Black Bean, Mushroom, and Kalamata Olive Burger

A patty made with earthy black beans and mushrooms combination is amazing on

its own. Add dried figs, kalamata olives, and thyme to the mix and you've got a match made in foodie heaven! Garlic and paprika turn what could very well be bland patties into an incredible mediterranean-inspired delight.

Black Bean, Mushroom, and Kalamata Olive Burger [Vegan]

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked brown rice, at room temperature
• 1 15-ounce can cooked black beans
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon golden flax meal, plus 3 tablespoons water )
• 1/2 of 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups Cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced and then roughly chopped
• 4 dried figs, chopped
• 10 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons quinoa flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For Assembly:

• Bagels, cut open and lightly toasted
• Arugula leaves
• Ripe avocado, sliced
• Nigella seeds
• Black pepper, to taste
• Red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• cucumber, thinly sliced (optional)
• Ketchup or mustard (optional)
• Sauerkraut (optional)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the flax egg by mixing the flax seeds and water and let it rest while you cook the mushrooms.
3. Start by dry sautéeing the Cremini mushrooms alone in a shallow pan in high heat, constantly stirring and moving them around so they won't burn.
4. As soon as the mushrooms start releasing their water, add the chopped onion and garlic and continue sautéeing. In 4-5 minutes, the mushrooms will have released all of their water and everything will be fairly dry, toasty, and brown.
5. Scatter the sautéed mushrooms, onion, and garlic in a wide cool plate and allow them to cool down completely.
6. Place the cooked brown rice, 1 cup of the black beans, and the prepared flax egg in your food processor or blender and blend until you get a smooth, thick paste. You can also mash these ingredients together with a fork.
7. Scrape this paste into a large mixing bowl and add the cooked mushroom mixture and all the other ingredients.
8. Mix this thoroughly with a spatula (or your hands) until everything is combined and evenly distributed.
9. Shape the burger mix into a large ball and let it rest in the mixing bowl for 20 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will allow the quinoa flakes to absorb some of the moisture and give the burgers the perfect texture.
10. After 20 minutes, separate the burger mix into 6 balls roughly the same size and shape them into patties with your hands. At this point you can also freeze your burgers, but make sure you separate them with parchment paper so they don't stick together.
11. Place the patties in a tray lined with parchment paper and put them in the oven for 10 minutes.
12. After 10 minutes, flip the burgers and cook in the oven for 10 minutes longer.

To Assemble the Burger:

1. Layer your burger with the arugula leaves as a start.
2. Place a patty on top the arugula and then the avocado slices.
3. Sprinkle some nigella seeds and freshly cracked black pepper on the avocado.
4. Close the burger with the top bun and serve.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/black-bean-mushroom-kalamata-olive-burger/