Fool proof bean burgers

Over the years we have had many attempts at vegan bean burgers with varying success, the main problem being getting them to stick together.

Still on our boat, Karen came up with these –

Guest post by Karen:

Have you ever seen a yummy looking recipe for a bean burger? And your attempt was a resounding flop? Yip, happens to us too.
Really annoying when the burger falls apart or crumbles and you end up having to eat it with a spoon. Bean burgers are cheap to make and a great protein source.
I want to feel confidant making them so was determined to make one that didn’t fall apart.

I’m by no means a recipe expert but two things occurred to me.

First thing was not to have too much liquid. I drained the can of beans well.
I also used oats ground in a coffee grinder to soak up any extra liquid.

Second thing was to add ingredients that would well and truly bind the beans to make nice firm burgers.

Googling vegan egg substitutes and binding ingredients yielded a few options. Among them were ground flax seeds and Orgran brand No Egg.
I had flax seeds and a half a box of No Egg.
No Egg lists the ingredients as – potato starch, tapioca flour, calcium carbonate, citric acid, vegetable gum stabiliser and methylcellulose.
If you can’t get No Egg, perhaps try a mix of potato flour and tapioca flour.

So here’s how I made them –

1 large can Beans – any beans – rinsed and well drained
1 small tin Tomato paste or 4 Tablespoons Tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Soy sauce or Tamari
1 small bunch fresh herbs – any herbs – Parsley, Basil, Coriander

Mash the all the ingredients – except the herbs – together with a potato masher until they are well blended.
Chop the herbs reasonably finely with a piar of scissors and mix into the bean mixture.

2 Tablespoons Flax seeds
2 Tablespoons Rolled oats
2 Tablespoons No Egg

Grind the flax seeds in a coffee grinder. Then grind the oats in your coffee grinder. Mix these them together well with the No Egg.
If you’re using a regular size can of beans then reduce these quantities.

1/2 Tablespoon Pink salt
1/2 Tablespoon Black pepper
1/2 Tablespoon Garlic powder or Onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon Mixed herbs

This is your flavouring. You can add any seasoning really. Veggie stock powder, Garam Massala, chilli, etc. Mix the above into the dry oats and flax seed mixture.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and again mix well. Allow to stand for at least half an hour.
Shape into balls, flatten and fry in a little oil in a non stick pan.

Serve up:

Serve with vegan mayo, guacamole, chutney or anything you fancy. I was fearful I may have gone overboard with the binding and the burgers would be heavy but they weren’t.
And they held together perfectly.

Again – thanks to Karen – excellent job seeing we are still on the boat.