When it comes to burgers, I don’t discriminate. I’m a big fan of them all. Beef, lamb, turkey, mushroom, etc. They’re all good in my book! It’s the dish that I order the most frequently at restaurants. And I make them at home at least once a week during prime grilling season.
So it’s about time that I got some more burger recipes here on the blog. But of course, I couldn’t just make a regular burger. Instead, I decided to throw everything that makes a great burger into one big bowl. Because it’s my favorite way to eat almost all food types!
Veggies burgers are somewhat notorious for being crumbly and falling apart. But I’m happy to report that these veggie burgers firm up very well after cooking. I cook them in a large skillet on the stovetop, which results in a nice crust on the outside that holds them together.
The black bean mixture will be a bit tacky to start, but if you wet your hands with water (just like you do when you make meatballs), it makes it much easier to handle and form into patties. I also chill the patties in my refrigerator for 30-60 minutes before cooking to give them time to firm up.
And the beauty of the bowl is that if they do happen to fall apart on you, it doesn’t much matter. It’s all going to get mixed around and chopped up eventually!
The recipe makes 6 small-medium patties (about slider sized). I prefer to use 2 patties/bowl, which will give you 3 bowls total. But you can adjust the amounts to suit your preferences.
And let’s not forget about all the extras. Because it wouldn’t be a burger without the toppings and sides! The dressing is a MUST. It’s smoky, spicy, creamy and totally irresistible. It’s the perfect contrast to the veggie burgers, which are a bit sweet from the sweet potatoes. And I love it as a dip for my fries, too! I’m not shy with the chipotle peppers, so I use two whole chipotle peppers in adobo when I make the dressing. But you can start with one and give it a taste to see how you feel.
I’ve filled these Black Bean and Sweet Potato Veggie Burger Bowls with romaine lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onion, cheddar cheese and sweet potato fries (Alexia is my go-to brand). But you can customize them with whatever you like. I think sliced avocado or crumbled bacon (if you’re not a vegetarian) would be excellent here as well.
Cheers,
Liz
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Veggie Burger Bowls
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo (depending on spice level)
- 1 tablespoons pickle brine
- Pinch of salt
For the Veggie Burgers:
- 1 small-medium sweet potato
- Olive oil
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 4 scallions, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 3/4 tsp. salt
For the Bowls:
- Romaine hearts, chopped (I typically use 1 heart/bowl)
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Red onion, peeled and sliced
- Pickles
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Sweet potato fries
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In your food processor with the blade attachment, blend together all the ingredients until smooth. Transfer the dressing to a clean container and store it in your refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Make the veggie burgers. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise and place it in a small baking dish. Brush on all sides with olive oil. Then place the halves cut side-down. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork tender. Remove and let cool completely. Scoop out the flesh and measure out 1 cup. Any remainder can be saved for another use.
- Add about 1/2 of the black beans, the oats, scallions, garlic, egg, chili powder, cumin, salt and the cooked sweet potato to the bowl of your food processor with the blade attachment. Pulse 5-6 times, or until just combined. Then stir in the remaining black beans.
- Moisten your hands with a little water and form the black bean mixture into 6 burger patties. Place the burgers on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and warm about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use a spatula to carefully transfer the burgers to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until a crust forms and the burgers firm up around the edges. Add additional olive oil as necessary to prevent your skillet from getting too dry. Transfer the cooked burgers to a clean plate and set aside.
- If you're going to be serving these with fries, cook them now.
- Build the bowls. Divide the chopped romaine between bowls. Top with 1-2 veggie burgers, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, pickles and shredded cheese. Drizzle with some of the dressing. You can add sweet potato fries to your bowls, or serve them on the side. Enjoy immediately.
