Bean Burger

I am not a big meat eater.  I'm not a vegetarian or a a vegan, I just don't really crave meat.  I'll sometimes eat meat, but normally only when I have no other choice.  When I'm at a restaurant or cooking at home I tend to choose meals that do not include meat.  However because my husband is an athlete and needs to eat meals that include lots of protein, I normally end up making some sort of meat for him on the side.  But just because I don't eat a lot of meat, I do try to eat foods with lots of protein (such as dairy and beans).  So I wouldn't say I am a vegetarian, but I am pretty close :).

One of my favorite vegetarian meals to eat is a veggie/bean burger.  I crave them a lot!  I often find myself thinking about a good veggie burger and wanting to make one for dinner that night.  I probably switched over from eating normal hamburgers to vegetarian ones about a couple years ago. And within those 2 years I really haven't found a great one.  There have been good ones that satisfy my craving, but none that have really stood out - both in restaurants and recipes that I have tried at home.  

We'll I think I have finally found it!  Here is a bean burger that as of now if the best vegetarian burger I have had!  It's flavorful, moist, and holds together really well.  All the components that you want in a good burger.  And to make it even better, it's grillable!  So no need to cook these a different way if you are making normal beef burgers as well. 

These bean burgers have a good "meaty" flavor. Their main base is pinto beans, which provides a hearty flavor. And then you add red onions, cilantro, bread crumbs, and some more yummy ingredients to create an incredibly flavorful burger.  No need wishing you were eating meat, this bean burger has it all!

For the bun I decided to use Pita Pockets.  I felt that a thinner bun would work best with these burgers; a thick bun would make the burger taste too dry.  However if you like normal hamburger buns, be sure to compensate by adding extra sauce to your burger, such as ketchup, mustard, pesto, barbecue sauce (really anything with moisture that you like).  And then finish by topping your burger with all the toppings you like - I topped mine with white cheddar cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and avocado.     

 

Next time your craving a burger I urge you to try these!  They taste great and truly don't leave you feeling like you wanted to eat meat instead.  And they are much healthier for you!  Another great thing about these bean burgers is that they are really quick to put together.  Within 15 minutes you can have your burgers cooking on the grill.  There are no special techniques, just chop and mix and your done!

 

Bean Burger

For Printable Recipe, Click here!

Makes: 4 Patties

½ Medium Red Onion

4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled

½ cup Almonds

½ cup Sunflower Seeds

½ cup Fresh Cilantro

1 tsp. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Olive Oil

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Ground Pepper

15 ounce Can of Pinto Beans

½ cup Bread Crumbs

Toppings, such as cheese, spinach, tomato, avocado, pickles, mustard, and ketchup. 

Bun – I used a small Pita Pocket, which worked great!  It created the perfect ratio of bread to patty. 

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.*

In a blender or food processor, add the red onion and garlic and pulse until chopped.  Add the almonds, sunflower seeds, cilantro, chili powder, salt, and pepper and pulse again until thoroughly chopped. 

Drain the beans and run under water to remove all liquid.  Place the beans into a medium and mash using a potato masher or a fork.  Add the chopped ingredients and the bread crumbs.  Mix to combine. 

Pat down the mixture to make it even on top.  Score it with your fingers creating a cross shape; this will create 4 evenly sized patties.  Form each patty and place on the grill.  Cook on each side for about 8 minutes, only flipping once.  If using cheese, add it on the last minute to allow it melt.  Then place on the bun and top with desired toppings :).  Serve and Enjoy!

*These are meant to be cooked on a grill, however they are just as good being baked in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes total, flipping once after 15 minutes. 

Recipe from A Couple Cooks.