There are some universal preferences when it comes to veggie burgers. 1. Veggie burgers shouldn’t be dry. 2. Veggie burgers should be easy to whip up on a weeknight. These Cumin Lime Black Bean Burgers excel in both areas. 

Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
½ cup (125 mL) gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
4 cloves garlic
2 cans (14 ounces/398 mL each) black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup (60 mL) ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (5 mL) onion powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
½ teaspoon (2 mL) garlic powder
½ teaspoon (2 mL) ground coriander
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons/30 mL)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive or avocado oil, plus more for cooking 

For serving

Hamburger buns, whole-grain or gluten-free
Vegan mayonnaise
Sliced or smashed avocado
Pickled red onions

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, onions, rolled oats, and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Add the black beans, flaxseed, cumin, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, coriander, lime juice, and olive oil. Pulse 6 to 8 times until about half the mixture resembles a paste, but you can still see plenty of texture. Be careful not to purée the whole mixture or the burgers will not stick together. 

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop a generous 1⁄3 cup (75 mL) of the bean mixture and flatten it into a patty in the pan to ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) wide. Cook, in batches if needed, until a brown crust forms on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. If brown- ing too fast, reduce the heat so the burgers have time to cook through without burning on the bottom. Carefully flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until brown on the other side. (You can freeze uncooked patties, stored between layers of parchment paper in a resealable plastic freezer bag, for up to 1 month. Cook from frozen, until cooked through and golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes per side.) 

3. To serve, slice open the buns and spread some mayonnaise on the bottom half of each and top with a patty, sliced or smashed avocado, and pickled red onions. Spread some of the spicy cilantro garlic sauce on each of the bun tops, then arrange them on top of the pickled red onions. 

Excerpted from Plant Magic by Desiree Nielsen. Copyright © 2024 Desiree Nielsen. Photography and illustrations by Gabriel Cabrera. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.