Black Bean Burgers with Mango & Avocado Salsa
This isn't just another dry, disappointing veggie burger. I remember an afternoon in 2018 in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, my skin still salty from the sea. At a tiny stall, a woman named Elena was pressing these patties by hand. The humid air was thick with the scent of ripe mango and fresh cilantro, a combination that has stayed with me. Elena taught me the secret isn't to imitate meat, but to celebrate the ingredients for what they are. We use a partial baking technique to achieve a firm exterior and a tender inside, preventing the dreaded crumble. The result is a burger with a deep, earthy flavor, brought to life by the bright, clean burst of the salsa. It’s pure, sun-drenched energy on a plate.
18Ingredients
- 0 For the burgers:
- 400 g cooked black beans, rinsed and well-drained
- 90 g rolled oats or oat flour
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0 sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 0 For the mango & avocado salsa:
- 1 large ripe mango, diced
- 1 large ripe avocado, diced
- ½ small red onion, finely diced
- 25 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 juice of 1 lime
- ½ jalapeño, finely minced (optional)
- 0 to taste sea salt
Nutrition Facts
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If using rolled oats, pulse them in a blender or food processor until they resemble a coarse flour.
In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the rinsed and dried black beans, oat flour, sautéed onion and garlic, tamari, smoked paprika, and cumin. Pulse 8-10 times, until the mixture starts to come together but still has some texture. Do not over-process into a paste.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. If the mixture is too sticky, wet your hands slightly.
Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully flip them and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until firm and lightly browned on the outside.
While the burgers are baking, prepare the salsa. In a medium bowl, gently combine the diced mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and optional jalapeño. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Be careful not to mash the avocado.
Serve the warm burgers immediately, topped with a generous spoonful of the fresh salsa. They are excellent on their own, on a bed of greens, or in a toasted whole-grain bun.
Chef's Tip
The key to a firm burger is removing excess moisture. After rinsing the beans, pat them thoroughly dry with a kitchen towel before processing. This small step makes a huge difference in the final texture.
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Black Bean Burgers with Mango & Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
- For the burgers:
- For the mango & avocado salsa:
Burgers
- 400 g cooked black beans, rinsed and well-drained
- 90 g rolled oats or oat flour
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
Salsa
- 1 large ripe mango, diced
- 1 large ripe avocado, diced
- 0.5 small red onion, finely diced
- 25 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 juice of 1 lime
- 0.5 jalapeño, finely minced (optional)
- sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If using rolled oats, pulse them in a blender or food processor until they resemble a coarse flour.
- In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a food processor, combine the rinsed and dried black beans, oat flour, sautéed onion and garlic, tamari, smoked paprika, and cumin. Pulse 8-10 times, until the mixture starts to come together but still has some texture. Do not over-process into a paste.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. If the mixture is too sticky, wet your hands slightly.
- Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully flip them and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until firm and lightly browned on the outside.
- While the burgers are baking, prepare the salsa. In a medium bowl, gently combine the diced mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and optional jalapeño. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Be careful not to mash the avocado.
- Serve the warm burgers immediately, topped with a generous spoonful of the fresh salsa. They are excellent on their own, on a bed of greens, or in a toasted whole-grain bun.
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