2tablespoonsavocado oil, (substitute with olive oil)
10burger buns
Instructions
If you are using canned black beans there is nothing to do for this step, except drain off the water. If you are using dried black beans, cook them until soft. For cooking instructions, see How to Cook Beans From Scratch.
Cook the farro: Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the dried farro and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the farro begins to brown and smell fragrant. Add 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. If there is any water remaining after 25 minutes, drain it off. The farro should still be a little chewy.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat another half tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, red pepper flakes, and salt, and cook over medium heat until softened (about 5 minutes).
Pulse all but 1 cup of the cooked beans with the cilantro and parsley in a food processor to a chunky puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the reserved beans, cooked farro, cooked onion mixture, flax egg, bread crumbs, chipotles, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
Cover, and refrigerate the burger mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Form the patties: When you are ready to cook the patties, remove the burger mixture from the fridge and use your hands to form the mixture into 10 patties of about 3 inches in size and three-quarter inches thick.
Cook the patties: Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat and add olive or avocado oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add the patties in an even layer and cook until nicely browned on each side. Be patient while cooking on low heat. This gives the interior of the black bean burger patties time to heat through, and it will build a golden brown crust on the outside without burning.
Consider using the same skillet to grill your buns, either before or after cooking the burger patties.
To serve: Serve the black bean burgers with lettuce, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, red peppers, and fresh cilantro and parsley, or substitute with any of your favorite toppings.
Notes
To make the vegan flax egg, soak 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds in 2 tablespoons warm water for 15 minutes. If you prefer, you could just use a regular egg. If you don’t have chipotles en adobo, feel free to leave it out, or substitute with any hot sauce you do have.Storage: Make the mixture ahead and store it in the fridge forup to 4 days. Cooked burgers can also be stored in the fridge or freezer. For freezer storage, arrange the burgers on a flat tray until fully frozen. Once frozen you can store in a ziplock freezer bag. Be sure to reheat on low to allow the patties to fully heat up without burning the exterior. * Recipe inspired by Food&Wine