Black Bean & Lentil Veggie Burger

It is very hard to convince two grown, meat-eating men that a veggie burger will A) satisfy them and B) actually taste good! Well ladies and gentlemen, if you too have veggie burger skeptics living under the same roof, the time has come to prove them wrong! I assure you that the combination of flavor within the burger accompanied by the Greek yogurt hummus and Thai chili avocado sauce, will not only fill them up, but confuse them with the desire to eat more. That’s free entertainment!

BLACK BEAN & LENTIL VEGGIE BURGER

Makes 6 burger patties

Listening to: Purple Sand (My Home) by Big Wild

Veggie Burger Patty

2 small carrots or 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1 medium onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups cooked green or brown lentils,

1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 large eggs, whisked

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, chopped

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp your favorite hot sauce

½ tsp kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Oat flour or flour of choice, for dusting

Vegetable oil or extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan

Thai Chili & Avocado Cream Sauce

1 medium to large avocado, pitted and sliced

½ cup lightly packed mint leaves

1 cup lightly packed parsley (or cilantro, or a mix of both) leaves and stems

2 Thai chili peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped (add with seeds if you want it extra-spicy, like I did!)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 garlic cloves

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp fine-grain sea salt

4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Greek Yogurt Hummus

1 small clove garlic

1 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tsp sesame oil

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Burger Assembly

6 buns of choice (burger buns, English muffins, flatbread, tostones, arepas, so many options!)

Cheese: I used Havarti, but any favorite cheese will work.

Choice of crunch: dill pickles, quick-pickled red onions, thinly sliced radishes, fresh cucumbers, etc.

Greens: arugula, spinach, kale, romaine, etc.

Tomato slices, optional

Fried egg

Whatever else your appetite desires

FOR THE BURGER,

1. If you need oat flour, blend up some oats in a food processor until the oats have a fine, flour-like texture. Transfer the oats to a bowl for later.

2. Preheat oven to 325F (163C). Spread the lentils and beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly dried out.

3. In a pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the shredded carrots, minced onion, and garlic until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.

4. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients, except the beans and lentils, and stir or pulse everything together.

5. Add the lentils and black beans, mashing with a fork or pulsing the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.

6. Divide the mixture into 6 portions and shape them into patties about 1-inch thick (if you feel your mixture is wet and sticking to your hands, stir in a couple tablespoons of oat flour before forming). Dust the patties lightly with oat flour on both sides.

7. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the veggie burgers until they are crispy on the bottoms and the mixture holds together, about 4 to 5 minutes.

8. Flip the burgers carefully with a spatula, add a layer of the cheese now if you are using, and continue cooking until patty is firm and cheese is melted, about 4 to 5 more minutes.

FOR THE THAI CHILI AVOCADO SAUCE,

1. Add all of the ingredients to the food processor except for the olive oil.

2. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil while it’s running.

3. Process until smooth and store in an airtight container

FOR THE GREEK YOGURT HUMMUS,

1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor, except the olive oil.

2. Process until smooth, then stream in the olive oil, adding enough to reach a smooth consistency.

3. If you find it too thick, add teaspoons of water until desired consistency.

4. Season with salt and pepper and store in an airtight container.

TO ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS,

1. Toast buns of choice, if you’d like.

2. Spread the bottom half of the bun with Greek yogurt hummus, add the veggie burger patty, top with your choice of condiments (I used tomatoes, herbed cucumber, sunny side egg, and arugula).

3. Spread the top half of the bun with the Thai chili avocado sauce, close your burger, take a breath, and take a bite…you’re welcome.

SIDE NOTE: This burger freezes beautifully! Cooked or uncooked, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just stack the patties between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or zipped-top bag. Whenever you want to cook them, reheat or cook from frozen for a few minutes longer than instructed above.

I will admit, I too was a veggie burger skeptic. It’s not easy making a veggie burger that stays together after you take a bite. This is where paying attention to the details of the procedure come into play. The old fashioned oats and eggs help to bind all of the ingredients and keep it together while cooking. Yet the biggest trick is to partially dry out the black beans and lentils so the burgers do not taste too mushy. 

But to be honest, its all about the sauce, or sauces. I didn’t have tahini, and although I love the flavor of tahini, I honestly did not miss it in this smooth, tangy, garlic-y Greek yogurt hummus. But I will warn you, you will be adding this spicy, herbaceous, and creamy Thai chili avocado sauce to everything you make. Morning eggs or breakfast salads? Delicious! Tacos, cooked proteins, soups, fried plantains, savory pancakes, bread, savory oats, the list goes on, its so good!

Whether you’re vegetarian or not, this black bean burger recipe will hit every spot!