Can the burgers be frozen?

Flatten the patties between two smaller pieces of parchment paper and stack them on top of each other in a resealable frozen bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to cook, let the burger slightly thaw as you heat up your griddle then carefully peel the parchment away and cook on the griddle.

How can I make these gluten-free?

Instead of bread crumbs try gluten-free oats or crushed corn tortilla chips. Make sure either option is ground up so that it can act similarly to the panko.

Can I make the burgers thicker?

Searing a thick bean burger on the stove top on both sides will not appropriately cook the center of the patty, which leads to a mushy texture. Making the patty thinner will give you crispy edges and firmer center. If you want a thicker burger, I recommend this recipe instead .

How long does the toum keep?

You can store the toum in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 month.

Black Bean Smash Burgers with Creamy Toum

Description

These crispy black bean smash burgers are a flavorful blend of mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. Cooked till crisp around the edges and layered with creamy toum.

Ingredients

Scale

Burgers

1, 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Avocado oil for cooking
6 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1/2 medium white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegan mayo
1 tbsp hoisin sauce plus more for brushing over the burgers

Toum

1/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup avocado oil

Serving

Burger Buns
Lettuce
Tomato
Pickled onions

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a tray with parchment paper. Place the beans on the tray and spread them out in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes to help cook off excess moisture then set aside to cool.
Add the flaxseeds to a small bowl with 2 tbsp of water. Mix together to make a flax egg and set aside to gel.
Add about 1 tbsp of oil to large griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and spread them out over one side and the onions on the other side.
Allow the mushrooms to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes then give them a toss. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until they become more golden brown in color. For the onions, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and stir them regularly until they are soft and golden in color, about 5-6 minutes.
Once both the mushrooms and onions are cooked, stir them together in the pan, then add the garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes or until the garlic is softened and fragrant.
Transfer mushrooms, onions, and garlic to a food processor along with the sun-dried tomatoes, coriander, and allspice. Pulse together until the ingredients are finely minced. Add the beans, panko, flax egg, cornstarch, mayo, and hoisin sauce then process on low until the mixture holds together and is easy to shape (avoid over-processing to avoid mushiness). Place the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes while you make your sauce.
Cut your garlic cloves in half and remove any green sprouts that may appear. This will remove any bitterness from the sauce. Place the cloves in a blender cup with the lemon juice, and salt. Use an immersion blender and blend on high until you are left with a foamy paste. Add in the oil and blend again for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is fully emulsified. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Heat your griddle up again over medium-low heat with a drizzle of oil and start shaping your patties. Grab 1/4 cup of the bean mixture and roll it into a ball. Place the ball between some parchment paper and use a grill press or spatula to flatten the ball into a thin patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Place the patties on the heated griddle and sear for 2-3 minutes or until the edges start to crisp up, then flip. Cook again for 2-3 minutes, making sure to brush a little extra hoisin sauce over top the cooked side of the burgers.
When done cooking, you can transfer the burgers to a wire rack, and toast your buns as desired.
To assemble, spread your preferred condiment over your buns. Layer the bottom bun with lettuce, then one patty. Spread the toum over the patty, then top with a second patty and layer with more toum. Top with some tomato slices and pickled onion if desired then enjoy.

Notes

Air Fry the beans. If you don’t want to use the oven, place the black beans in an airfryer at 370F for 6-7 minutes.

Adjust texture. Add breadcrumbs if too wet, or a splash of water or mayo if too dry.

Don’t over-oil. Too much oil on the griddle can make patties fall apart.

Skip olive oil in toum. It can make the sauce bitter. Use neutral oils like avocado or canola.

Check your garlic. Remove green sprouts to avoid bitterness. Toum texture may vary: Immersion blending yields a slightly thinner but still delicious result.