Vegan Black Bean Burger

A good black bean burger with a solid consistency can be a hard thing to construct if you’re not working with the right ingredients. I think I’ve found a great way to accomplish this, as long as you’re willing to be flexible and a little daring with the breadcrumbs. A perfect blend of corn, peppers, spices, and black beans, this burger is guaranteed to provide a pleasant and incredibly tasty alternative for a beef patty.  Delicious baked, fried in a small amount of olive oil, or put on the barbeque on top of a small piece of foil, the flavors burst in your mouth and leave you wishing you had room for a second patty!

As always, thank you 10:10:05 Productions, for the amazing photo! 

1 can black beans

½ cup canned corn

½ red pepper, cut into fourths

½ sweet medium sweet onion, cut into chunks

½ cup loosely packed cilantro

2 garlic cloves, minced

I tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon Sriracha

½ cup Panko breadcrumbs 

2 tablespoons olive oil

Rinse and dry black beans and set aside.

Combine pepper, onion, cilantro, garlic, and chili powder, cumin, sriracha, breadcrumbs, and olive oil in a food processor and blend until all the ingredients are fully chopped.

Please mixture in a large bowl and set aside.

Put beans and corn in the food processor, and blend until smooth.

Combine bean and corn mixture with onion mixture.

Once fully combined, add the breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt. (You may need to add more breadcrumbs, depending on how moist the mixture is. It should be dry enough that it doesn't stick to your hands. Add a tablespoon at a time until the right consistency is reached.)

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then form into patties that are ¾ of an inch tall and about 3 ½ inches wide.

You can cook these one of three ways:

1. Fry them with a little bit of olive oil in a pan, flipping a couple times or until the outside is crispy.

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 25 minutes on each side, adding time depending on the size of the patty.

3. Place patties on a piece of foil and barbeque until outside is crispy. Just like the baking process, you’ll need to flip them at least once.

Serve with you favorite side dish, or try one of mine! I highly recommend the Spicy Vegan Cabbage Salad and the Sweet Potato Fries as terrific compliments for a delectable meal!