Crunchy Vegan Black Bean Burgers

I used to love burgers. A lot. But after becoming a vegetarian 5 years ago, I realized that there aren’t many vegetarian-friendly burgers out there. At least not in the well-known burger places. Do you have the same problem? I know how annoying it can feel. However, when you can’t find a particular ready-made vegan food that you love, make it yourself! These crunchy black bean burgers are not only a real comfort food, but they’re also high in protein. Of course, they’re completely vegan and super delicious.

If you’ve never tried black beans, you should. These little beans might not look very special, but in reality, they’re packed with nutrients.

Black beans are super high in protein which helps to build your muscles and cells. 21 g of protein per 100 g of black beans, comparing to beef which contains 14 g of protein per 100 g. Watch this video to see how black beans beat beef in other important aspects as well.

Also, black beans are a good source of magnesium which is beneficial for protein synthesis, nerve function, and blood sugar control. As black beans contain high levels of antioxidants they have cancer-fighting properties as well.

Now it’s recipe time.

To make 5 crunchy black bean burgers, you’ll need:

• 2 cups of cooked or canned black beans (I used cooked)
• 2 carrots
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp of finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp of buckwheat flour (or any other flour)
• 1 tbsp of flaxseeds
• 1 tsp of dark soy sauce
• olive oil for cooking
• salt & pepper
• 5 burger buns
• optional topping include: tomato, vegan mayo, lettuce, Dijon mustard, tomato sauce (feel free to use any other ingredients if you like)

Directions:

1. Make a flaxseed egg. Combine 1 tbsp of flaxseeds with 3 tbsp of water. Let the mixture sit for at least 10 minutes. This is one of the best vegan alternatives for eggs.
2. Chop garlic and onion. Grin carrots. Heat a pan, sprinkle with some olive oil and add the dark soy sauce. Sauté garlic, onions, and carrots for about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Put the black beans into a large bowl and mash with a fork or a potato pounder. Do go too hard on them, leave some pieces for texture. Add flax egg, sautéed veggies, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, flour and some salt and pepper into the bowl. Stir well.
4. Using your hands, make 5 patties and cook them in a pan for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until crisp.
5. Make the burgers by combining all optional toppings. My burger looked like this – bottom bun, mayo, tomato slice, lettuce, black bean patty, tomato sauce, vegan mayo and top bun.