Shiitake Black Bean Burgers w/ Spicy Aioli
PinServings: 6 servings
These Shiitake Black Bean Burgers are a unique twist on the classic black bean burger, with Asian flavors of ginger, shiitake mushrooms, Sriracha and peppery arugula. Also learn the tricks to make sure your burgers are FIRM and not mushy at all.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted vegetable broth
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 flax egg - 1 tablespoon ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons water- see *instructions and **notes below
- 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms - stems removed and diced very fine
- 1/2 medium onion - finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 15-ounce cans unsalted organic black beans, drained and rinsed (you can also use 2 cups of these Instant Pot Chipotle Black Beans)
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari - or gluten-free or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger - or ginger paste in tube or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs - gluten free if desired
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 tomatoes - sliced
- 4 hamburger buns - gluten free if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Prepare a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Add the black beans to the baking sheet in an even layer. Pat dry with a few paper towels. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until beans are steaming and starting to dry out (with no water/moisture on the pan). Remove pan and increase oven to 425° F.
- Meanwhile (waiting for the beans to cook), prepare your flax egg (see below for tips*). In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water. Stir and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- If you haven't already, chop the mushrooms and onion (diced very fine), and cut the tomatoes.
- You can also make the aioli at this time. To do this, combine the mayo and Sriracha in a small bowl. Keep refrigerated until serving.
- Add vegetable broth to a medium/large nonstick skillet or pot over medium high heat and add garlic, Cook for 30 seconds, stirring, then add mushrooms and onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and onion are softened. Remove from heat and drain out any liquid if there is any.
- In the same pot (no heat), stir in the tamari/soy sauce, ginger, pepper, breadcrumbs and flax egg until combined.
- When the black beans are ready, add the dried black beans to the pot. To do this, pick up both sides of the parchment paper carefully and transfer the beans by first shaking and then using a spatula to remove the beans that may stick to the paper. Save the parchment paper if desired (you'll use it again later).
- Lightly mash the beans in the pot using a potato masher. You want some of the beans whole/halved; don't over-mash. Once the beans are mashed, stir in the other ingredients with the beans until combined thoroughly.
- Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into patties. To divide portions evenly, you can use your fingers to carve out 6 sections in the bowl (see photo above in recipe instructions).
- Arrange patties on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, spaced out so they are not touching. Let rest for about 5 minutes, making sure the ingredients have time to bind together, then bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for another 12 minutes. They are done with they are firm and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
- To assemble, toast the hamburger buns, and top each bun half with a burger patty, 2-3 tomato slices, 1 tablespoon aioli sauce, a handful of arugula, and the remaining top halves of the buns. Serve with chips, sweet potato french fries or a small salad.
Notes
- These burgers are best fresh. Store these burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, you can put back in the oven for 12 minutes at 400° F.
- To freeze, put burgers between pieces of parchment paper so they don't stick and put in a freezable container. Bake at 400° F (from frozen) for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through or until desired firmness.
- Drying out the burgers in the oven IS an extra step, BUT it's a really important one to make sure that your burgers are not mushy. Without drying out the beans, the recipe/flavors will still be good, but the burger will have a softer center. Check out this article or this one to learn even more about how to keep veggie burgers from being mushy.
- Make sure the onions and mushrooms are chopped very fine. Big pieces will keep the burger from holding together.
- I highly recommend using arugula in this recipe. It gives a unique peppery flavor that mixes so well with the spicy aioli.
- I recommend using a coffee grinder to grind the flax seeds. I prefer to keep WHOLE flax seeds in a container in my fridge, as opposed to ground, because it tends to last longer. If you don't have one and you can find ground flax seed, that works too. Just note that ground flax seed do not have as long a shelf life.
- For a healthier option, you can try the burgers on lettuce wraps instead of hamburger buns.
Nutrition
Serving: 1burger (including bun) | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 522mg | Sugar: 7.9g
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