Jalapeno Popper-Inspired Black Bean Smash Burgers

 

The following recipe was developed during our stay in Lisbon. There are many smashed burger chains around the globe, but I felt that there were too many vegan meat options. I find the black bean burger superior to both vegan and non-vegan burger options so I developed this recipe and I hope you enjoy making it!

This recipe is perfect for meal prep because it makes enough for at least 16 patties, and since the patty recipe is vegan; it can be eaten without further cooking, it can be turned into patties or used as a salad topping.

Ingredients

2 large cans of black beans, mostly drained

½ bag of frozen cauliflower, about 8 oz. 

2 Tbsp of olive oil, divided 

1 pack Mushrooms, oyster preferably, but use your preference 

1 bunch Parsley leaves, leaves and stem separated and roughly chopped  

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped,

1 onion, diced 

1 Tbsp each cumin, curry powder, black pepper, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil,

8 oz cream cheese

3 jalapeno peppers,minced

Brioche Buns 

Cheddar cheese slices 

Makes 16 patties, 8 servings

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F 
2. Place cauliflower on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and place in the oven for 25 min, or until charred around edges.
3. Combine your spices and blend well.
4. Place 1 can of black beans in a bowl with 1/2 TBSP oil and ¼ of your spice blend. Mix well until evenly distributed.
5. Place beans in another sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and place in the oven until dry, some beans will be split open, this should take between 20 - 40 minutes.
6. In the meantime, add ½ tbsp oil to a saute pan and add the mushrooms, stir until even and then don’t disturb until 95% of the moisture has evaporated. This will ensure a nice golden browning of your mushroom.
7. Using a separate frying pan, saute onion and parsley stems on medium low heat until fragrant and translucent, add half of your remaining spice blend, and the garlic. Stir and saute for 10 min.
8. In a large bowl, add the other can of black beans. I like to add a little bit of the beans at a time. This gives me the best consistency and makes mashing less strenuous. The consistency should be thick, but not completely mush. You just want about half of the beans to be mashed.
9. Add the parsley leaves, and your onion mixture to the mashed beans, mix and mash until well mixed.
10. The mushrooms should be ready. Once all the moisture is gone, mix and fry until all sides are evenly browned, don’t worry about any charred bits. Set aside.
11. Once the cauliflower has nice charring on it, remove it from the oven and let cool, you can either mash or use a knife to cut into tiny pieces, then fry on the stovetop with oil and about ¼ of your spices. Fry until brown, fragrant, and with little to no moisture remaining. Add to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
12. Remove black beans from the oven, when they are ready. Add directly to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
13. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, to cool, set and thicken up.
14. Combine jalapenos and cream cheese, season to taste. Set aside.
15. Toast brioche buns, set aside.
16. When cool to the touch, divide burger mixture into 16 small balls. This step is easier to do with wet hands.
17. On medium-high heat, add oil to the frying pan. Once oil is hot, add your patties and smash until flat. Fry until browned and flip.
18. If the patties completely fell apart, use your spatula to shape patties in the pan and lay the cheese slice over it. The cheese will keep the patty together.
19. To assemble the burger, add spinach to the bottom bun, then the black bean patty, add 2 pieces of mushrooms, add a dollop of your cream cheese mixture, then add the other patty, add another piece of your mushroom, add another dollop of your cream cheese jalapeno, and the top with the upper bun.

Enjoy your burgers with pita chips, fries, and a salad. You can cook as many of your patties as necessary, then store the rest, which can be made into burgers, eaten as is, or roasted to be used as a salad topping. It’s the perfect for meal prep days.