Best Black Bean Burgers

2 14-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup bread crumbs or oat flour

1/2 cup feta cheese

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons ketchup

Pinch of salt and pepper

Heat oven to 325°F.  Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.  After removing beans from oven, increase heat to 375°F.

Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic, over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.  Gently blot some of the moisture out.  Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork, or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.

Form into patties– about 1/3 cup of mixture in each.

Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total.

Make ahead tip: Cooked or uncooked black bean burgers freeze wonderfully! Stack between parchment paper in a freezer container or zipped-top bag. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to your liking or, if uncooked, cook according to instructions.   If desired, you can skip thawing and reheat/cook from frozen for an extra couple minutes.

Makes 6-8 burgers.

From Sally’s Baking Addiction blog