Black Bean Burgers

[hopfrog]

I have made these many times over the last 6 months. They taste great and are easy to make.  At the start of the week, I make the recipe up and then leave the unformed patties in the refrigerator.  That way my husband or I can quickly form one or two burgers to make for lunch or dinner throughout the week.  We have also had luck baking these instead of frying for an oil-free version, although this ends up with a slightly drier burger (although still delicious).  Just a tip for those of us who aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty: instead of mashing the beans with a fork, mix them in with the other ingredients and mash/squeeze the entire mixture with your hands. I find that this is a much easier way to get a cohesive burger. 

[Karenttrouble]

I'm eating one now!  Yum!
It doesn't seem like they cook enough in the middle if you make them thick enough to not fall apart.  I think i'll try a baking/frying combination next time.  Also, I added about 1c of corn.

[dollhead]

Is there a substitute for the Oats? I am Celiac and have been searching for a great gluten free 'burger' for some time now and this sound like it could be the ticket.

[Sisse]

Dollhead: I guess you could use breadcrumbs. When I make burgers I use soyflour and there's no gluten in that. I guess the oats are so the burgers will stick together. You might not get the same texture, but I'm sure they'll be fine anyway 

[nubbyknowhow]

When I made black bean burgers I made some polenta bread crumbs.  I prepare the polenta in a sauce pan and stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and little chili flake, then I pour the polenta onto a cookie sheet, let it cool for about ten to fifteen minutes.  I then cut the polenta into squares and spread them about an inch apart and bake at 350 for close to an hour.  After the squares are browned I let them cool again and put them in my food processor.  They add great texture and flavor to the burgers, and although they are a bit tedious, it's worth the time.  I also served my burgers with a homemade chipotle mayo that I made by blending some firm tofu, rice vinegar, onion powder, tamari, and chipoltle, with a dash of cumin.  It was a nice creamy texture with these awesome burgers.

[skunkxbunny]

I'm so glad i stumbled on this recipe it is so delicious and it saves my boyfriend and i so much money! I added some chili peppers and spicy garlic hot sauce to make the burgers more spicy and it worked out great this recipe is amazing!

[SilentCricket]

Oh wow, this sounds incredible! Could definitely replace those Boca burgers.  Just one question, and please forgive me if it's really stupid - could I bake these somehow? I'm really trying not to fry anymore...

[taneika]

these are good, much better if baked...i don't like to fry things and they turned out just fine baking them!!!

[veggeroni]

I didn't bake or fry them - I cooked them on my Cuisinart Griller (similar to a Foreman grill) without any added oil or spray and they came out PERFECT! Nice crispy crust on the outside. These are so amazingly delicious. I will NEVER eat another frozen burger again!  But it makes a TON! It really does serve 8 as the recipe states so next time I will halve it.

[vubula]

These were AMAZING!  I've been looking for a home cooked substitute to the black bean burger they serve at one of my fave restaurants and this one not only fit the bill, but was even BETTER!

I tossed some BBQ sauce in a couple and that turned out well, but my REAL find was crumbling one up and using it as a pizza topping with spinach and nutritional yeast!  (Next time I'll add avocado!)

I've also been having the plain patty with breakfast along with scrambled tofu or breakfast potatoes. 

Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe!

[LettuceConverse]

if i was going to bake them how long would you suggest and at what temperature?

[Cephi]

I second LettuceConverse's question... can anyone offer details on baking these?

[deuceO]

Very good!  I added a little more cilantro (just because I love it)  And I topped the burger off with lettuce and some tofutti better than sour cream mixed with a salsa and a little hot sauce.  Excellent!   I did cut this recipe down to 1/3.  I still had enough to make 4 burgers, perfect for 2 people.

[a_flat]

tried making these last night as a last minute dinner. i cut the recipe by 1/3 since i'm the only person who likes beans in my house. i also didn't have enough cash to buy fresh herbs, so i substituted two teaspoons of dried italian seasoning (oregano, basil, and something else). i also added some liquid smoke and nutritional yeast to the mix to give it a twist. i only cooked one patty from the batch at that time and had to increase the cooking time to a little over 20 minutes to get it dry enough to work with. overall, this was a super easy and great tasting recipe.