Budget black bean burger recipe from KWOOWK
Affordable, packed with protein and fibre and with a texture and taste to rival traditional beef patties, it’s no wonder black bean burgers have become so popular. They’re wonderfully easy to make too, as this recipe from Kevin Tatar shows.
Kevin, the self-taught home cook behind social media sensation KWOOWK, has earned millions of followers with his relatable food content and creative recipes. This black bean burger recipe features in his debut cookbook TASTY. HEALTHY. CHEAP., and Kevin reckons it’s so good that, when he first tried it, he considered “never eating a regular burger again”.
The key is to treat this as a recipe in its own right, rather than attempting to mimic meat. “Don’t expect a beef burger experience from this,” says Kevin. “Go into it like a new dish, then you’ll understand just how good it is.”
Like many of Kevin's creations, this recipe yields one serving, allowing those dining solo to get the perfect portion, while also being easy to scale up for any number of people.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select 'Cups'.
Ingredients
For the patty:- 197 g (1/2 can) black beans, drained and rinsed under cold water
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 55 g feta, crumbled
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp chilli oil, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 burger bun
- 1 medium-size tomato
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 1 small handful of rocket
- 1 small handful pickled red onions, for topping
Details
- Cuisine: American
- Recipe Type: Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Serves: 1
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking paper (parchment).
- Spread the beans on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. The beans need to be dry to make sure the patty doesn’t turn mushy.
- In the meantime, make an easy sauce: in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and chilli oil. Taste and adjust the chilli oil, if needed.
- While the beans bake, prep the other ingredients. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and toast the buns until golden brown. Cut 2-3 slices from the tomato and season with salt.
- To finish the patty, transfer the beans to a large bowl and roughly mash them using a fork. The reason we’re using a fork is because we want some textural variety, and not a silky-smooth mashed product. Add the egg to the smashed beans and beat it in with the fork. Stir in the shallot, garlic and all the seasonings.
- Stir in 1 tbsp breadcrumbs at a time and adjust the amount based on the consistency. Look for an easily mouldable mixture that holds its shape. Finally, mix in the feta.
- Using clean hands, shape into a patty around 2 cm (¾in) thick, or two smaller patties, if you prefer (you can stack them or save one for later). Lightly season with flaky salt on both sides.
- In a pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the patties and cook for about 2 minutes per side until browned, carefully flipping with a spatula.
- To assemble, spread half the sauce over the bottom bun. Top with rocket (arugula), tomato slices and then your bean patty. Spread the remaining yogurt sauce on the patty and finish with some pickled onions. Top with the remaining bun.
Recipe adapted from Tasty. Healthy. Cheap. Budget-Friendly Recipes with Exciting Flavors by Kevin Tatar. Published by Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2023.
You might also like:
Slow-roasted peppers with chilli, garlic and beans recipe
Smoked bean and mushroom quesadillas recipe
Broad bean pod fritters with sriracha mayonnaise recipe