BEST BLACK BEAN BURGER

Tastes Better From Scratch

Makes  4 or 5 patties

Ingredients

For the Burger:

• 15 ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic , peeled
• 1 large egg , beaten (*see note below)
• 2/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs (or crushed tortilla chips)
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste

For the Chipotle Mayo Sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• hamburger buns
• desired burger toppings: lettuce, tomato, etc.

Instructions

To make the Burger:

1. Place rinsed and drained black beans in a bowl. If needed, blot them with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture. Place in a large bowl and mash well with a fork.
2. Place the bell pepper, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced. 
3. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh strainer to remove the excess water. (Remove as much moisture as you can--if it's too wet, the burger wont hold together as well.)
4. Add the strained vegetable mixture to the bowl with the black beans.  Add the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper and stir to combine. 
5. Add beaten egg and mix. Stir in bread crumbs. Form mixture into 4 or 5 patties.

At this point you can choose to:

1. Grill the burgers on a well oiled grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side.
2. Bake them at 375 degrees F on a lightly oiled baking sheet, for 10 minutes on each side.
3. Cook them on your stove using a grill pan, for 4-5 minutes on each side.
4. Refrigerate them for later.
5. Freeze them, covered, in a freezer ziplock bag for a quick weeknight dinner in the future.

For the Chipotle Mayo Sauce:

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Serve burgers on a white or whole wheat bun topped with a spoonful of chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, or any other desired toppings!  Enjoy!
3. Serve with one of these healthy side dishes!

SOME TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

1. AFTER CHOPPING THE BELL PEPPER AND ONION, STRAIN THE MIXTURE REALLY WELL.

Removing that extra liquid will keep the burger from falling apart. Once you add the egg and breadcrumbs they will bind together really well.

2. IF YOU DECIDE TO GRILL THEM, MAKE SURE YOUR GRILL IS WELL GREASED.

We don’t want them to stick the grill when you try to flip them. You could use cooking spray, or oil your grill with a brush.

3. YOU CAN MAKE THESE BURGERS IN ADVANCE IF YOU WANT A STRESS-FREE DINNER.

Make them and cover them well in the fridge before baking. They also freeze really well! I lay them flat inside a ziplock freezer bag. Place a piece of parchment paper between them if you stack them.

When you’re ready to grill them you can cook them from frozen or let them come to room temperature in your fridge.

4. THE TEXTURE OF THESE BURGERS IS A LITTLE SOFTER THAN A REGULAR BURGER, WHICH CAN BE EXPECTED SINCE IT’S MADE WITH BLACK BEANS, BUT IT’S TOTALLY AMAZING!

Pile on the homemade chipotle mayo sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and avocados and you’ll be in healthyburger heaven!