author: Melissa Copeland | Reprinted with permission from 30-Minute Frugal Vegan Recipes by Melissa Copeland, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019 | Salsa goes right in the burger patties rather than on top, to bring loads of flavor and texture to these plant-based burgers. Choose your favorite salsa; just be sure that it’s really chunky. Straining the salsa to get just the flavorsome chunks prevents the burgers from being too wet and falling apart.
2tbsp vegetable oilfor pan, plus more for cooking burgers (30 ml)
1onion (small)diced
2large cloves garlicfinely chopped
1cupmushroomschopped (70 g) can be chunky as they will reduce when browned
1cupoats(80 g)
1½cupblack beanscooked (258 g), or 1 (15.5-oz [439-g]) can, drained and rinsed
1cupchunky salsa(260 g)
1tspHungarian sweet paprika
1tspsalt and pepper
5hamburger buns
your favorite hamburger fixings
Instructions
If you’re baking the burgers like I did, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring from time to time, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl.
Heat the remaining tablespoon (15 ml) of oil in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and leave them for a minute to brown on one side before stirring and continuing to fry. Once browned all over, transfer to the bowl with the onion
In a food processor, pulse the oats until you have mostly oat flour with some whole oats remaining, for texture. Transfer to the bowl. Put the black beans in the food processor and blend until mostly pureed with some whole beans remaining, also for texture. Transfer to the bowl.
Put the salsa in a strainer and stir to remove the excess tomato sauce, until you have mostly chunks remaining. Measure ½ cup (130 g) of this super chunky salsa and add it to the bowl along with the paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well to incorporate everything.
Form the mixture into 4 or 5 patties, depending on the size of your buns. The mix is a bit wet but should not be unmanageable. I take a ball in my hands, flatten it out into a patty on a plate, then use a spatula to transfer it to a baking pan or skillet when ready to cook. They may need a bit of reshaping once in the pan. If you’re having trouble, you can add a bit more oat flour so that they hold together better.
To bake, lightly oil a baking pan, transfer the patties to the pan and bake for 20 minutes, flipping at 10 minutes. To fry, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon (15 ml) of oil. Fry the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned.
Once cooked, transfer the patties to a wire rack and let cool for a few minutes. They will firm up a bit as they cool. Serve on the buns with your favorite hamburger fixings.
Notes
I've tried this recipe both on the oven, as originally in the book, and also in the air fryer with equally great results.