Kenji's black bean burgers, vegan style

This recipe is adapted from here and you can watch Kenji himself making it with a headcam here if that helps you get the process clear in your mind.

The substitutes from the original recipe are the egg and the feta. You can play around with these as they aren't central to the recipe. Simple egg substitutes include chia seeds, flaxseed, and gram flour. Simply use 3 tablespoons of water and mix in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed/flaxseed meal or 3 tablespoons of gram flour (aka chickpea flour). You could probably use about 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas mashed or pureed, ensuring that they amount to a rounded 1/3 cup. If you're doing this, set aside 3 tablespoons of the bean water (aka aquafaba) for your egg replacement and beat until it reaches a snot-like texture - not whipped until stiff peaks but when it reaches the texture of runny glue with bubbles in it.

For feta I have just swapped it out for firm tofu, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar but you could get fancy and add some nooch or you could ferment the cashews seen elsewhere in the recipe as per vegan cheesemaking recipes or buy some pre-made stuff if that suits your preference. Up to you.

Recipe

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained [reserve liquid and freeze to set aside for later to use as the egg substitute known as aquafaba]

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 1 large poblano pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced

• 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon sauce

• 3/4 cup roasted cashews

• 1/2 cup finely crumbled feta substitute [see discussion above]

• 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

• 1 egg's worth of egg replacement [see discussion above]

• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Method

• Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spread black beans in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and roast until beans are mostly split open and outer skins are beginning to get crunchy, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

• While beans roast, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and poblano and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chipotle chili and sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

• Place cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped into pieces no larger than 1/3-inch, about 12 short pulses. Add to bowl with onions and peppers.

• When beans are slightly cooled, transfer to food processor. Add cheese. Pulse until beans are roughly chopped (the largest pieces should be about 1/3 of a full bean in size). Transfer to bowl with onion/pepper mixture. Add mayonnaise, egg, and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Fold together gently but thoroughly with hands. Patty mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days at this stage.

• To cook on the grill: Light 2/3 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the medium-high setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns and brush top sides with oil. Place on hot side of grill oiled-side down and cook without moving until first side is well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Brush tops of burgers with oil. Carefully flip and continue cooking until second side is browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer, topping with cheese if desired.

• To cook indoors: Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 4 patties and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until well browned and crisp on first side, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer, adding cheese if desired. If cooking more than 4 burgers, cook in batches, keeping cooked burgers on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 200°F oven while second batch cooks.