These black bean burgers will satisfy vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The combination of meaty mushrooms and smoked paprika adds a ton of flavor. Leftover brown rice (make extra for the thai salad) and oat flour hold it together and add lots of body.
Ingredient highlight
Black beans! and legumes are a great way to get protein along with a heavy dose of fiber, complex carbs, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and potassium to name a few. They are famous for making you fart (hehe) because of the specific sugars (oligosaccharides) they contain that we have trouble breaking down. Cooking your beans from scratch reduces the fart-causing
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 18 minutes Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 cup cooked short grain brown rice about ½ cup dry
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ yellow onion, cut into quarters
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, stems removed
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 egg
- 4 slices American cheese*
- Shredded lettuce iceberg or romaine
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced*
- 4 potato burger buns*
For the special sauce:*
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- ½ cup finely chopped pickles
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *These are the same toppings as the Smash Burgers, if you want to mix it up, top with mashed avocado and pickled red onions (or whatever you want!)
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add onion to a blender or food processor and blend until finely chopped. Transfer to the pan. Add the mushrooms to the blender and blend until finely chopped. Transfer to the pan along with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until all of the water has evaporated, about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika, beans, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about 1 more minute, stirring often to make sure not to burn the spices or garlic.
- Add oats to the blender and blend into a flour. Add half of the bean mixture to the blender (about 1 cup) along with the rice and egg. Blend until a thick paste forms (don’t over blend). Scrape under the blade if needed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining bean mixture from the pan. Spread the mixture around the bowl to help it cool faster, place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to cool off.
- Form into four ½-inch thick patties. Wipe out the skillet. Warm remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the patties to the pan. Press each patty down gently with a spatula and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Flip, press, and cook for 3 more minutes on the other side, or until browned.
- To make the special sauce, add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix to combine.Assemble your burgers and devour!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook ½ cup brown rice
- Prep mushroom and onion
- Cook veggie + bean mixture
- Form patties
- Make special sauce
Substitutions:
- Use pinto beans instead of black beans
- To make vegan, skip the cheese and substitute the egg with a flax egg.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Black bean burgers: up to 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Special sauce: up to 7 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Chop or crumble up black bean burgers on top of power bowls, salads, or make a taco!
- Warm up the burgers in the microwave until warmed through.
