Smokey Black Bean Burgers
Welcome to family, Smokey Black Bean Burgers!
This was my very first attempt at burger making, of any kind. I’ve never even made traditional beef burgers! It’s not that I don’t love a good burger, I totally do, it’s just that it seems to be reserved for a kind of treat meal at restaurant. You know, grilled properly with some fries and mayo or dipping. I love that sort of thing for an indulgence and tend to stick to the healthier meals at home.
I’ve heard a lot of people having great success using black beans as a base for a burger and since canned beans (the BPA free variety) were on sale at my local grocery, I felt it was high time I jumped in the burger pool. You should join me! The water’s warm. 😉
I was blown away at how much I enjoyed these burgers. First off, they were very easy to throw together, especially if you cheat like I do and use canned beans.
Secondly, I think that what you surround your burger with is going to add generously to your experience. I used a fresh ciabbatta loaf from our neighbourhood bakery as the ‘buns’ which was so fresh with a crusty top and soft centre. Mustard, ketchup, cheese, onion, and lettuce were the perfect co-stars. You could slice up some tomatoes too. I did for the photos to get a nice pop of red colour, but I would be a fraud if I said I ate them.
Have I confessed my total aversion to raw tomatoes here on The Honour System yet? Well, its’ true. I absolutely detest raw tomatoes. Gag. But you guys, do you. 😉 If you like ’em, throw ’em on your burger.
And the third delicious component was using liquid smoke to mimic that BBQ flavour. We live in a building where BBQ’s are prohibited, so this liquid smoke is the next best thing. Only use a bit though! It’s very potent. I’ve used it things like Smokey Roasted Almonds and Coconut Bacon <– which would taste great on these Smokey Black Bean Burgers now that I think of it! If you don’t have any liquid smoke, no worries. Hot sauce would work too to give it some kick.
If you haven’t yet, give this meatless alternative a try.
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Smokey Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 398 ml. cans black beans drained but not rinsed
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated onion
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
- sea salt & fresh pepper to taste
- olive oil and/or butter for frying
- burger buns and toppings like lettuce onion, pickle, cheese, mustard, mayo, tomato
Instructions
- Add the drained but not rinsed black beans to a large mixing bowl an d using a potato masher, mash up the beans well, but still leave a few full pieces visible
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix until fully combined. Set the mixture aside to rest for five minutes
- Form patties that are a little smaller than your bun size. They will not shrink when you cook them. I made 8 medium sized patties
- Heat a tbsp. of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Once the skillet is hot place your patties in the oil. I fit four at a time in my skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes per side
- Serve immediately on buns with toppings of choice
I did these for my 3 children and I a few weeks ago. They haven’t stopped raving about how good they were. Maybe the key was to cook dinner late so they were really hungry (NO!) Any way this recipe is super easy and quick. The key is make them exactly the size (or a little smaller) of your bun and don’t make them too thick. Fry them in a pan with a few tablespoons of EVOO and they get nice and crisp on the outside.
Great news! Thanks so much for the comment. I love when the kids are happy. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
Thank you for your great article.
In fact many carnivores prefer vegan venues, as i found out on this article :
Anybody likes vegan burgers ?
looks delish.I will have to try this on the grill.I have moved away from beef this sound like a Great alternative.My grand children live black bean burritos so i’m sure they will enjoy these.Thanks
These would be incredible off the grill! Thanks so much Carl. Enjoy spoiling those grandkids. 🙂