Meatless Black Bean Burgers

Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

Even burger fanatics who love to frequent the Golden Arches can enjoy these meatless burgers topped with Monterey Jack cheese and a tasty "bacon" and relish aioli.

Ingredients

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vegan bacon bits
1 tablespoon relish
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tomato paste
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese
8 large hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions

1 Puree black beans in a food processor, or mash with a fork.
2 Combine bread crumbs, bell peppers, onion, eggs, barbecue sauce, nutritional yeast, salt, olive oil, taco seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and chili sauce in a large mixing bowl. Add mashed beans and mix well.
3 Form mixture into 8 patties. Place on greased waxed paper and let sit in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
4 Lightly grease a cast iron griddle pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Add burgers and fry until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
5 While burgers are cooking, mix mayonnaise, vegan bacon bits, relish, vinegar, and tomato paste for aioli together in a small bowl.
6 Top each burger with a slice of Monterey Jack cheese. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with aioli sauce.