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Black Bean and Beef Burgers

Name: Black Bean and Beef Burgers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry; 1 lb lean ground beef; 1/3 cup white onion, finely chopped; 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped (optional but delicious); 1/2 cup carrots, finely grated; 1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs (or gluten-free oats if need gluten free); 1 egg; 2 Tbsp of your favourite BBQ sauce (choose gluten-free brand if necessary); 2 garlic cloves, minced; Salt and pepper to taste; Buns – suggest regular or thin bun; whole grain or sourdough; regular or gluten-free; Tomatoes; Lettuce and/or sprouts; Red onion; Avocado; Pickles; Condiments of choice

by Rosanne Robinson, RD

There’s something about a burger that screams summer! I LOVE burgers – all kinds, whether they’re 100% meat or plant-based burgers. As a farmer’s daughter, I like to support all farmers, so what better way to do that then by making these black bean and beef burgers (with a few veggies added in there as well).

In my opinion, everything tastes better with beans!

I know I shouldn’t pick favourites (or at least my mother used to say so!), but black beans are my favourite bean! These beans are incredibly versatile. We use black beans multiple times a week for dishes like black bean quesadillas, black bean rice bowls, black bean brownies, or black bean truffles to name a few.

Might as well throw a few into these burgers too!

Is the black bean and beef burger for you?

I had a few different people in mind when crafting this burger combo, including:

those who are interested in eating more plant-based foods but would like to keep meat in their diet
folks who are looking to boost fibre and nutrition for their family without making too many changes all at once (especially for those picky/selective eaters)
anyone who needs to boost their intake of iron from food (oh, wait, that’s me!) Did you know that non-heme iron from plant foods (i.e. black beans) is absorbed 150% more when it’s combined with heme iron from an animal food (i.e. beef)? Winning!

Or maybe you need an idea for a Father’s Day BBQ menu? Well, consider your search over! Swap out the sparkling lime water for beer and you’ve got yourself a dad-approved winner.

Wait! Is this burger going to fall apart like other homemade burgers?

Store-bought burgers typically hold up better than any type of homemade burger, whether animal or plant-based, in my experience. So, I did some research to figure out how to keep these patties together and here are some of my magic tricks!

Use binders, including an egg and bread crumbs, as per Sally (and Sally really knows her stuff)! Homemade burgers need binders.
Make sure the beans are dry to avoid excess moisture. It’s very important to keep moisture to a minimum.
Keep veggie add-ins (onions and carrots) finely chopped to avoid large chunks that do not stick very well to the meat/bean mixture.
Freeze burgers prior to grilling (1-2 hours if you can). I think this helps tremendously!
Avoid flipping the burgers too often on the grill.

Just because social distancing restrictions remain in place with COVID-19 and the usual large group family and friend gatherings likely won’t happen, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a black bean and beef burger in the privacy of our own backyard.

Are you ready to bite into something hearty, healthy, flavourful and delicious that might just convince even the biggest of skeptics that beans aren’t so bad?

I dare to you try it!