Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Back in Ann Arbor, Becky and I would grill all through the summer grilling season. And one of our favorite things to grill on short notice were the Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers. These are exceptional veggie burgers because they don’t try to taste like fake burgers. (Becky doesn’t eat meat, and I like real burgers.) With black beans and corn and spiciness, they are delicious and full of protein. And they are not available on the west coast. And the grilling season lasts all-year round here! It’s tragic.

So this has forced us to roll our own.

Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Scouring online, I found this recipe, and used that and the comments as a basis for what are tasty veggie burgers. In order for them to work, these need to be made in advance and frozen.

Makes 6-8 patties

Ingredients:
1 cup dry black beans
1 red pepper
1/2 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 egg
1 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup (commie) panko bread crumbs

Soak the black beans overnight in unsalted water. Drain the beans, cover generously with water, and boil for ~2 hours until tender. Drain again, and mash the beans with a potato masher.

Coarsely chop red pepper, onion, and garlic and put in food processor or mini-chopper. Put blended mixture in a fine-mesh strainer to drain excess water. Leave in strainer for at least 10 minutes and discard excess liquid.

Whisk together egg, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Add egg mixture and veggie solids to mashed beans, followed by panko. Stir until mixed.

To make the patties, take a square of plastic wrap and place a ball of bean on it. Shape into a patty and wrap in plastic. Repeat for the 6-8 patties. Put in ziploc bags and freeze for at least one day.

To cook the patties, put a folded piece of foil on a hot grill. Unwrap frozen patty/ies and place on foil. (This is necessary to keep them intact). Cover grill. When the bottom is crispy, flip (carefully!) and put on cheese. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite condiments. And may I recommend a side of spicy corn!