Thursday, January 16, 2014

Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Mayo


I just want to eat this picture.

My first meal plan will be posted tomorrow, but I'm itching to share this recipe with you guys now. I made them last weekend for my family and my husband said they were the "best veggie burgers he's ever had."

I didn't even have to pay him to say that!


As you'll see, I tend to favor heavier, more "comfort food" style recipes because that's just how I was raised, but I try to make sure I do at least one meatless meal a week (sometimes on Monday, usually not). This recipe is adapted pretty much word for word from this one here on SkinnyTaste.com (one of my FAVORITE recipe resources) with the only real change being the dressing. And I added cheese. And I didn't get the healthy buns.

My stomach was literally growling as I edited the photos for this post so I'm just going to get right to it.

OH WAIT!! Before you get excited and get everything ready to make this for dinner PLEASE NOTE: You will HAVE to freeze or chill or set these burger patties for at least an hour before you cook them. NO EXCEPTIONS. So please, please don't do what I do and get all jazzed about a recipe only to realize halfway through it that you ARE NOT PREPARED AT ALL.

Moving on.



There was more to this recipe than I would have thought for a black bean burger. By that, I mean I always assumed it was just beans but clearly I was mistaken.

First thing was first, though, and I had to get to mashing some beans. It really set the mood for the whole process.


The next step was much easier on the eyes. Toss the garlic, red pepper, scallions, and cilantro into a food processor and pulse until you have a fairly fine mixture.

Be sure to beautifully arrange your vegetables and take a picture before commencing the processing.
 Next, add the oats, egg, salt, cumin and hot sauce and blend it up some more. You don't really want it smooth-smooth, but think about the last time you had a veggie burger and if you had a pepper stuck between your teeth when you were done and whether you appreciated that or not. Use your judgement.


Remember those horrifyingly ugly mushy beans? Add your pretty, pretty mixture from the food processor to the beans and bask in the glory of the feeling that maybe, just maybe, these burgers aren't going to be as gross as you thought they would be when you set out on your journey.

Ahhhh.. that's better.

Next, line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment or anything non-stick really and freeze for at least an hour. You'll understand why when you have this goop in your hands how you absolutely can not just throw it on the grill. I mean, you can, but you'll be ordering a pizza for dinner.


When they feel hardened, it's time to throw down. Take the frozen patty and cook on a flat surface (I mean, you may be able to use a grill pan, but I haven't experimented with that yet. I'm scared.) for seven minutes per side. Once I flip, I like to put cheese on the burger while it's cooking, add a little water to the pan and cover it to steam the rest of the way, through. It gets the cheese all melty makes me feel like I know what I'm doing.


To build the burger, I added spinach and the sriracha mayo and threw the whole thing on a toasted bun and took a picture and made it the cover image of my Facebook page. CHEERS!

Actually.

Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Mayo

Ingredients:

  • 3.5 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
  • 16 oz can of black beans, drained, rinsed, and dried well
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
  • 3 scallions
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • 4 burger buns
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 4 slices Muenster cheese

Directions:

  1. Combine the mayonnaise and sriracha and set aside.
  2. Drain and rinse the beans making sure to dry them well. Mash with a fork and set aside.
  3. Pulse pepper, scallions, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor until finely diced.
  4. Add egg, cumin, salt, hot sauce and oats to the mixture and pulse until fairly smooth.
  5. Combine the vegetable mixture and the beans and form into four patties.
  6. Place patties on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper and freeze for at least one hour.
  7. Once patties have hardened, lightly spray a skillet that has been warmed on medium heat with cooking oil and cook for about seven to eight minutes per side.
  8. Build your burger by layer baby spinach, the patty, your sriracha mayo and cheese onto a toasted bun and enjoy!

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