Vegan Black Walnut and Mushroom Burgers

Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, these black walnut and mushroom burgers have an ideal texture and flavor for a vegan burger. Chipotle peppers add a pleasant smokiness and a little heat, which complement the earthy black walnuts. Because these burgers are delicate they won’t hold up directly on the grill, but cooking them indoors allows you to enjoy them any time of year.

By Ashley Swartzendruber / Photography By Ashley Swartzendruber | November 15, 2021

Ingredients

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
¼ cup water
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking the burgers
½ medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, any variety, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 canned chipotle peppers, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup black walnuts
1 cup bread crumbs
Buns and toppings of choice

Instructions

Serves 6

Mix the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside. Put the rinsed and drained beans on a towel to absorb as much liquid as possible and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 5 to 7 more minutes or until most of the moisture is gone. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, thyme, soy sauce and salt and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the flax mixture, black walnuts, bread crumbs, mushroom mixture and half of the black beans in a food processor. Process until fully combined. Lightly mash the remaining black beans in a large bowl with the back of a fork. Fold the mixture from the food processor into the bowl of mashed beans and stir until combined. Preheat the oven to 400° and chill the burger mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes so the patties are easier to form.

Evenly divide the mixture to form 6 patties that are roughly ½ inch thick. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side. Brush the uncooked side with more oil before you flip. When the burgers are brown and crispy on each side , place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with your preferred buns and toppings.

Edible Michiana original recipe