Black Bean Burger

Found on Annie's Eats (http://annies-eats.com/2011/06/22/black-bean-burgers/) and wanted to make sure I had this recipe saved. This burger is amazing with Havarti cheese and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus instead of mayo.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 Burgers

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3  tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2  teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1  shallot, minced

Directions

1. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the panko with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Place 2½ cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the oil, cumin, salt and cayenne. Whisk to blend. Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, the remaining ½ cup beans, bell pepper, cilantro and shallot to the bowl with the mashed beans. Stir together until evenly combined.
3. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, about ½ cup each. Lightly pack into 1-inch thick patties. (At this point the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm.
4. Source: slightly adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.