Black Bean Burgers with Corn Salsa Recipe

Summer is burger fun time, and a food processor makes these amazing burgers a snap to make. With their pleasing texture and taste, no one would guess how much better they are for you than the regular kind, and even meat-eaters love them. Black beans top the charts for healthful benefits, since they are high in folates and antioxidants: cancer-fighting, blood-sugar-stabilizing, heart-healthy, and delicious!

Topped with colorful, quick-to-make salsa featuring fresh or frozen corn with tomato, scallion, and zesty lime juice, this is a south of the border main dish that really appeals.

Burgers

1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 cups black beans (or black soybeans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup coarse dried breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 English muffins

Corn Salsa

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed
1/2 cup seeded and diced tomato
1 scallion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons seeded and minced jalapeno chile pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place onion, garlic, and cumin; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add beans, bread crumbs, and cilantro; pulse until just combined (don’t puree).

2. Transfer mixture to a bowl; stir in walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in egg and stir until combined. Form into four 3 1/2-inch patties. (If burgers seem very wet, add 1/4 cup bread crumbs.) Chill patties, covered, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the salsa ingredients. Add salt to taste. Set aside.

4. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Cook patties until light brown, 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Split and toast muffins.

5. Place a patty on muffin half, add some salsa, and top with muffin top. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Read more: Food, All recipes, Entrees

Adapted from the June 2005 issue of Organic Style magazine (Rodale Press). Copyright (c) 2005 by Rodale Press. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.
Adapted from the June 2005 issue of Organic Style magazine (Rodale Press).