American
Veggie Burger
Mashed black beans, oats, and breadcrumbs bind with an egg into patties that fry until browned and hot in the center. They are served on buns with lettuce, tomato, and a swipe of mustard.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Mashing most of the beans, and leaving some whole, gives the patty texture without a loose mash.
- Oats and breadcrumbs soak up moisture so the patty holds in the pan.
- A chill, even a short one, helps the patties firm up before they fry.
- Medium heat browns the outside without scorching it before the center is hot.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Mash the black beans in a bowl until most are broken and some pieces remain.
- 2
Stir in the breadcrumbs, rolled oats, egg, onion, garlic, soy sauce, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- 3
Shape into 4 patties about 3/4 inch thick. If the mix sticks to your hands, dampen them. Let the patties stand 5 minutes so the oats swell.
- 4
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 5
Cook the patties until the bottoms are deep brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is brown and the center is hot and set, not doughy, about 4 minutes more.
- 6
Split and toast the burger buns in the dry skillet for a minute.
- 7
Spread the buns with Dijon mustard. Add a patty, lettuce, and tomato. Serve.
Pro tips
- If a patty cracks, press it back together in the pan. The egg will set it.
- Do not press down with the spatula. That squeezes the beans out.
- Wet mix means the beans were not drained. Pat them dry before mashing next time, or add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Easy substitutions
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Rolled oats
- More breadcrumbs
- Burger buns
- Lettuce wraps, and skip the toasting step
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate cooked patties up to 4 days, or freeze uncooked patties between parchment up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until hot in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Do not microwave them if you want a crust.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 437
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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