Ingredients
Instructions
Soak the beans overnight: Rinse the dried black beans, then place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least three times their volume. The beans will nearly double in size — use a large enough vessel. Soak for 8–12 hours, then drain and rinse well.
Cook the beans to tender: Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot and cover with fresh cold water by several inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady gentle simmer. Cook until the beans are fully tender but still hold their shape, about 60–90 minutes. A bean should crush easily between two fingers without any raw, starchy centre. Drain very thoroughly and spread on a baking sheet to steam off excess moisture.
Roast the peppers: Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F. Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and roast, turning once or twice, until heavily blistered and collapsed, about 25–35 minutes. The skins should be blackened and the flesh soft. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the skins, remove the stems and seeds, and dice the flesh finely.
Caramelize the onions and garlic: Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden-brown and reduced by half, about 12–15 minutes. They should smell sweet and slightly jammy. Add the minced garlic during the final minute. If using tomato paste, add it now and stir for 1 additional minute until darkened. Remove from heat.
Dry the components in the oven: Reduce the oven to 130°C / 265°F convection. Spread the cooked beans in a mostly single layer on one sheet pan and the diced pepper, onion, and garlic mixture on a second sheet pan. Roast for 20–40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beans look matte rather than wet and the pepper mixture is no longer glossy or steaming. Do not dehydrate fully — the goal is concentrated flavor with no pooling surface moisture. Cool completely to room temperature before mixing.
Process the oats and beans: Pulse the oats in a food processor until broken down to a coarse meal — not flour, still visibly flaky. Set aside. Reserve about one third of the cooked beans as whole beans. Pulse the remaining beans in batches until mostly mashed but still visibly textured — avoid blending to a paste; rough chunks give the patties structure.
Combine the mixture: In a very large bowl, combine the mashed beans, the reserved whole beans, the roasted pepper and onion mixture, the processed oats, the panko, the eggs, the miso whisked together with the tamari, and all the dried spices and salt. Add the chopped herbs if using. Mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together when pressed. It should be firm, slightly tacky, and shapeable — not wet or slick.
Rest and adjust texture: Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes so the oats hydrate fully. The mixture will firm noticeably. If it still feels too soft to hold a patty shape, work in additional oats or panko one tablespoon at a time.
Form and chill the patties: Divide and shape the mixture into patties approximately 120–140 g each and about 1.5–2 cm thick. Arrange on parchment-lined trays. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour — longer chilling gives firmer patties with better structure during cooking. The patties can rest overnight.
Cook until deeply browned:
- Pan fry (recommended): Heat a skillet over medium heat with a light film of oil. Cook the patties for 4–5 minutes per side until the exterior is deeply browned and crisp and the patty is heated through.
- Bake: Place on a lined tray at 220°C / 425°F and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes. The surface should be firm and richly colored.
Plating & Garnishing
Serve on toasted buns with crisp lettuce, sliced tomato, pickled onions, and a smear of chipotle mayo, tahini, or your preferred burger sauce. The contrast of the crunchy seared crust against the dense, earthy interior is the signature of this patty. Serve immediately — patties hold their crunch best right off the heat.
Reheating & Next-Day Use
Refrigerated patties reheat best in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes per side until warmed through and re-crisped. The microwave works in a pinch but softens the exterior. Crumble leftover patties into tacos, grain bowls, or pasta sauce for a second use.