BBQ Black Bean Burgers

I've made a good amount of veggie burgers, but for some reason I always resort back to buying the frozen ones from the supermarket. Why? Because I have never been able to make veggie burgers that, a) was easy to make, b) tasted good, and c) had a good consistancy. I didn't want anymore patties that were crispy on the outside but mush on the inside. 

These wholesome and flavorful patties are packed full of healthy and simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Patties:

-1.5 cups black beans

-1.5 cups cooked brown rice

-1 tablespoon flax seeds

-3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used Gluten Free)

-3 tablespoons tomato paste

-1 medium sweet potato, peeled and boiled (or baked)

-1.5 teaspoon cumin, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder

-1 teaspoon smoked paprika and chili powder

-Salt and Pep to taste

Glaze:

-1/4 cup of sriratcha garlic BBQ sauce (or just add some sriratcha to regular BBQ sauce)

-2 teaspoons tomato paste

-1.5 tablespoons ketchup

Directions

1. First, you're going to want to cook the brown rice. I used a rice cooker, but stove top will work as well. 

2. While your rice is cooking, peel and cut your sweet potato into chunks and add them to a pot of boiling water. It should only take about 5-10 minutes to get soft. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 415 F.

3. While your rice is cooking and the potato is boiling, make your flax egg. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water and mix. Set aside.

4. Now it's time to make the glaze. Simply combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and mix, place to the side.

5. In a large bowl, add your black beans and begin to mash them with a potato masher or fork (or your hands!) When they are partially mashed, add your rice and sweet potato and mash again until all the ingredients are combined but still slightly chunky.

6. To this mix, add your tomato paste, flax egg and spices. Stir this all together with a large spoon or spatula. Once mostly combined, add your breadcrumbs. Once adding your breadcrumbs, your mixture should thicken up and become easily shaped into patties. If your mixture is still a little to sticky and wet to handle, at some more breadcrumbs, about 1/4 cup at a time.

7. Line a pan with parchment paper. Form your mixture into patties and place them on the lined pan. I make 5-6 large patties with this mixture. 

8. Spoon a layer of the glaze on the top of the patties and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the patties have browned slightly and begin to firm up. Take them out, flip them over (carefully) with a spatula, and glaze the other side. Then pop them back into the oven for another 25-30 minutes. The patties should be browned and pretty firm when you take them out.

9. Let the patties cool for 10-15 minutes out of the oven on the pan before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool for another 10 minutes. This cooling time is very important, it allows them to firm up even more! We don't want mushy veggie burgers! 

10. Serve! I like mine on fresh bread with avocado and tomato with a side of homemade baked sweet potato wedges.