Black Bean Burger – Vegetarian

adapted by Shirley Mah Kooyman

This recipe is an adaptation of one printed in the Costco Connection magazine (January 2025). It is vegetarian but not vegan because of the egg that is used as a binder to hold the patty shape. Fries nicely in a cast-iron pan on the stove top. I’ve modified the original recipe a bit to call it my own but the basic foundation remains.

Instructions:

Cooking oil (canola oil or olive oil)
¼ onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained (about 1 ½ cups)
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chili with juice (do not drain)
½ Tablespoon soy sauce
½ Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
½ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning or any herb blend
1 large egg
1 ½ cups panko or other breadcrumbs (more or less as needed to hold the patty shape)

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Directions:

1. In a cast-iron frying pan, heat 1 Tablespoon oil until hot. Add onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Remove from pan to cool. No need to clean the frying pan yet since you’ll use it later to fry the burgers.
2. In a large bowl, mash the drained black beans. Except for the oil, add in all of the ingredients including the cooled onion and garlic. Mix well.
3. Form 3 patties (4” round) from the mixture. Set them aside on parchment paper. Brush the tops of the patties with oil before cooking.
4. In the cast-iron pan add 2 Tablespoons of oil for frying the patties. Heat pan on medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add in one patty. Fry a few minutes until lightly crispy on the bottom before flipping to cook the other side. You may need to add additional oil as you fry the patties to prevent them from sticking to the pan.
5. Makes 3 generous burgers.