Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers

I decided to try out a new veggie burger for our meatless Monday dinner last night.   You know how I feel about these chickpea burgers (or if you don’t: I could, and have, eaten them every night for a week), but I figured I should give something new a chance.  These sweet potato and black bean burgers were good enough (certainly better that a frozen Morning Star patty), but they didn’t live up to my chickpea burger standard.  They didn’t hold together as well as I would have liked, and I would be hesitant to try to grill them.  Perhaps too much sweet potato?  An egg white might help, or some additional flax seed meal.  I also think they could have used more cumin (but really, what don’t I think could use more cumin?)

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Burgers 

From The Edible Perspective

[yields 8 burgers – vegan, gluten free]

• 15oz black beans, drained + rinsed
• 3c cubed sweet tater, cooked + skin on [~1.5lbs]
• 1/2c frozen or fresh corn
• 2/3c finely chopped onion [1/2 medium onion]
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2c cooked quinoa
• 6T rolled oats, partially ground*
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 1/2t salt
• black pepper
• 1t cumin
• 1t oregano
• 1/4t coriander
• 1t chili powder
• 1/4t cayenne [optional]
• 1T olive oil
• Toppings of choice

1. Preheat your oven to 375* once you finish cooking the quinoa + potato.
2. Mash half of the beans in a bowl until paste-like.
3. Add in the rest of the beans and give a very light stir/mash to combine.
4. In a large bowl, mash the sweet tater.  Each cube should be mashed, but you don’t want it creamy.
5. Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, coriander, chili powder, cayenne [if using] and olive oil, until combined.
6. Mix in the onion, garlic, corn, black beans, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and ground oats, until just combined.
7. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.
8. Form into balls, between your hands and flatten into 1/2”-3/4” thick patties.  This should make 8 medium/large patties.
9. Place on a pan lined with parchment paper [I just  sprayed with cooking spray] and bake on each side for 15min, flipping once, half-way through.
10. If you plan to add cheese and/or any other toppings you want warm, add about five minutes before second side is done (I added sharp cheddar and roasted red peppers while in the oven and then added the avocado once they were on our plates).

*To pan cook – Heat a pan to medium and lightly grease.  Cook on each side for 5-8min, flip + cook another 5-8min until golden brown.

*For the grill – Bake burgers for 15min on one side, flip burgers once and bake another 10min.  While baking, preheat your grill slightly above medium [~350-375*]  Grease the grates and cook burgers for ~3min per side.

 

Johanna