Best Buffalo Bean Burger

Hello! Welcome Friends. Today I have a recipe that combines our method for making a delicious, moist, bean-based burgers with the flavors of Buffalo hot wings. Do you remember the Southwest Bean Burger we made last summer? The recipe employed a method for the bean mixture that yielded a meat burger replacement that was thick and tender with satisfying texture variety. This was not your average dried-out, store-bought bean burger. I have tweaked that bean burger recipe to get today’s Best Buffalo Bean Burger – let’s do it!

The Beans

We will start with the beans. The inspiration for this Buffalo Bean Burger is America’s Test Kitchen’s Buffalo Chicken Burger, so I went with Canellini Beans for this bean version. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F. Then, drain and rinse 2 cans of Canellini Beans. Spread the beans out on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake the beans for about 15 minutes, until the beans are cracked and look dried out. Let the beans cool for about 10 minutes.

While the beans are baking and cooling, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and sauté 2/3 cup diced onions and 2/3 cup diced celery. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and stir to combine. When the onions and celery have softened a bit (about 5 minutes), add 1 tablespoon of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Stir to combine and cut the heat.

Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl. Then, take 2 cups of the cooled beans and add to a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the onion/celery mixture, two egg yolks, 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper. Process until mixture is mostly smooth, about 20 seconds.

Transfer the bean puree to the mixing bowl with the remaining whole beans. Add the remaining celery/onion mixture to the bowl with the beans and bean puree. Use a silicone spatula to thoroughly mix the beans. Taste the mixture and add more kosher salt if needed.

Line a sheet tray with a fresh piece of parchment. Form the bean mixture into 4 equal patties, 4-inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Place patties on a parchment-lined sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Buffalo Sauce

While the Buffalo Bean Burgers are chilling in the fridge, make the Buffalo sauce. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter with 6 tablespoons of Franks’ Red Hot Sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar. Whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar. Then add 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch to one tablespoon of water, whisk to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the Buffalo sauce and stir well to combine and make a slightly thick, emulsified sauce. Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile let your gorgonzola come up to room temperature. Thinly slice 1 rib of celery, on the bias. Rinse and dry 4 lettuce leaves.

Cooking the Buffalo Bean Burgers

Set up a braiser or other large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is shimmery, carefully lay the 4 burgers in the hot oil. Let cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes, until the cooked side has developed some browning. Then flip the burgers and cook about 4 minutes, until browned.

When browned on both sides, transfer to a sheet tray and brush Buffalo sauce over the tops and let sit for 5 minutes.

Build the Best Buffalo Bean Burgers

To build the burgers, get a soft bun and lay a lettuce leaf on the bottom half.

Carefully slide a Buffalo Bean Burger on top of the lettuce leaf. Top the burger with crumbles of gorgonzola or blue cheese. Then top the cheese crumbles with several slices of celery. Spoon more Buffalo sauce over the celery and then top with the top bun.

And that’s it! These Buffalo Bean Burgers have great flavor and texture. They are filling without being heavy at all. A wonderful, healthy vegetarian burger recipe! The Bean Burger method we have used for this recipe is so easy to modify for new and interesting flavor profiles. Check out the Southwest Bean Burger version, if you haven’t yet. Give this one a try and let me know how it goes for you! Take care and be well, xo Kelly

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Print Recipe

Best Buffalo Bean Burgers

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Dinner, Main Course – American

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: Makes 4 Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 15 Minutes, plus 30 minute fridge cool time – Cooking Time: 8-10 Minutes – Total Time: ~55 Minutes

Best Buffalo Bean Burgers have great flavor and texture. They are filling without being heavy. A wonderful, healthy vegetarian burger recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 15.5-oz. Cans Canellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil, divided by half
• 2/3 cup Diced Onion
• 2/3 cup Diced Celery
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 2 Large Egg Yolks
• 1/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Buffalo Sauce
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 6 tbsp. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. Water
• Buffalo Bean Burgers
• 4 Burger Buns
• 4 Boston or Bibb Lettuce Leaves
• Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese, crumbled
• 1 rib of Celery, sliced thinly, on the bias

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2

Spread the drained and rinsed beans out on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake the beans for about 15 minutes, until the beans are cracked and look dried out. Let the beans cool for about 10 minutes.

3

While the beans are baking and cooling, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and sauté 2/3 cup diced onions and 2/3 cup diced celery. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and stir to combine. When the onions and celery have softened a bit (about 5 minutes), add 1 tablespoon of Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Stir to combine and cut the heat.

4

Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl. Then, take 2 cups of the cooled beans and add to a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of the onion/celery mixture, two egg yolks, 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper. Process until mixture is mostly smooth, about 20 seconds.

5

Transfer the bean puree to the mixing bowl with the remaining whole beans. Add the remaining celery/onion mixture to the bowl with the beans and bean puree. Use a silicone spatula to thoroughly mix the beans. Taste the mixture and add more kosher salt if needed.

6

Line a sheet tray with a fresh piece of parchment. Form the bean mixture into 4 equal patties, 4-inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Place patties on a parchment-lined sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Make the Buffalo Sauce

7

While the Buffalo Bean Burgers are chilling in the fridge, make the Buffalo sauce. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter with 6 tablespoons of Franks' Red Hot Sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar. Whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar. Then add 1/2 teaspoon to one tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the Buffalo sauce and stir well to combine and make a slightly thick, emulsified sauce. Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.

Cook the Buffalo Bean Burgers

8

Set up a braiser or other large pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.

9

When the oil is shimmery, carefully lay the 4 burgers in the hot oil. Let cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes, until the cooked side has developed some browning. Then flip the burgers and cook about 4 minutes, until browned.

10

When browned on both sides, transfer out to a sheet tray and brush Buffalo sauce over the tops and let sit for 5 minutes.

11

To build the burgers, get a soft bun and lay a lettuce leaf on the bottom half.

12

Carefully slide a Buffalo Bean Burger on top of the lettuce leaf. Top the burger with crumbles of gorgonzola or blue cheese. Then top the cheese crumbles with several slices of celery. Spoon more Buffalo sauce over the celery and then top with the top bun.

13

Serve with remaining Buffalo sauce on the side.

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