Black Bean & Feta Veggie Burger with Mint Yogurt Sauce
I created this burger one evening trying to convince a carnivore friend that vegetarian burgers can be truly satisfying. The black bean patty holds together perfectly during cooking — crispy on the outside and tender inside. With the feta adding character and the yogurt sauce bringing freshness, he asked for the recipe before even finishing his plate.
🛒 Ingredients
4 servings
- 400g canned black beans, drained
- 1 egg
- 80g breadcrumbs
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon Espelette pepper or chili flakes
- 100g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sesame seed burger buns
- 150g Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- 4 handfuls of arugula
- 1 beefsteak tomato, thickly sliced
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- 1
Drain and rinse the black beans, then pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. In a large bowl, roughly mash the beans with a fork — leave some chunks for texture.
- 2
Add the egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, Espelette pepper, salt and pepper. Mix well, then gently fold in the crumbled feta without crushing it too much.
- 3
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape them into patties about 2 cm thick. Refrigerate for 20 minutes — this step is important so they hold together during cooking.
- 4
Make the sauce: mix the Greek yogurt with the chopped mint, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Keep refrigerated.
- 5
Heat the remaining olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side without moving them, allowing a nice golden crust to form.
- 6
Toast the lightly buttered burger buns in the same pan or in a toaster.
- 7
Assemble: spread the yogurt-mint sauce generously on both sides of the bun, add arugula, cucumber slices, the black bean patty, tomato slices and close the burger.
💡 Chef's Tip
Chilling the patties in the fridge is truly crucial — without it, they risk falling apart during cooking. I also learned never to press them with a spatula while cooking, even when tempted: it weakens them. Leave them alone and they'll form a perfect crust.
