Ahh the veggie burger…so much distrust and disgust from so many towards this dish easily lovable dish. Why though? Here’s my reasoning – up until recently I thought plant based foods couldn’t fill you up. I thought that meat should be the focus of dinners. I thought the replacement texture would be something I just didn’t want.
I was wrong! Plant based foods and vegetarian foods can absolutely provide you the nutrients that you need as long as you’re eating enough protein, carbs, etc. Meats can be delicious, but the veggies on your plate should far outweigh the space. Also, the texture is different, there’s no denying that. But if you practice cooking plant based or vegetarian foods, the better you will get at making them!
These Mexican Black Bean Burgers are absolutely a new favorite of mine because they combine my love for spicy and flavorful Mexican food with the all-American burger. What’s not to love?
The Easiest Process
You’re going to start by rinsing and draining your black beans to ensure that extra juiciness is out of there. Once they are rinsed, you can start mashing your beans. After they’re mashed up like it’s Thanksgiving, you’ll throw in your chopped Mexican food favorites – cilantro, corn and jalapeno. Stir in some Panko bread crumbs and an egg to hold it all together and voila!
I love using fresh local corn because the flavor is much better than canned in my opinion. Feel free to leave the seeds of the jalapeno in for an extra kick!
When serving, pair it with French fries and a bun with all the burger fixings or top it with guacamole and eat with some rice on the side. Just depends on what type of mood you’re in…Mexican or American style. They certainly go well with these Air Fryer French Fries!
Cast Iron Cooking & Cleaning
I recommend cooking in a cast iron skillet because it provides that crispiness that my other skillets just can’t match. The skillet I use is a Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet.
Don’t let the cast iron skillets intimidate you though. My dad taught me how to clean them in no time. Once you finish cooking your Mexican Black Bean Burgers, boil an inch of water in the dirty pan. Once boiling, dump the water in the sink and use a wire brush or green scour pad scrubber to get rid of the leftover food. Place it back on the hot (but turned off) burner to instantly allow the water to dry. Spray it with a little cooking spray to season it and wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Works like a charm!
Ingredients
- 1 can of black beans (no salt added) – drained and rinsed
- 1 jalapeno – chopped
- ½ c corn
- ½ c cilantro
- 1 egg
- ½ c Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning
- 1 tbsp coconut oil for cooking
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the can of black beans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mash drained black beans until texture looks like mashed potatoes.
- Add jalapeno, corn and cilantro and stir.
- Stir in egg, Panko bread crumbs and a few shakes of Chili Lime seasoning until well-combined.
- Form black bean mixture into 4 evenly sized patties.
- Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping only once.
- Serve with your favorite burger toppings or taco toppings.
