Spanish Gardens Veggie Burgers

We are all looking to eat more plant-based meals these days. You won’t miss meat at all with these veggie burgers. * chef’s kiss *

For the patties:

1/2 cup dry wild rice
olive oil for cooking 
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
8 ounces cremini & portobello mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon Spanish Gardens Mild Taco Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon Spanish Gardens Taco Seasoning
2 eggs 
1 cup oat flour

For the burgers:

8 whole-wheat hamburger buns
crumbled queso fresco, to taste
radish salad
1 avocado, sliced
Spanish Gardens crema (see below for instructions)

Instructions:

Add wild rice and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover; cook for 40-45 minutes, until rice is tender and has soaked up all the water. (This seems like too much water, but the rice needs to get extra soft. Taste after 45 minutes and if the rice is tender, drain the rest of the water.)

While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion; cook for 5-7 minutes. Add bell pepper and jalapeño; cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. Add mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, add black beans; mash with a potato masher or fork, leaving some texture. Add cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, soy sauce, Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce, Spanish Gardens Taco Seasoning, and egg. Stir until combined. Add oat flour; mix until ingredients are evenly combined.

Using a ½-cup scoop wrapped in plastic wrap, form each patty (you should have 8 patties). Place on a baking sheet and slightly flatten. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes.

To a skillet over medium heat, add a little oil. When hot, add patties. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until crispy; flip and cook for 8-10 minutes on the other side. Repeat for all patties. You could also cook these on the grill in a cast-iron skillet or on a grill plate to get that smokey flavor. Just be gentle with them.

To make the Spanish Gardens crema: combine equal parts Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce (mild, hot, or extra hot, depending on your spice preference) and crema. If you can’t find crema at your store, sour cream would work just fine, it may be a little bit thicker.

Serve each patty on a bun with crumbled queso fresco, thinly sliced radish slices, avocado, and plenty of Spanish Gardens crema!