Today we are going to take a healthy, fiber-filled black bean burger and dirty it up a bit so you will feel cool about serving it to your football friends on game day weekend (let's go HOKIES!). Because football season is just around the corner....
People who normally turn their noses up at a vegetarian burger might just be fooled into thinking this is a "real" burger. I mean, come on, it kind of looks that way right??? As much as I love beef and would 100% advocate making this recipe with juicy and flavorful lean beef patty, sometimes you just need to make a bean burger. Here's a few reasons why:
- Beans are cheap. The likelyhood that this burger costs under a dollar to make (per burger) is very high. Your grocery budget will thank you.
- Beans are high in fiber. Which will definitely help with the quest-drenched veggie burger situation. Are you catching my drift?
- You might have some vegetarian friends to watch football with. They will love the fact that you made them something as game-day worthy as this burger.
Onto the topic of queso - it's easy to make yourself at home. WITHOUT Velveeta. Cooking 101: all you need is butter + flour + milk + cheese + seasonings. We're packing our queso with smoky-but-not-too -spicy Hatch chile peppers. While these are my all-time favorite chile pepper, you can certainly use canned green chiles, roasted poblanos, or jalapeños. I won't judge. Vary the heat to your liking.
A note about these black bean burgers - while they look like real beef burgers, they certainly have a different texture. These burgers are golden and crispy on the outside but have a soft(er) interior. It's not mushy, but not dry either. You can make a whole bunch and freeze them for weeknights - which I would highly advise because they make for a quick and filling dinner!
Recipe
Smokehouse Hatch Chile and White Queso Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 1 14.5 ounce can no salt added black beans, drained through a strainer but not rinsed
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon spicy ranch dressing mix I used Hidden Valley
- Oil for cooking the patties
For the Hatch chile queso:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 ½ cups grated white cheddar cheese
- 3 roasted seeded, and diced Hatch chiles (about ? cup; you can also substitute canned green chiles, jalapenos, or roasted poblano peppers).
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch of salt
Additional ingredients:
- Hamburger buns
- Your favorite BBQ sauce I’d recommend a smoky-flavored one
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the drained black beans. Use a fork to mash them until the beans are almost completely broken up (you should still be able to see a few bits of whole bean). Add the panko, oatmeal, egg, and ranch seasoning. Use your fork to mix all the ingredients together. Use a ½ cup measuring cup or scoop to portion the mixture into 4 ounce patties. I like to lay mine on a wax or parchment paper-lined tray. Place the patties in the refrigerator and let sit for 10 minutes.
- While the patties rest, make the queso. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter and flour over low-medium heat. Heat until the mixture starts to foam and sizzle, then cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring often. Whisk in the milk by adding it in a slow and steady stream. Increased the heat to medium and cook while stirring continuously until the mixture produces the first bubble and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese one handful at a time until it is completely melted. Stir in the diced chiles, paprika, and salt. Return to the lowest heat setting on your oven range and keep warm while you cook the burger patties (stir the queso occasionally).
- Place a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (about a 4-5). Heat for a few minutes before adding 2 tablespoons of oil (I used canola). Place the black bean patties in the oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side until the center is heated through and the exterior is golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate. Add a little more oil to the skillet and toast the hamburger buns for about 90 seconds.
- Place 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce on one side of the hamburger bun. Add a black bean patty followed by 2 tablespoons of the queso. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
Who are you rooting for in college football this year? And what are some of your favorite game day recipes? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
