Burgers aren’t just for meat lovers; there’s no reason vegetarians have to be excluded from burger heaven! At restaurants and BBQs, you’ll typically see a blandly dense black bean patty that tastes like cardboard and goes down even harder. So, a couple years ago, I started making my own burgers at home. For this recipe I mix together black beans, bulgur wheat, and charred veggies in a large bowl before shaping into patties. These patties are first chilled and then pan seared to lock in the moisture while also providing a great crispy crust. One egg and a little bit of cheese binds the protein packed beans and fiber filled bulgur wheat together. This burger is so delicious that you’ll want to make a few extra to freeze for future use!
15.5 oz can black beans
½ cup bulgur wheat (cooked)
½ cup red bell pepper (chopped)
½ cup frozen corn
1/3 cup red onion (quartered and sliced)
1/3 cup asiago cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne
Put the chopped red bell pepper and sliced onion into a dry skillet over high heat. Sear these veggies for 1-3 minutes, or until slightly tender and charred. Turn off heat, add the veggies to a large mixing bowl.
Drain and rinse the black beans. Add to a food processor and pulse a 3-5 times, or until the beans are broken/chopped but not pureed. Scoop out of the food processor and add to the mixing bowl. Add the cooked bulgur and the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Gently pat this mixture into a ball and divide into four equal portions. Take each portion and form into a patty. Place onto a wax paper lined plate. Cover. Chill these patties for at last 20 minutes before using.
Put patties into a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 3-5 minutes and then flip to cook 2 minutes more.
Serve with parsley, lettuce, onion, tomato, ranch, etc…anything you like! Enjoy!
