Spicy as You Want Them Black Bean Burgers

I decided to make black bean burgers from scratch. I enjoy the Gardein gluten free, vegan black bean burgers that I have purchased at the grocery store. Since we are trying to stay at home as much as possible, I decided to make my own using the dry black beans I had in the house. I started with two cups of dry black beans and added 4 cups of water and 1 vegetable broth cube to the water. I let the beans soak for the rest of a day and over night. The next day I drained the beans then added them to a pot, added another vegetable broth cube, added water and cooked until most of the beans were tender.

Black Bean Burgers are Easy To Make

Yes, this would be SUPER SIMPLE if you used canned beans. Once the beans are ready, the meal can be ready in no time. The burgers cook relatively quickly and can be served with ketchup and mustard, hummus, or other condiments of choice. The burgers have a good texture and the meal is filling. Make them as spicy as you wish. Make them as big or small as you wish. Make the recipe to meet your needs.

 

 

Ingredients

2 cups black beans (dry) or 2 cans of black beans (drained/rinsed)
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 onion chopped (or one small onion)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ketchup (or sriracha)
2 tbsp Tamari - gluten free soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup gluten free oats
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
(add more  oats/bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet)
NOTE: Increase/decrease spice ratio to change the heat factor to what you prefer.

 

Instructions:

• Add everything but the oats/bred crumbs to a food processor/VitaMix
• NOTE: I tend to pulse to create a smooth yet chunky mixture. You could always reserve 1/2 cup beans to fold in at the end to create the chunky full bean texture in a few bites. 
• Add the bread crumbs/oats slowly so that you do not add too much. You want to thicken the burger without drying it out completely. Add more than suggested or less depending on the moisture content of the beans. 
• Make into patties (size of choice), add a little olive oil to a pan, and fry
• I flattened and flipped after about 10 minutes 
• Serve with condiments/vegetables of choice on your bun and add side dishes of choice. 

Note: My picture is of the burgers as I ran out of buns and used bread...when COVID19 stay at home orders are lifted and stores have more product, I will have gluten free burger buns again!

Walnut Seed Burgers

I decided to make a vegan burger combining elements of different vegetable burgers I have eaten. The recipe is a blank canvas that can be customized each time something is made. The base is 2 cups of vegetables, 1 cup of walnuts, and 1 cup of TVP.

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato (relatively large - 2 cups once cooked)
• 1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• 1 cup walnuts 
• 1 cup of seeds (I used a mixture of pepitas, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds) 
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• gluten free panko bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for the pan

Instructions:

• Start by roasting one sweet potato then letting it cool (I made this a day in advance).
• In a Vitamix, blended 1 cup of walnuts until they broke apart into small pieces 
• Add the walnuts to a mixing bowl and combine TVP, seeds, and spices.
• (Once the potato cools, add it (2 cups) to the Vitamix with 4 cloves of garlic.)
• Add the vegetable mixture to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.
• Combine ingredients and form into patties. Let rest in the refrigerator for an hour for best results (so they do not fall apart).
• Before cooking, place about 1 cup of gluten free panko crumbs on a plate. Coat both sides of the walnut burger patty with the panko.
• Preheat the oven to 350
• Add the patties to a pan of oil and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. 
• Transfer to a foil lined baking sheet (I use non-stick aluminum foil) and bake for 30 minutes 
• Serve warm or store in an airtight container for a few days. 

NOTE: This recipe makes about 6 palm size burgers

Serving suggestions:

• Top with roasted vegetables or arugula
• Top with hummus
• Top with ketchup and mustard

Pictured here: Gluten Free Udi's Hamburger Bun.