Veggie Burger

Contributed by Lxi Weber

From summer BBQs to backyard grilling, it seems to be all about the burgers lately. Today I am sharing with you the ultimate not-your average-veggie burger recipe that I just can’t get enough of! The patty is made from perfectly spiced black beans with slow cooked caramelized onions inside to add sweetness and moisture. Topped with tangy spicy mango sauce and chunky guacamole, these sliders give other burgers a serious run for their money. Serve these with my sweet and spicy yam fries for the heartiest meal of the summer!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
12-15 mini buns/rolls for sliders or 6-8 regulars sized hamburger buns
Sliders                                                                                                       
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small carrot, finely diced or shredded (about ½ cup)
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ bunch cilantro, chopped
¼ cup water
Spicy Mango Sauce
1 mango, peeled and cut
½ cup sun dried tomatoes, whole or sliced
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, but any kind will do)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Guacamole
3 ripe Haas avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
½ lime, juiced
¼ cup salsa fresca
sea salt and black pepper

Procedure:
Sliders
1.    In a large skillet, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until tender and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes.
2.    In a large bowl, use a large spoon or your hands to mash together beans, carrots, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, chili powder, salt, cilantro, ¼ cup water, and caramelized onions. If mixture is too dry to hold together, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
3.    Using your hands, form mini burger patties that match the size of your buns or mini slider rolls.
4.    In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium/high heat and fry patties. Let each patty get browned and slightly crisp on each side before flipping (about 3 minutes on each side). Add more olive oil to skillet as you continue to fry more patties.
Spicy Mango Sauce
1.    Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Guacamole
1.    In a large bowl, mash together the avocado and lime juice, then fold in the salsa fresca.
2.     Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
1.    Slice each roll or bun in half and layer a couple teaspoons of mango sauce, 1 black bean slider, and about a tablespoon of guacamole. If you have extra mango sauce, you can use it as a dip for your fries!