Like all good ideas, this one came to me in a dream a couple weeks ago. In my dream I remember eating one of the best burgers I've ever tried, and it was a butternut squash burger. So of course, I had to execute that idea and came up with these Butternut Squash Black Bean Burgers. I will admit that sounds strange at first, but these burgers are so worth trying out. They're spicy with a whole lotta flavor, but the butternut squash adds a subtle layer of sweetness, which contrasts with the spice in the most delicious way. The great thing about this recipe is that it makes way more burgers than you will probably need, so I freeze the rest and whenever I'm feeling too lazy to make an actual meal, I just warm one up on the stove. These burgers are ideal for fall since you are utilizing fall squash and you can easily grill these guys. I love grilling the burgers and eating them with some spicy chipotle sauce.
SERVINGS: 10-12 patties
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lb butternut squash
15 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
½ onion (diced)
½ cup packed cilantro (chopped)
Start with ¾ teaspoon of (add more to taste):
paprika
cumin
chili powder
garlic powder
adobo
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
About 1 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
2-3 cups panko bread crumbs
RECIPE:
Peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash. Then steam for about 10 minutes until tender or until you can stick a fork through without any resistance. While the squash steams, chop your onions and cilantro. Drain and rinse your black beans as well.
Once the squash is cooked, add it to a bowl along with onion, cilantro, spices, seasonings, barbecue sauce, and lemon juice. Mash everything together using a potato masher. Add in the beans and mix everything together well. Add in your rice and 2 cups of panko to start binding everything together. Mash everything together. Add more breadcrumbs if necessary to bind everything together. Once you can form balls of the mixture without it falling apart, add more spices and seasonings to taste.
Divide the mixture into 10-12 balls and flatten them into half inch thick disks. Transfer all of the patties onto a parchment lined tray. Heat up a pan with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Cook the patties four at a time for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Repeat until you finish cooking all of the patties.
Serve with burger buns, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and your favorite sauces.
NOTES:
Freezing Instructions: follow steps 1-3 and then freeze the burgers in an airtight container. When you want to reheat them, heat up a pan add the burger in and cover. Cook on low for about 3 minutes on each side. You can also let the burgers defrost in the fridge overnight.
Grilling Instructions: Place a layer of tinfoil or a grilling mat on your grill. Add some olive oil or cooking spray and follow the cooking instructions in step 3.