Recipe: Spicy Black Bean and Oat Veggie Burgers

As you may recall from reading previous posts to this blog, I love meat. I generally don't eat a lot of it, for a variety of reasons - a family history of heart disease being the biggest one - but I am in no way a vegetarian or a vegan, nor do I have the desire to become one; however, I am an omnivore and I do enjoy many vegetarian and vegan dishes, one of the simplest being the humble yet versatile veggie burger.

Veggie burgers can be made from tofu, beans, mushrooms, oats and other grains. They can be made vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, chunky or smooth. Depending on your preference, they can be made mild or spicy, with an Italian flair, Asian fusion, or Southwest spice - whatever you like; there is no wrong flavor!

I discovered my perfect veggie burger while a college student, back in the early 1990's; it was oat and egg based, not soy-based, crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, and tasted good with ketchup. Because it contained eggs as a binding agent, vegans could not eat it; after a protest, the school dining service switched to a soy-based veggie burger which I could not eat (soy allergies!) and thus ended my foray into meat substitutes.

Fast forward to middle age and suddenly meat substitutes are all the rage again, as Generation X is watching its cholesterol while Generations Y and Z are flexing their ecological conscience to effect change in the grocery store. While there is now a wide variety of veggie burgers to choose from, the whole "beyond meat" program is still "beyond budget" for many shoppers. I recently caught a sale on black beans, and decided to pull together this "Spicy Black Bean and Oat Veggie Burger" recipe...and by spicy I mean as spicy as you want to make it; I prefer to let each flavor give the burger just a little peck on the cheek as opposed to a full-blown kiss, so feel free to adjust the spice levels upward as you please.

Spicy Black Bean and Oat Veggie Burgers

Ingredients

2 (15 oz. cans) black beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup uncooked regular rolled oats (instant or old-fashioned)

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

4 Tbsp. cooking oil, divided (I like toasted sesame oil, but any oil will do)

4 sandwich buns

Sauces/garnishes as desired (salsa, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, etc.)

Directions

Put all ingredients except sandwich buns, sauces/garnishes and 2 Tbsp. cooking oil into food processor bowl and mix on high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and pulse for 30 seconds more. Remove mixture from bowl and place on cutting board or waxed paper. (As always, if you do not have a food processor you can mash the mixture by hand).

Divide mixture into 4 evenly sized balls and shape into patties (if you prefer thin burgers you can do as many as 8, just serve on smaller buns). Let stand at room temperature for 5 -10 minutes before cooking; if not cooking right away, wrap with waxed paper, store in a plastic bag and refrigerate or freeze (just remember to defrost them in the fridge, not on the counter-top).

To cook: Heat frying pan and remaining 2 Tbsp. cooking oil to medium heat; cook burgers for 3 - 4 minutes per side. Overcooking will cause the oats to burn.

Once cooked, the look and texture of the veggie burgers is very similar to hamburgers; the spice level in these burgers makes them tasty enough that you won't miss the meat!

KJM
08.12.2020