"Meaty" Black Bean Vegan Burgers

This weekend we celebrated Fall with a Fall Fest, complete with a hayride, veggie dogs and all the potato salad you could imagine. Now, we do love veggie dogs, but I think I've finally reached my limit for the year. Interestingly enough, we haven't had one burger bonfire, and I think next summer, we'll have to make that happen. Until then, I'll be experimenting with some patties, and sharing them with you.

In all honesty, these burgers are a result of wanting to use up leftovers in the fridge. Just goes to show, that your fridge can indeed be carrying treasures you didn't think of.

Beans are a serious staple around here. Once I started understanding how to prepare and keep them so that I don't have to buy cans of the stuff anymore (cheaper and healthier to buy dry!), life became so much easier. I had made some enchiladas with these beans. Since I had plenty left, I figured a burger would be the perfect project. 

I wanted something more "meaty" in texture, however; something a little chewier... That does sound strange now that I type it out, but I'm just going to leave that there. I decided to add some TVP and see what happened. 

Because the beans were already cooked, it cut down greatly on prep time for these delicious burgers! I even called a friend to come over for lunch, and did we feast! We topped them with fried onions and had sweet potato fries on the side.

What you need

1 ½ C black beans - cooked (you could use canned too)
2 C TVP
1 large yellow onion - caramelized
¾ C vital gluten flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp sea salt
BBQ sauce

What to do

1) Soak TVP in about 2C hot water for ten minutes and drain well
2) While soaking, caramelize your onion and set aside - low heat and slow cooking is the key!
3) Add back beans to food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Add caramelized onions and pulse until a paste forms.
4) Add paste, drained TVP and spices to large bowl. Mix well and then add vital gluten flour.
5) Combine and start creating patties out of the mixture. You will get 8-10, depending on the size.
6) Heat a bit of oil in the pan and place a few patties in to pan fry. Slather each side with BBQ sauce and flip. 
7) Serve with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

PS: If you prefer something gluten-free, try these Juicy Smoked Chickpea Burgers

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We love these topped with fried onions and with sweet potato fries on the side!

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Juicy Smoked Chickpea Burger (vegan with gluten free options)

It’s pretty much summer, and with summer comes my desire to be anywhere but the kitchen. It’s too hot to have the oven on and I would much rather be outside. However, even in summer, my husband appreciates warm meals (unlike me, who could just live off of smoothies, salads and popsicles all summer).

Since I prefer minimal time in the hot kitchen on hot days, I have been getting creative with summer meals. Burgers have always been a favourite, so it was only natural I figure out some ways to make a good patty. There were several versions I enjoyed, and I'll share the chickpea version with you today!

When it comes to vegan burgers, I’ve had really good ones and really bad ones. One of the really good ones occurred when we went out to eat with some friends a few months ago. It was so delicious, and I don’t even know what it was made of. All I knew, was that it had this perfect smokey taste and just the right amount of BBQ sauce. It was on my mind for days, and I had to reinvent it.

On a side note, we've been clearing out our cupboards getting ready for a busy summer and a move, so I just went right there. I had a can of chickpeas, and I decided that was what my burger was going to be made of. 

By the way, I do enjoy making my beans from scratch now though!

Related: How to Cook Garbanzo Beans 3 Ways (Chickpeas)

It took several tries. I learned very quickly that I had to make sure it wouldn't crumble, and since we don't use eggs, it was a bit of a challenge with attempts I'd made in the past. I figured beans would help a lot with that, and was I ever right! With the oats and veggies in there, the texture was great - and the BBQ sauce....oh, the BBQ sauce...

Topped with some fried onion, a slice of vegan "cheese," and some fresh veggies, it's seriously delicious. 

The best part about these, are that they're light, and don't leave us feeling groggy and gross.

Juicy Smoked Chickpea Burger

what you need:

• 15 oz. can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups if using cooked), drained and rinsed

• Half Cup Rolled Oats

• 3 TBSP BBQ Sauce

• ½ Onion, Finely Diced

• 1 Small Zucchini, Grated and dried well

• ½ Small Carrot, Grated

• About 1 tsp each: Salt, Cumin, Smoked Paprika

• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

• 2 tsp Olive Oil

what to do:

1) If using canned beans, drain and rinse well. Mash coarsely in a bowl with a fork. 

2) Add the rest of your ingredients and seasonings and mix very well. Your mixture should not be too wet, but wet enough to form. 

3) Shape the patties in your hand and lightly brown in heated fry pan. 

4) Serve as a plain patty, or put in a bun (gluten-free if needed) and top with your favourite burger toppings (we love vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fried onions). Enjoy!

Note: These freeze and reheat well. 

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What is your favourite thing to eat in the summer?

Let me know if you try out this burger by using the hashtag #MapleAlps! I love seeing what everyone comes up with! 

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