Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

I spent most of this morning looking up new recipes I could whip up with the ingredients I have on hand. I was lucky to come across Meg’s  recipe for these tasty burgers. I didn’t want to use quinoa, so instead I doubled the oats portion. I also added unsweetened cocoa powder to make these taste a little bit more like my vegetarian chili. I went ahead and rolled them in Panko to help them develop a crisp exterior. And oops! I forgot the sunflower seeds, but these burgers turned out pretty tasty.

I somehow had these prepped and cooked within minutes of my husband coming home for lunch. I love the illuminated look on his face when he comes home, sniffs the air, and asks “what’s cooking?!” Pure joy.

His veggie burger was served up on artisan bread with iceberg lettuce, 1/4 of an avocado, red onion and provolone. Mine was served in a wheat tortilla, with Dijon mustard, 1/4 of an avocado and arugula. I also threw on some chopped onions on top. It was delicious.

Here’s the recipe, via Meg at Peaches & Cake:

• 3 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed
• 1 1/2 cups of black beans, rinsed (I cook a big batch of these almost every week, but feel free to use canned)
• 1/2 cup yellow onion
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups of Panko to roll the patties in
• 2/3 cup rolled oats, chopped finely in a food processor
• 4-5 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 3 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• cracked sea salt to taste
• cracked pepper to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Baked sweet potatoes can take up to 1 hour to bake at 400°, feel free to microwave them instead for about 7 minutes. Not ideal, but it works if you’re pinched for time like I was.
• Place half the bean mixture in the food processor and chop until they have a mashed consistency
• Add all ingredients into large mixing bowl and stir well until they are well mixed
• Form into patties about 1/2″ thick, or thinner for more crisp burgers
• With your Panko poured into a shallow bowl, lay your patties on the Panko, one at a time. Flip over to make sure both sides are evenly coated with Panko crumbs.
• Bake for 15 minutes, flip burgers then bake for 15 more minutes.

With nearly all veggie burgers, it’s fairly easy to tweak the ingredients list to create a delicious meal. If you have a winning combo of seasonings, try it! If you prefer a spicier burger, add jalapeños! The possibilities are endless. We’re having this for dinner tonight, alongside my favorite green bean salad. Can’t wait!