White Bean Burgers with Sundried Tomato and Herbs

I love grilling in the summer.  But, I find that I often fall into a burger rut.  We offer to have friends over to cook out, and I end up making the same beef burgers over and over and over again. Don’t get me wrong… The burgers are delicious, but we really try not to eat too much meat. So, I had to change it up a bit.

I’ve been meaning to make some bean burgers at home for a while… They are a perfect meatless option for the grill and, if done correctly, are equally as delicious. I think what held me back was that I’ve had some bad experiences with bean burgers in the past. They were too runny, too bland, or simply fell apart when I cooked them. If a bean burger is going to replace some juicy grass-fed beef on the menu, it’s got to be great. Runny, bland, and falling apart just won’t do.

Rewind to the Big Summer Potluck last summer… I was pregnant and not feeling up to par. I think there might have been fried chicken for dinner (or something like that… I don’t even remember), and I knew it wasn’t a good idea. So, instead, I tried some of the black bean burgers that Pam made. I loved them. I made sure to ask her if the recipe was the one in her Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals cookbook, the one that I already loved and had sitting on my shelf at home. Sure enough, they were.

Almost a year later, I have finally gotten around to making the bean burgers, and I am even more impressed now than I was then. They stay moist and don’t fall apart on the grill… And, using the formula in the book, you can really pump up the flavor to have a great tasting meatless burger that will make you forget about beef entirely. This time around, I used herbs and sundried tomatoes to make my own version of Pam’s recipe. I topped them with a super quick herbed mayonnaise (so quick a recipe seems silly, though I’ll share it at the end!). Even my husband was a huge fan. You can be sure they’ll be making a few more appearances on the menu at my house this summer!

White Bean Burgers with Sundried Tomatoes and Herbs
Makes 6 burgers
(Adapted from Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals)

For the burgers:

• 2 cans of white beans or navy beans
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
  (I used the ones that are just vacuum packed, but oil packed ones would work, too)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for grilling)
• 6 hamburger rolls
• Lettuce or spinach
• Herbed mayonnaise (see recipe below)

Drain one can of the beans, reserving the liquid, and transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl.  Use a fork to mash the beans well so that they form a paste. Drain and add the remaining can of beans. Then, add the bread crumbs, sundried tomatoes, pressed garlic, herbs, and black pepper. Pour the beaten eggs down over the mixture.

Stir with a fork or a wooden spoon to evenly mix all of the ingredients. If the mixture seems dry or doesn’t stick together, add some of the reserved liquid from the beans. You should be able to shape the burgers without them falling apart.  Divide the bean mixture into 6 even portions and shape each one into a burger patty.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, brush the tops of the burgers with olive oil. Place the burgers oil side down on the grill and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, until they are a bit charred. Brush with olive oil again before flipping the burgers and grill for an additional 4 – 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite rolls, lettuce, and herbed mayonnaise.

Simple Herbed Mayonnaise Spread

• 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (I used basil, oregano, and parsley)
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!

Please Note – The links to Cook Without a Book: Meatless Melas provided in this post are Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase the cookbook (or another item) after purchasing on my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale price, which helps to keep My Kitchen Addiction up and running. Thanks!