Vegan Black Bean Burgers (that are also gluten-free)

I was browsing allrecipes.com earlier today and happened to stumble upon a recipe for black bean veggie burgers. I've had a craving for black beans all week, so this seemed to fit the bill quite nicely. The recipe that inspired my version can be found here. I, of course, chose to make a few adjustments to it.

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Makes 4

1 16 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed (I purchase the low sodium kind)
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 Tbsp ground flax meal & 3 Tbsp water (Or 1 large egg)
chili powder, cumin, tumeric, ginger, salt, pepper to taste
Juice of half a lime.


Mash beans up in a large bowl. I used a pastry blender. A mashed potato masher or a fork will work nicely as well. In a small bowl combine the flax meal with the water and let sit until mixture becomes thick. (This will take about a minute or so). In the bowl add the quinoa flakes (my gluten-free and tasty alternative to breadcrumbs), onion and garlic.

In the flax bowl add the lime juice and seasonings, stirring. Add this mixture to the main bowl and knead to combine. When mixture is evenly combined, form into four patties and cook on medium-high heat. A total of eight minutes on both sides of the burger.

After these beauties were done I topped them with chopped avocado and creme fresh (substitute vegan sour cream if you so desire) and served them with rice that had a salsa-like tomato dressing (we were out of actual salsa). It was both delicious and filling - Definitely something I'll be having again.

Recipe Alterations:
I am not really a fan of mixing textures so I didn't feel inclined to keep the peppers or the thai chili sauce. I wanted something more Mexican-esque. Next time I think I'll add cilantro and possible a cheese of some sort baked right in the middle.

I replaced the 1 egg with ground flax meal to use as a binding substance. I didn't really have to replace the egg but I wanted to for a couple of reasons. For one, flax meal is loaded with healthy fats like omega-3 and omega-6 instead of cholesterol. Two, with no raw components I didn't have to worry if the middle of the bean burger was only slightly warm. The beans were cooked and sound. Also, without the egg the extra two patties will stay longer in the fridge.