Butternut Black Bean Burgers

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Butternut Black Bean Burgers

prep 20 mins
cook 10 mins
total 30 mins
author jenn laughlin
yield 4 burgers

Ingredients

• 1 flax egg (1 TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP water) or 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed black beans [refried black beans work too!]
• 1 cup pureed butternut squash
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil [or butter]
• 3/4 tsp salt-free Italian seasoning blend [like mrs. dash]
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley [or fresh if you have it!]
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats [not instant]

THE TOPPINGS:

• 4 burger buns (I used a bakery poppy seed onion bun - amazing!)
• 4 slices of pepper jack cheese
• romaine lettuce
• fresh baby spinach
• mayo (store-bought or homemade) mixed with sriracha chili sauce

Instructions

1. Whisk together 1 TBSP ground flax with 3 TBSP water and pop it in the fridge to set.
2. Next mash black beans in a large bowl and set aside. Alternatively you can use refried black beans, I've made it both ways! Measure to ensure you have a cup and you're good to go.
3. Add your butternut squash to the beans and set aside.
4. Next saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until tender and near-translucent, adding the minced garlic towards the end to prevent burning.
5. Season the veggies with your Italian seasoning blend, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and parsley and stir to coat.
6. Add the freshly sauteed veggies to your beans and squash and stir in your oats.
7. Remove your flax egg from the fridge and add it to the bowl.
8. Stir to fully incorporate and roll mixture into four balls.
9. For optimal burger shape, cup each ball in your hands and squeeze tightly, rotating as you gently, but firmly, press it into a disc.
10. Giggles aside, pop your burgers onto a plate, cover with foil or cling wrap and refrigerate as you prep your buns [or lettuce wraps!] and toppings. This will give them a little while to set. You can even leave them overnight and cook them up the following day. I often make one after 15-30 minutes of chill time and cook up the rest the following day.
11. Ready to eat?
12. Pour a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet and heat to medium-high, so the burgers sizzle when you add them to the pan!
13. Cook for a few minutes on each side until you're left with a golden crust. and a warm center. Repeat for each burger, or cook two at once if you have a big enough pan! I'd skip crowding all four together just because they're a pain to flip when all up in eachother's business. A tip for perfectly shaped veggie burgers? While sizzling away in the skillet, I use my spatula to gently help form the sides into a perfect disc. Works like a charm!
14. Slather your buns with sriracha mayo, pile them high with lettuce, spinach, pepper jack and top each with a yummy butternut burger. Enjoy!

Notes
The burger itself is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, so choose your favorite toppings and have fun with it!
Vegan mayo combined with sriracha makes a great veganized version of the sauce I used and a fresh mountain of guac also makes another stellar vegan topping!

source:http://peasandcrayons.com