MEXICAN SPICY BEAN BURGERS

This veggie burger really delivers on flavour and texture – it’s delicious. For less heat, leave out the pickled jalapeños.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 4

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced

2 fresh green jalapeño peppers, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (240g drained weight)

250g cooked Puy lentils (freshly cooked and drained or a pouch)

1-cal olive oil spray

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

100ml reduced-fat soured cream

2 tsp chipotle in adobo

4 wholemeal burger buns, split

2 medium tomatoes, thickly sliced

1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled and thinly sliced

12 pickled jalapeño peppers

8–12 Little Gem lettuce leaves

METHOD

1: Heat the oil in a non-stick medium frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper and fresh jalapeños and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the spices, season generously with salt and cook for a further minute. Take off the heat.

2: Pat the kidney beans dry then tip them into a food processor and add the onion mix. Pulse to combine, retaining some texture. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the lentils and some salt and pepper.

3: With wet hands, to prevent sticking, divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties. Lay them on a plate and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.

4: Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over a high heat and spray the surface with oil. Add the patties and cook for 2 minutes on each side, spraying with a little more oil before you turn them. Transfer the patties to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

5: In the meantime, mix the soured cream and chipotle together. Place the burger buns, cut side up, under a hot grill for 1–2 minutes until lightly toasted. Spread each side of the burger buns with chipotle soured cream. Place the bean burgers on the bottom half and top with tomato, avocado, jalapeños and lettuce. Sandwich together with the bun lids to serve.

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