Black Bean Burgers

 More pictures showing how to make black bean burgers

• 1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 TBS herbs of your choice (this time I used oregano and cumin)
• 2 cloves minced garlic (I used more because I like lots!)
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mash beans in a bowl leaving some chunky.  Add egg.  In a blender or food processor combine the onion, garlic, oats, and seasonings.  Add liquid if you need to, to make the mixture moist.  I used water, but you can use ketchup, wine, milk, or vegetable stock if you like. 

Add the mixture to the beans and mix well.  If mixture is too wet you can add breadcrumbs (I used Panko) to thicken it up some.

You can make this mixture in advance and leave in refrigerator a few hours or overnight.  It will thicken up nicely and make burgers that are easy to form and stick together well.  The mixture will also freeze well, in already formed burgers or in a bag.

To cook, just form into your preferred shape and pan-fry on medium heat in a little olive oil.  

You can substitute a flax egg, or other liquid to make this recipe vegan.  You can also freeze the burgers cooked if you like.

Try different herb combos such as cilantro and salsa; parsley and parmesan cheese; soy and scallions.  Be creative and experiment!