Spicy Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 250 g (1½ cups) cooked black beans (equivalent to 1 x 400 g/15oz/standard can of drained black beans)
• 50 g (⅔ cups) oats
• 100 g (⅔ cups) red onion (about 1 red onion)
• 200 g (1½ cups) carrots (about 2 medium carrots or 3 little ones)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chipotle paste (or to taste). Alternatively, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, BBQ sauce or similar
• salt and pepper to taste
• plant-based sriracha mayo, optional, to serve

Method

Whizz up the oats for 10-15 seconds in the food processor. This makes them into flour which helps bind the black bean patties.

Peel the onion and garlic. Chop the onion and carrot into chunks.

Add the vegetables and other ingredients to the oats in the food processor and whizz up until blended but not too fine.

Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper/more chipotle paste as desired.

Lay out a sheet of parchment/baking paper on a tray.

Use a large ice cream scooper, or two spoons, to scoop out even amounts of bean patty mixture. (This makes 6 burgers using a large ice cream scoop, but you can make smaller ones if you like.)

Get another sheet of baking paper and lay it over the top of the patty balls. Press down with your hands or a spatula, forming nice even round patties.

For the best results, pop the patties into the fridge to firm up for half an hour. Pan fry, oven bake, air fry or grill the patties as desired (see cooking options below for details).

Serve the black bean burger patties on a burger bun with trimmings or as a filling for a sandwich, or even just straight up with some fries and salad.

Cooking options:

• Pan fry: Spritz a frying pan with oil and pan fry until slightly crispy on each side.
• Grill or BBQ: Heat up the grill plate or BBQ and brush each with a little oil (to prevent sticking). Cook a few minutes on each side until a ‘crust’ is formed. Then use a slider to flip when cooked.
• Air fry: Pop as many as you like in the air fryer at 180°C/350°F for 8 minutes until a little browned and crispy on the outside. You can also spritz with a little neutral (e.g. sunflower) oil for extra crispiness.
• Oven bake: Line a baking sheet with baking paper and preheat to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 5. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. You can also spritz with a little neutral (e.g. sunflower) oil for extra crispiness

Hint: When grilling or pan frying, make sure that you leave each for a few minutes to build a ‘crust’ before flipping. That way they will come off the pan or grill plate nicely.