Black Bean Burger Patties

If you want a vegetarian twist on a classic then you can give this a try. It’s healthy and so delicious.

You will need:
2 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3/ 4 cup finely chopped sweet pepper 
1 cup finely chopped onion 
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
1 and 1/ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/ 4 teaspoon paprika
1/ 2 cup bread crumbs 
1/ 2 cup feta cheese (optional)
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons ketchup, mayo, or BBQ sauce
Pinch salt + pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out. Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor / blender with the remaining ingredients (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and pepper). Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
Form into patties– about 1/ 3 cup of mixture in each. To bake: Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F – 400°F. Serve with your favourite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.