Kidney Bean Burgers

Kidney beans are the underdog when it comes to bean burgers. It's usually all about the white bean burgers and the black bean burgers. That is until now because my kidney bean burgers are coming on through and they are so good!

In this post:

Ingredients

(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

There's nothing fancy about these kidney bean burgers, but they are a dang tasty and soon-to-be staple recipe. Here's what you will be needing:

And a few notes about each of them so you know what we are using and why:

• Kidney beans - The dark horse in the bean burger world but so tasty! We will be blending half of them up then just pulsing the other half to keep the texture good and so that you can see some chunky bean bits. Use canned kidney beans or home cooked kidney beans.
• Oats - Beans tend to have a dense mushy texture, and when making burgers it's important to add something that will give a good texture. Rolled or old fashioned oats are what we are using here because they work really well, and because they are budget friendly and accessible to most people. Use certified gluten-free oats to keep the burgers gluten-free.
• Onion & garlic - These go in raw. This is for the best flavour so don't saute them first. It makes the recipe quicker and easier to make too!
• Ketchup - For lots of flavour, a hint of sweetness, and for its sticking factor. Combined with the starchy oats it helps hold the burgers together. You could use BBQ sauce instead.
• Flavour givers - Chili powder/smoked paprika and oregano because they work so well with the kidney beans and are powerful enough to stand out. Fresh parsley for even more flavour. You can omit the parsley if you don't have any, or use some dried parsley instead. Fresh cilantro also works well. Either chili powder or smoked paprika are fine, unless you are in the UK or Europe, then use smoked paprika only. Your chili powder is very different to the chili powder in North America. Its WAY hotter and doesn't have the same flavour profile, so won't work well in this recipe.

Equipment - You will need a food processor to make these burgers.

This simple kidney bean burger recipe is ready in just a few simple steps:

1. Blend up half of the beans with everything but the oats and fresh parsley.
2. Add the rest of the beans, oats and parsley and pulse enough to break the oats and whole beans up into smaller but still slightly chunky pieces.
3. Shape into patties then chill.
4. Cook in a skillet, frying pan or in the oven.

Success Tips

For the very best results when making this recipe follow these tips:

• The chilling step is important for stability. Don't skip it.
• This recipe intentionally uses uncooked onions and garlic. Don't switch it for cooked or the texture and flavour will be affected.
• Biting into a vegan burger only to find the patty has the texture of baby food is not fun. Controlling the texture is key here. Don't blitz the life out of the mixture. That's why we blend up half of the beans then add some later along with the oats. From there on, pulsing is best .
• Ensure the heat is low enough so the burgers cook all the way through without burning the outside. Low and slow is best.
• A good crust on the burgers is essential for good texture and flavour.
• As with any veggie burger, cooking with oil will give you the best and tastiest golden crust.
• If serving in a bun, toast the buns for even more flavour and texture - There can never be too much.

To store uncooked red kidney bean patties in the fridge - Once shaped place the burger patties on a parchment-lined plate or baking tray, cover well and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When required cook as per the recipe instructions.

To store uncooked red kidney bean patties in the freezer - Once shaped lay the patties out on a parchment-lined baking tray. Place the patties on the tray, cover with plastic wrap or a large bag and put the entire tray in the freezer. After a couple of hours, once the patties are hard, you can remove the tray from the freezer and transfer them to a container or freezer bag. Be sure to place a piece of parchment paper in between the layers so they don’t stick together. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge before cooking as per the recipe instructions.

To store cooked leftover kidney bean burgers - Once cooked, the burgers will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge but when reheated again they do become a little drier so it is best to only cook the amount you need and avoid cooked leftovers if at all possible. If you do have some left though warm them through in a skillet for 5 minutes on each side, or bake in the oven on 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until piping hot.