Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

I saw these burgers over the summer and I knew they would be a big hit in my family! They do not taste like a traditional burger at all - they are more similar to a fajita but in a burger bun... does that make sense!? They come together so easily and they make the most delicious dinner. The burgers are vegan and I was impressed to discover how easy yet tasty they were! I am most definitely not vegan, but I love to go meatless every once and a while!

This recipe is from Happy Healthy Mama, you can find it HERE. I've browsed through a few other recipes on this blog and they all look so good! I can't wait to find a few others!

The original recipe makes 6 burgers. I doubled the recipe and put half of the burgers in the freezer. I will be sharing the recipe that makes 6 burgers! 

Start by peeling, cubing and cooking 1 sweet potato. Unless you are doubling this recipe (like me!) then use 2 sweet potatoes!

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, you can cook the quinoa as well! You will need 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa. Quinoa triples in size when it cooks, so I recommend using 3 Tablespoons of dry quinoa and following the cooking instruction on the package.

Recently, I was contacted by a fellow blogger, Emily! Emily asked me to share a link to an article she shared that includes everything you could ever want to know about quinoa! I always have questions a when I'm cooking quinoa and her article has helped me on several occasions! You can find all kinds of quinoa info HERE.

Because I made this recipe to be vegan, I used flax seed instead of egg. If you choose to use flax seed, mix 1 Tablespoon of ground flax seed with 3 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Leave the flax seed to sit out until it gels.

Instead of using gelled flax seed you could use one egg, lightly beaten.

Once the sweet potato is cooked, mash it.

Transfer the sweet potato to a medium mixing bowl and mix in one 15 ounce can of black beans, the 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa and 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro and the gelled flax.

Then, mix in 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 Tablespoons of lime juice.

Heat a very little bit of oil (I used olive oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, form the sweet potato mixture into 6 patties. Once the oil is sizzling, add the burgers to the skillet - I was able to cook 3 at a time.

Allow the burgers to cook for around 5-7 minutes until a crispy exterior layer has formed. Flip each patty over and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.

I didn't find that these burgers ever held together that well. I don't recommend leaving them over the heat hoping they'll hold together a little better - I just don't think they will. They were a little crumbly, but as long as you are careful with them they should be fine!

My family ate these on regular burger buns with some guacamole, some sour cream, a little salsa and cheese! Because cheese is always a necessity, right? You can top these burgers with anything you love! Let me know what you try!

SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN BURGERS
yield 6 burgers

ingredients
1 sweet potato, peeled, cooked & mashed
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 Tablespoons ground flax seed+ 3 Tablespoons of water (or 1 egg)
1 15oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
oil

directions
1. Peel and cook the sweet potato. Cook the quinoa following the instructions on the package.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flax seed and the water. Leave the flax seed to sit until it gels. You could use a lightly beaten egg instead of the gelled flax.
3. Mash the cooked sweet potato and transfer it to a medium mixing bowl. Add the quinoa, the gelled flax, the black beans, the cilantro, the spices and the lime juice to the sweet potato. Mix to combine.
4. Form the sweet potato mixture into 6 burger patties.
5. Heat a little bit of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place burgers in the skillet - I was able to fit 3 burgers at a time. Allow the burger to cook for 5-7 minutes on one side, until a crispy exterior has formed. Flip the burger and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes on the opposite side.
6. Serve the burgers on regular burger buns or other buns, of your choice. Top the burgers with guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese or any other toppings that you love.

See you tomorrow with a party game!