Black beans are my new favourite ingredient. Packed with protein, inexpensive and easy to cook, black beans are versatile and can be used for both sweet and savoury recipes (I tried black bean brownies and my world has changed).
I adapted the Jamie Oliver Black Bean Burger recipe and put my own twist on it by ditching the tomato and caramelising the onions instead of lightly pickling them. Topped with kale, melty cheese and buttery toasted buns, this recipe is a perfect spin on a healthy burger.
Makes 6 burgers | Prep time – 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 small onions, sliced
- 1 red chilli
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsps red wine/ balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsps barbecue sauce
- 2 x 400 gm tinned black beans
- 2 spring onions, chopped finely
- 150 gms bread crumbs (or almond meal if you’re gluten free)
- 2 tsps lemon juice
- 100 gms kale
- olive oil
- sour cream to serve (optional)
- 6 cheese slices
- 6 burger buns, cut in half
Method
Heat a frying pan with some olive oil and fry onions till softened. Add in the garlic and chilli. Fry till fragrant and pour vinegar into pan.
Allow the vinegar to evaporate and mix in the barbecue sauce. Cover the pan and leave on a low flame, allowing the onions to caramelise for 15 minutes. Stir the onions so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan – season according to taste.
Drain the beans and put them in a food processor with salt to season. Blitz till the mixture the beans are crushed. Combine with breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, lemon juice and spring onions. The beans may look dry, but once you start combining the other ingredients, you will notice the mixture is quite wet. Add breadcrumbs till the mix holds together.
Shape into 6 patties, and fry in a shallow pan on either side till brown. Top with cheese and turn off the heat. Cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt while the buns are toasted.
Toast the burger buns and layer with kale, the burger patty, caramelised onions and sour cream if desired. Serve hot with chips on the side.
I used canned black beans because they cut half the cooking time, especially on a long day after work or classes. You can use fresh/dried black beans, but be sure to soak them overnight so they cook faster. Boil/pressure cook with salt for 45- 50 minutes.
The great thing with this recipe is that it can be adapted to suit different tastebuds and choices. You can go the classic route and add plain sliced onions, tomatoes and lettuce, or even top with some garlicky yoghurt and use cumin in your patty for a Mediterranean twist.
Happy Cooking!
Karina