I love the black beans burgers at The Vortex in Atlanta. I don’t think I have ever ordered anything but the black bean burger, topped with guacamole and jack cheese, and a side of onion rings in all the times I ate here during college. I am sure the rest of The Vortex menu is equally as delicious.
So last week, I had a hankering for a really good black bean burger. And I didn’t want one that was made with all sorts of preservatives and ingredients I couldn’t pronounce, because yes, I was considering frozen Morningstar Black Bean Burgers (which are pretty good). I asked myself, “Self, how hard can it be to make a tasty black bean burger reminiscent of The Vortex?”
In about forty minutes, I made some easy, healthy black bean burgers with ingredients from my pantry. Warning: eating these burgers require both hands and a fistful of napkins.
Tex-Mex Black Bean Burgers
- 2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- Half of one medium onion, or a single small onion, diced (red, white, yellow, even 2-3 shallots are fine)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tsp, plus 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 or more Tbsp. taco seasoning (I prefer Penzeys Spices’ Bold Taco Seasoning. You can substitute any taco seasoning you find at the grocery store in the spice aisle)
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp chopped cilantro leaves (or not, if you prefer)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
In a large bowl, mash the black beans using a potato masher. In a skillet on medium heat, heat 1 tsp of the oil and when hot, add the onion (or shallot) and saute until translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Remove from the heat. Add the onion/garlic mixture to the beans. Add the chili powder, taco seasoning and cilantro to the beans. Mix well and taste for salt and seasonings, adjusting to your preference. Don’t worry if the mixture is a bit dry at this point. When satisfied, add the flour and the beaten egg and mix well. With your hands, score the mixture into 6 portions and form 6 patties.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 Tbsp. oil over medium-high. When hot, place the patties into the pan and do not flip (I repeat, do not flip) for 4 minutes. Flip after 4 minutes and cook for an additional four minutes on the other side. If using cheese, top patties with cheese for the last minute, cover to let cheese melt.
Meanwhile, prepare your toppings:
- Shredded or sliced cheddar or jack cheese
- Toast the buns
- Sliced red onion
- Shredded or torn lettuce
- Salsa
- Guacamole (I make a quick one: mash one ripe Haas avocado and add 1 clove minced garlic, a handful of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice, 1 tsp chopped onion, salt and pepper. Mash until smooth.)
Assemble your burger and enjoy!
Sonal, These Tex-Mex black bean burgers sound delicious. I am definitely copying your recipe down. Thanks!
These look SUPER YUMMY!!!!!
Based on this picture you also need a SUPER BIG mouth to wrap around that burger! I’m pretty sure I could do it though…LOL.
Can’t wait to try!
Hey Sonal,
Everything looks amazing, I can’t wait to try the black bean burgers! I will let you know how they turn out.
Sarah
XO
Tried these last night and they were really good, especially with all of the great toppings on a brioche bun. Do you think I can freeze the patties I didn’t cook?
Alexi, thanks for trying the black bean burgers. Glad you liked them! Love the idea of a brioche bun and will have to use them next time. The whole wheat buns I had from Trader Joe’s were too small and soft, which is why I needed that fistful of napkins. I recommend cooking the uncooked burgers and then freezing them. Just thaw in the fridge and then reheat on the stove when ready to serve. Great idea to save some for later!
Love them! They were perfect for Maisie (10 months) too. She really enjoyed them and we had a nice family meal on Memorial Day.
So glad you tried the burgers, Jess! And didn’t even think about them being baby food. Maisie is a good eater – kudos to you and Richard for being adventurous and persistent with her!