The Ultimate GRILL-TESTED Black Bean Burger! No mush! Unbreakable! Nut-free

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: American cheese

Reduced-fat cheese cuts calories while maintaining flavor.

burger buns

🥗Healthier: whole grain buns

💰Cheaper: white bread

Whole grain buns add fiber and nutrients.

avocado

🥗Healthier: mashed peas

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Mashed peas provide creaminess at a lower cost.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

Cook rice and set it aside.

Toast sunflower seeds in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove sunflower seeds from the skillet and add fennel seeds and coriander seeds, toasting until fennel seeds change color.

Remove all seeds from the skillet and let them cool.

Caramelize onions and green chili in a skillet with a little oil and salt over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add smoked paprika and sugar to the caramelized onions, mixing in a splash of water, and continue cooking until golden.

In a food processor, combine toasted seeds, 2/3 of the black beans, and 2/3 of the rice, processing until coarse meal.

Add remaining ingredients: barbecue sauce, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt, flax seed meal, and a portion of the caramelized onions, processing until most black beans break down.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, add remaining black beans and rice, and breadcrumbs if too moist, mixing until it holds together.

Shape the mixture into patties.

Heat grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil.

Place patties on the grill or skillet and cook for about 3 minutes until grill marks form.

Flip patties and cook on the other side until grill marks form.

Brush patties with barbecue sauce or a mixture of barbecue sauce and hot sauce, flipping and brushing the other side as well, cooking for an additional half a minute to a minute.

Remove patties from the skillet or grill.

Serve patties in buns, lettuce, or salads with toppings like lettuce, tomato slices, barbecue sauce, mayo, mustard, ketchup, and caramelized onions.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens