Add Vegetable to Ground Beef Burgers

A lot of people look down on veggie burgers thinking they could never live up to the real thing. That doesn't have to be true. Veggie burgers have a lot of potential. There's more flavor profiles to play with and better ingredients to work with to create a simple, great tasting burger that even the biggest of carnivores can love. We love ours for its simple approach. There's no need to add a ton of ingredients for a good burger. A few simple ones that are well seasoned can create the best veggie burger ever. After all, most classic burger recipes only use ground beef in the patty so we took inspo from that and kept the ingredient list to minimum.

Why do my veggie burgers fall apart?

Ahh the age old question. Either your patty is falling apart or it's super dried out. There is no in between. Getting the right balance of binders is key to a perfect veggie burger. Most people try to pack their burgers with breadcrumbs to keep them together, but even too much breadcrumbs can make them dry and crumbly. We find using an egg along with breadcrumbs is what keeps our holding together perfectly.

Refrigeration is also key to a successful veggie burger. After mixing everything together we refrigerate our patties so that they have plenty of time absorb all the moisture and hold together better. It will make all the difference.

Why mayonnaiseand egg?

Mayo is our secret ingredient. It turns a good veggie burger into a great one. Adding a little bit of mayo with an egg doesn't only help the burger hold together better, but also adds extra flavor. People love to hate on mayonnaise and most of the time I'm right there with them. It's never my condiment of choice. BUT mayo in things, that's a whole other story. Mayo brings life to this burger. It's well salted and just the little bit works wonders in the whole batch.

Yields: 4

Prep Time: 0 hours 15 mins

Total Time: 0 hours 45 mins

(15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2

medium yellow onion, chopped

cloves garlic, minced

large egg

1/2 c.

plus 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, divided

3/4 c.

panko bread crumbs

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp.

canola oil

slices white cheddar

3 tbsp.

ketchup

Hamburger buns

tomato, sliced

Romaine lettuce leaves

In a food processor, pulse black beans, onion, and garlic until finely chopped.
Transfer to a large bowl and combine with egg, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and panko. Season generously with salt and pepper and form the mixture into 4 patties. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add patties and cook until golden and warmed through, about 5 minutes per side.
Top each patty with a slice of cheese and cover the skillet to melt.
In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Spread mixture onto bottom buns, then add burgers. Top with tomato, lettuce, and remaining bun halves.