These Bean Burgers are Good!

By Sandy Hu

I love a juicy hamburger and until recently, the idea of a bean burger left me cold. However, recently, I came across a recipe that intrigued me so I had to try it.

I’m pretty good at anticipating the outcome of a recipe by reading the ingredients and method. This one, with its combination of flavors and textures, really appealed to me. I thought it would be delicious – and it was! It’s healthful, too.

So I’m sharing this recipe with you and if you’ve never had a bean burger before, or had one you didn’t like, give this one a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers
1 can (16 ounces) black beans drained
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon green chili pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, toasted
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 slices fontina cheese
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Lettuce for garnish
Tomato for garnish

Place beans in a medium-size bowl and lightly mash them with a potato masher or fork until you have a coarse-textured mixture. Add onion, bell pepper, chili, cumin, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into four equal parts, then form by hand into four large flat patties.

Heat vegetable oil in a non-skillet over medium heat. Fry burgers on one side until browned, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the burgers over with a wide spatula and place a slice of cheese on each patty. The bean burgers are done when the underside is browned and the cheese is soft.

Serve on buns with lettuce and tomato.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: to toast pumpkin and sunflower seeds, put them together in a dry pan over medium heat and toss them about for a couple of minutes until the seeds turn light brown and a few start to pop. Toast sesame seeds separately using the same method. They’ll toast much faster so watch carefully.

Recipe adapted from Michigan Bean Commission.

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