I absolutely love white bean burgers. I know when you see veggie burgers in restaurants, they’re generally black bean burgers. Actually, they’re always black bean burgers… why??? Why always black bean? It’s like the vegetarian community really wants to test your grit as to how dedicated you are. Not because black bean burgers are gross… they’re just a tad scary looking 😂.
Well, it’s a shame because white bean burgers are absolutely amazing! And don’t get me wrong… I love black beans. Unfortunately, my son does nott. It doesn’t matter what I add them to or how I add them, he wants nothing to do with them. So, when I started making vegetarian burgers at home, I figured I would try white beans.
These burgers are super easy to make and use both chickpeas and cannellini beans (white kidney beans). Although this is a high carb recipe, all those carbs are from the beans, making this a really healthy carb recipe… aka, whole, unprocessed carbs. And having a meal that is a little higher carb and higher calorie every once in a while is okay, and it’s an added bonus when it’s as healthful as this!
My husband loves this burger so much that he would be fine never having beef burgers again! That’s serious devotion to my white bean burgers! And they are seriously packed with flavor! Then, I top them with smashed avocado, caramelized onions, and sriracha mayo (substitute with nonfat yogurt to reduce some of the calories!). This burger is seriously good. It comes together in half an hour ~ with the longest part caramelizing the onions.
I love this for Meatless Monday’s. I love this for burger night. I absolutely love this burger! Do you have a favorite vegetarian burger?
Smashed Avocado White Bean Burgers with Caramelized Onions
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 burgers 1x
- Category: Burgers, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Patties
1 – 15 oz can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 – 15 oz can garbanzo beans
4 oz Gouda, shredded
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
¼ tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
2 TBs butter
Remaining Ingredients
8 oz Gruyere, shredded
2 – 3 onions, sliced
1 to 2 TBs olive oil
2 avocados, peeled & pitted
1 TB lime juice
salt and pepper
4 brioche buns
½ cup mayonnaise
1 –2 TBs sriracha
Instructions
Make the Patties
Drain and rinse the beans in a strainer. Let sit to drain for about 5 minutes. Place in a blender or food processor and pulse 5 to 10 times until all beans are cut small ~ be careful not to over process the beans!
Add the beans, Gouda, panko, flour, egg, cayenne, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl. Thoroughly mix the ingredients together by hand and then form into 4 to 6 equal patties. Set aside.
Caramelize the Onions
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or saucepan. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, until caramelized ~ about 20 minutes. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil as needed. NOTE: if the pan gets too hot and the onions are starting to burn along the edges, you can deglaze the pan with a couple tablespoons of water.
Cook the Patties
When the onions are halfway done cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron pan. When hot, add the patties, evenly spaced and working in batches, if necessary. Cook for 5 minutes and then flip. Cook for an additional 3 minutes then added the shredded Gruyere to the top. Cover and let cook and additional 2 to 3 minutes (NOTE: Gruyere has a high melt temperature, which is why shredding it helps. It’s okay if it doesn’t look fully melted, it is!).
Meanwhile, mash the avocados in a small bowl with the back of a spoon or fork. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine. In a separate small bowl, add the mayonnaise. Add the sriracha in to taste and stir to combine.
On the top part of the bun, smear the smashed avocado across it and then add the sriracha mayonnaise. Place the burger on the bottom patty and top with caramelized onions. Place the top bun on top and smash down, if desired.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
The recipe generates four patties. If you are like my family and have less mouths than the recipes calls for, these freeze really well! Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. They will be good in the freezer up to 6 months. Defrost and cook as directed above.
Keywords: veggie burger, bean burger, white bean burger, chickpea burger, garbanzo burger, cannellini burger, white kidney bean burger, smashed avocado burger, veggie burger with caramelized onions
