Here’s a burger you can feel good about.
And by good, I mean healthy. Because we all know the kind of burgers that I feel best about aren’t going to be the vegetarian variety.
Still, I really enjoyed making {and eating} these – it was a nice way to switch up the weeknight routine. I don’t typically cook things like burgers during the week, because in my house, we’re all aboard the healthy train until the weekend comes around. So this super-fast and easy recipe allowed me to sort of trick myself – or actually, trick Daniel. He was a little overly excited by the idea, and when he took a bite, I have to say – he was a little disappointed. He thought it was good, but it did look like a burger, and I guess he couldn’t get past the fact that there was no meat in it.
I absolutely loved them, and I think they’re a great as a healthy snack eaten without the bun – I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers for that exact purpose. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber {not to mention high on the anti-inflammatory scale}, so you really can’t go wrong – and you could even play with the recipe a bit more, adding whatever spices or herbs you like.
Black Bean Burgers
Adapted from For the Love and Cooking Light
- 2 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup shredded light Monterey Jack cheese {I used a reduced-fat Mexican blend, though I usually prefer to shred my own}
- 1/4-1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 medium jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
- 2 large egg whites {I used a hit of the egg whites out of the carton}
For serving:
- 4-5 whole wheat hamburger buns, lightly toasted
- Lettuce, onion, tomato, and avocado for topping
- Cilantro aioli {optional: light mayo, finely chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and hit of lemon juice}
I absolutely love this! I’ve never enjoyed vegetarian burgers much, but this looks fantastic.
Ohhhh that looks good. Is it okay if i add ketchup on them though? lol I seem to eat everything with ketchup/chili sauce.
I totally get the “disappointment” angle…Ryan says if it doesn’t have meat it is just a snack not a meal…was it a texture thing, a flavor thing, or just the I’m man and I have to have meat thing that caused the disappointment?
However, I am totally planning on trying this one! Thanks!
Lainey – Totally an “I’m just the man and I have to have meat” thing! Silly boys… xxSAS
I’ve been wanting to try these, but haven’t been brave enough to make them on my own…and I’m not sure how my hubby would react to them!
I LOVE black bean burgers. I can’t wait to try these!
I recently tried making my own black bean burgers from a Whole Foods recipe… um, delicious! I’ve made them a few times since then, I just love them, and it’s easy!
This looks awesome! Thanks for sharing
i’ve wanted to make my own black bean burgers for a while now. i’ll definitely have to try your recipe. it looks super easy!
I just wanted to say I recently stumbled upon your blog and since then have fallen in love with this website’s every post and recipe… I don’t think there’s a single recipe that I wouldn’t make in a heartbeat! Definitely bookmarking you as a daily read from here on out
Thinking of throwin these burgers together tonight, but I was just curious as to how many patties the above recipe yields?