I really like Melissa d’Arabian. She has great dinner ideas for people with limited budgets (like me), that appeal to everyone. Her recipes are well tested by her three adorable daughters and a sexy French husband — all who must bring different criteria to the table. So, when I came across her recipe for a black bean burger, I decided to give it a try. She did not disappoint me. This is a delicious burger. “¡Olé!”
Black Bean “Nacho” Burgers
Another thing that really appealed to me about this recipe is that it uses ingredients that I usually have on hand. It is a great use for the last bits of cheese, the bottom-of-the-bag broken tortilla chips, and the bottom-of-the-jar salsa, — leading me to believe this is how Melissa came up with the idea for the recipe in the first place. Yet another reason to be inspired by this cook!
ingredients
- one 15-oz. can black beans, drained
- 1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 scallion, trimmed and finely chopped
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- hamburger buns
- mayonnaise & hot sauce for serving (my variation)
Drain the beans and put into a bowl. Mash slightly with a potato masher, then add the chips, salsa, cheese, the beaten egg, scallion and the salt & pepper. Combine well and form into 4 patties.
Place the patties on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (overnight is okay). This will firm up the mixture and allow it to remain together when you are browning the patties.
When ready to serve, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick skillet or griddle. When the oil is hot, flatten the patties in your hand and then set them gently in the pan. Cook over medium heat until they are brown on both sides, about 5 minutes on each side.
I found that the secret to getting a great texture on this veggie burger is making the patties thin. If they are too thick, they taste a bit like you are eating a bean sandwich.
But, a thin pattie, combined with a nice crispy, well-browned exterior, makes for a nice “burger” experience.
Melissa serves these with salsa and sour cream, and toasts the buns. I served these with a spicy mayonnaise that I threw together in minutes. I mixed a couple tablespoons of my favorite hot sauce (mine!) into about a half cup (or so) of mayonnaise. THIS WAS THE PERFECT COMBINATION! “¡Me gusta mucho!”