What makes a quick and easy dinner and also freezes beautifully? These Southwestern Black Bean Burgers are what!

I’m a self-proclaimed burger fanatic. I’ve always said that I could totally be a vegetarian if it weren’t for my love of a great cheeseburger. These Southwestern Black Bean Burgers, however, might just change that.

I stumbled across a blog post from Sally of Sally’s Baking Addiction where she talked about a fool-proof method for the best black bean burger. Anything that claims to be the best will get me very intrigued, particularly with a vegetarian burger.

I’ve made BB burgers in the past and they were…okay. Totally edible and flavorful, but the texture left much to be desired. If this sounds familiar to you, that will all change once you dry out your beans in the oven.

The extra moisture will lead to a mushy burger that falls apart with the first bite, but when you properly dry the beans, you get a texture that is comparable to that of an actual burger, I kid you not.

Pairing that technique with all of the added spices, peppers, onions, and garlic, make THE BEST black bean burger.

Not only did we love love love these burgers, Norah, who’s 11 months, is obsessed with them. I ended up making an extra batch to freeze so I could pull one out for a quick healthy meal for her.

I was surprised that they weren’t too spicy for her! Now that my life has been changed with these burgers, I can wait to change up the bean situation.

Next, I’m thinking of Spinach Chickpea Burgers with some Tzatziki, or maybe A Kidney Bean Chili Burger for fall, or a Pesto White Bean Burger with gooey mozzarella. BRB, going to stock up on all the beans.

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

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Yield: Serves 6 Burgers

Southwestern Black Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

What makes a quick and easy dinner and also freezes beautifully? These Southwestern Black Bean Burgers are what!

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Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) cans of black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped poblano pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, almond or oat flour (I used almond)
• 1/2 cup Cotija cheese (can sub feta)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
   
3. While the beans are drying, sauté olive oil, poblano, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. At this point, I like to mash with a fork so that I leave some larger chunks of beans.
   
4. To form into patties, grab about 1/3 cup of mixture and pat into a flat circle.
   
5. Place patties on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total.
   
6. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Notes

*These burgers freeze beautifully, so make them in bulk!

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