This veggie burger recipe with plantain buns is an amazing way to enjoy a keto veggie burger! Thanks to plenty of heat from a can of hot green chilies and cayenne powder, you won’t miss the meat or the bread in this veggie burger.
I love veggie burgers, but I especially love them with they are chock full of mushrooms and black beans. They are so hearty and meaty, yet 100% meat-free. Because I am working on a plant-based cookbook, I’m spending my time experimenting with fruits and veggies. Plantains have been a welcome addition to my rotation of fruits.
This veggie burger is unbelievably easy to make and is served on top of a lightly sweet plantain bun. The bun is really more like a cake, but it works so well with the earthy black bean mushroom burger.
What kind of plantains should I use in my plantain bun?
If you want a very savory bun, use a green plantain. These can be quite hard, so prick it all over with a fork and microwave it in 30 seconds increments until softened. It should take no longer than 30-45 seconds. If you want a sweet plantain bun, use a very soft, black plantain. I recommend a yellow plantain with some black splotches on the peel for this dish. This coloration will give you a lightly sweet flavor, but it will still have savory undertones.
How the make the Plantain Buns:
Mash the plantains with cassava flour (or AP flour) until a thick paste forms. Season with salt and chili powder. To fry the plantain buns, I heat oil in a skillet over medium. Once hot, I add two heaping tablespoons (Approximately 1/4 cup) in the center of the skillet. Use the back of a spoon to smooth it out – as if you were making a crepe – into a 1/2-inch thick cake. Fry it for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. It’s that simple!
How to Make the Veggie Burgers:
The veggie burgers are so easy, but you will definitely want a food processor! Start by pulsing the mushrooms until finely chopped. Next, saute them to allow them to release their water. If you don’t do this step, you will have watery, soggy burgers!
From there, pulse black beans and a few other delicious aromatics (garlic and a can of hot green chili peppers) and throw it in with the mushrooms and allow everything to sizzle in the skillet until thick.
Next, you want to let the mixture cool. Throw in a binder, such as cassava flour for a keto diet or AP flour or cornmeal for non-keto. I used a heaping tablespoon but you will want to adjust. The mixture will feel a little goopy, but it should still hold its shape as a patty.
From there, just fry them up! The binder in the patties will allow them to crisp up perfectly on the tops and bottoms.
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this veggie burger recipe, please rate it and comment below! You can also follow me and share your creations by tagging me! I’d love to feature your #triedandtruerecipes creation on my feed!
Veggie Burger with Plantain Buns
Equipment
- Skillet
- Food processor
Ingredients
Plantain Buns:
- 4 medium yellow plantains slightly ripe but not completely black
- 4 tablespoons cassava or AP flour you can also use arrowroot powder or even yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder optional
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying.
Veggie Burgers:
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms I used half shiitake, half cremini
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil for frying
- 4 ounce can hot green chili peppers or use 1 jalapeno, optional
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar optional
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- Cayenne powder optional, to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 heaping tablespoon cassava or AP flour
Instructions
Make the Black Bean Burgers:
- Add the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the minced mushroom and allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes until they release water and the water begins to evaporate—season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chili peppers, garlic, and black beans and pulse to the food processor until finely chopped. It’s okay if the black beans are a little lumpy.
- Add the mixture to the skillet and cook for 4 more minutes.
- Season with chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, paprika, cayenne powder (if using), salt, pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool for 20 minutes. You can use a spoon to spread the mixture around the sides of the bowl to allow it to cool more quickly and evenly.
Make the Plantain Buns:
- While the black beans cool, prepare the plantain buns.
- Peel the plantains and transfer them to a bowl. Use a fork to mash until almost completely mush. It’s ok if they’re a little lumpy. Season with salt and chili powder.
- Add the cassava flour and work it into the mixture until it is thick and pasty. If it seems too wet, add a touch more flour.
- Wipe out the skillet used to make the black bean mixture.
- Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the plantain mixture and use your spoon’s back to smooth it out into a cake as it fries. Pretend you’re making a crepe, but make it about 1/2” thick vs. a very thin crepe. Allow it to fry undisturbed for 1-3 minutes until golden brown. Carefully flip it and cook for 1-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
- Continue frying the rest of the mixture in increments until all are fried. Set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet.
Make the Veggie Burgers:
- Heat another teaspoon or two of oil in the skillet. Turn the heat to medium.
- Scoop out a handful of the black bean mixture. If it seems too wet, add a touch more flour. It will be a little “gloopy,” but that’s okay.
- Remove 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form it into a pattie with your hands. Transfer it to the hot skillet and allow it to cook for 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook for another 2 minutes until well-browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Continue cooking the patties in batches.
To Serve:
- Place a plantain bun on a plate and put a veggie burger on top. Serve with your favorite burger toppings.
