Black Bean Mushroom Burgers

We eat a lot of vegetarian meals in our little home. We love almost every kind of vegetable and fruit and you can usually find lots of fresh produce in our fridge. We don’t have anything against meat, I just always forget to thaw it out ahead of time. And it is probably healthier, too. So I have learned to make meals vegetarian friendly.

This recipe is interesting. If you are craving a good old hamburger, you might as well go elsewhere ( like here). This bean and mushroom burger doesn’t taste like meat, but it is still really yummy. I was surprised by how much I liked it! It was very hearty and filling. I think I will make this again, soon.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP. canola oil or olive oil, plus a little more for coating
• 1 C.finely chopped onion
• 8 oz. finely chopped mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 4 slice whole wheat sandwich bread, lightly toasted
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• English muffins, sandwich pockets, hamburger buns, or bread (toasted).
• Salsa and sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until golden and soft. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, cumin, and paprika. Cook until the mushrooms have released their juices, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Tear toasted wheat bread into pieces and place in a food processor. Process until broken down into crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Add the mushroom mixture and the drained beans to the food processor. Pulse until combined, but not smooth. Its ok to leave some chunky bits. Scoop the mixture into the bowl with the bread crumbs. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

4. Mix ingredients together. I ended up just using my hands. It helps to keep your hands wet. Form the mixture into patties. Lightly brush each side of all patties with canola oil or olive oil.

5. Heat up the grill (I just used the same skillet that I sautéed the onions and mushrooms in) or skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until thoroughly heated through and the outsides have crisped. About 5 minutes per side. Serve burgers between English muffins or hamburger buns and top with sour cream and salsa.

Note: You can tell that all we had were slices of bread. It works, right? 

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.