try making the sauce.  Or, just make + scarf down the grilled cauliflower.  Or, make a pot of creamy polenta and stuff yourself silly. 

Or, just make it all. 

Ashley