With the current high meat prices and my newly diagnosed high cholesterol, I’m looking to bean burgers to fill my desire of grilling this summer. Do you love burgers but are perhaps flirting with vegetarian options? Look no further than this really simple bean burger with an even simpler sauce. Have you ever seen the little cans of chipotles in adobo sauce in the international aisle? The sauce that comes in the can mixes with a little mayo to create the easiest and most flavorful burger accompaniment.
Okay, can I complain about my cholesterol for just a moment? As a moderately healthy 31-year-old who cooks often, never eats fast food, and eats all the vegetables, I was appalled at the nerve my doctor had telling me I’m officially in the high category of cholesterol. Perhaps there is a genetic component, or perhaps it was the several months of eating only saturated fat from the keto diet I just did … definitely the latter. I’m being facetious, of course. My doctor is an angel, and eating nothing but saturated fat and limited fiber didn’t hurt my already elevated cholesterol. After getting my act together and researching how to lower my levels, beans were on every list of what to eat. I know what you’re thinking … is mayonnaise on that list? No. I only use a little, and it makes all the difference to the overall burger. Rounded out with a whole grain bun, a little reduced fat Swiss cheese, avocado, tomato and lettuce, and I’ll be back in my physician’s good graces in no time!
Time to pull out the potato masher. No, it’s not Thanksgiving just yet, but a potato masher works wonders for mashing the beans for these burgers. If you over-mash or use a food processor, you lose the texture and end up with a mixture that is too homogenous and, frankly, a little boring. Panko breadcrumbs add some more texture and binding. Eggs hold everything together, but feel free to use just the egg whites and omit the yolks if you have high cholesterol like me. To add flavor, I love to add lots of spices.
The vibe of this dish has some influences from Mexican cuisine, with the chipotles and black beans, but I have a secret ingredient you may not expect … garam masala, an Indian spice blend that adds more warm flavors. Some bean burgers have so many steps and ingredients that may turn some away. This recipe uses spices to do the heavy lifting for flavor. I promise, it’s as easy as opening cans, sprinkling some spice, forming patties and eating. It’s definitely easy enough for a weeknight meal that your whole family (meat-eaters alike) will enjoy.
Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayo (5-6 burgers)
Ingredients:
2 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 egg (whisked together in a small bowl)
1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 clove garlic (minced or microplaned)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Black pepper
Oil for cooking in the pan
1/2 cup mayo
1-2 tablespoons chipotle sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
Lettuce and sliced tomatoes
Buns
Swiss cheese
Avocado slices
Instructions:
- Drain and rinse your black beans in a colander. Use paper towels to blot them dry. I microwave them for 4 minutes in a large bowl to dry them out a little further, which keeps the burgers from getting mushy.
- Mix the chipotles in adobo and mayo sauce in a mason jar.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash beans with a potato masher or fork. You want to leave some texture, a little lumpy.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan to medium heat. Drizzle a generous pour of olive oil and cook patties in two batches. Don’t flip the patties more than once because they could fall apart before they’re fully cooked. Instead, slide the patties around, turning them so they get different areas of the pan, adding more oil if needed. When you are ready to flip to the other side, do so carefully with a large spatula. Patties are done when both sides are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes total.
- Toast buns in a little oil in the pan.
- Serve with Swiss cheese, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado, lettuce and the sauce.
