Black Bean Burgers

This recipe makes eight burgers and can easily be doubled or cut in half. You can start a day ahead, refrigerating the unbaked burger mixture overnight. About an hour before mealtime, form and begin baking the patties.

Ingredients

2 cans black beans drained and rinsed (3 to 4 cups)

1 onion cut into 1" chunks (about 2 cups)

1 cup bell pepper (green and/or red) cut into 1" chunks

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup corn meal

egg substitute: 2T flaxseed meal and 1/2 cup water

Instructions

In a small bowl prepare the egg substitute by mixing flaxseed meal with water. Allow to gel while processing the veggies.

Place onion, bell pepper and garlic in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer onion mixture into a large mixing bowl. Next, process beans, oats and spices until beans are well smashed. Add the bean mixture to the large bowl with onions and stir to combine. Stir in flaxseed meal and water. Mix in corn meal.

If time allows, chill the burger mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or more to make it easier to form the patties. When ready to bake the burgers, preheat oven to 375 f and line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.

For each patty: scoop 1/3 cup bean mixture with cup measuring cup and then with hands roll into a ball then flatten to desired diameter and thickness and place on cookie sheet.

Bake 20 minutes. Turn patties over and bake other side 15 to 20 minutes.

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Notes: Store flaxseed meal in the freezer. Use whole grain corn meal, keeping it in the refrigerator or freezer.

If you don't have a food processor you can use a blender adding a little water if necessary. If bean mixture is too wet even after refrigerating then add more corn meal a couple tablespoons at a time.

The recipe can be made without a processor or a blender by mashing the beans with a potato masher and finely chopping the veggies with a knife. Use quick cooking oats instead of rolled oats or you can omit the oats and add more corn meal.

Instead of oven baking, the patties can be fried in the skillet for 5 minutes on each side.

Refrigerate leftover burgers for several days or freeze for longer storage.

I like to double the recipe and use home-cooked black beans. Soak a pound of dried black beans overnight. Drain the beans and cover with fresh water and cook in pressure cooker on high for 40 minutes, allow pressure to release naturally. Drain and measure out enough beans for this recipe and refrigerate remaining beans for use in salads or other dishes. If you don't have a pressure cooker, cook the beans covered in water in a large pot on the stove for about 1 1/2 hours until tender.