Southwest white bean veggie burgers with black bean and corn salsa make for a flavor-packed, nutritious vegetarian meal, or even appetizer! A great make-ahead option for busy weeknights!
The veggie burger. Can you get on board? It’s fairly impossible to trump a big beefy burger with melted pepper jack cheese and bacon, but veggie burgers certainly have their place in my mouth.
Especially when they’re double whammy-ed with Southwest-style ingredients and then topped with hunks of avocado and Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salsa.
Feast your peepers on this:
Little known fact: Pecos Bill made his veggie burgers in a cast iron skillet.
Other than all things Southwest, the southwest veggie burger patties are made with white (cannelini) beans and brown rice, making them gluten-free.
They’re super easy to put together and can be served as an entrée or an appetizer. I like to go bun-less with these burgers, but you can certainly bun ‘er up.
Go to the Southwest. At least twice.
Southwest Veggie Burgers with Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can cannelini beans (or white beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and chopped
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper finely chopped (about ¼ of a bell pepper)
- 1/3 cup corn kernels about 1/2 an ear of corn
- 1/3 cup black beans
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salsa for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Black Bean and Corn Salsa and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Rinse the white beans well and pat them dry.
- Add the beans at the cooked rice to a food processor and pulse until well combined. It’s okay if the mixture is slightly chunky.
- Add the white bean/rice mixture to a mixing bowl and mix in the lightly beaten egg.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir together until combined.
- Note: If you’re using canned black beans and corn, be sure to rinse them and pat them dry before adding them to the mixture.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of grapeseed or canola oil over medium (or enough oil to coat the surface well).
- Measure 1/3 cup of the burger mixture and form a patty using your hands (the mixture will be sticky, and that’s okay!). Carefully place the burger on the hot cast iron skillet and allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Carefully flip to the other side and cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Repeat for remaining burger mixture.
Evie
Sunday 8th of June 2014
These burgers have become a staple in my cooking repertoire since you posted them. I make them once a week! Everyone raves about them. Thanks so much for posting this delicious recipe!
Julia
Monday 9th of June 2014
Evie, you're so very welcome! I'm happy to hear you like the veggie burgers!! Amazing how great a burger can be with such simple ingredients. Thank you for your kind comment and enjoy your week :) xoxo
Alexis @ Hummusapien
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
These are INSANE. I'm off to buy a cast iron to feast my eyes on the babies in REAL LYFE!!!
Julia
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
I knew you'd love these!! You can definitely make them in a non-stick pan. I tend to be a jackass on my high horse by insinuating you couldn't possibly make the burgers without a cast iron skillet. It's totes possible, I swears it ;) Let's eat these!
Joanne
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
Well if these are good enough for Pecos Bill, then they're good enough for me! I want to go to the southwest a gazillion times over if it means getting to eat a gazillion of these.
Julia
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
You'd love them! Pecos would want you to have them.
Courtney @ The Fig Tree
Monday 26th of May 2014
Veggie burgers are my weakness! And these look incredible. I'll have to grab a few ingredients at the store and try them over the weekend. Cannot wait to try the black bean and corn salsa. Boom indeed! *hehe*
Julia
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
So happy you're going to try them, Courtney! Let me know what you think :) BOOM!
Debra
Sunday 25th of May 2014
OK---it's Memorial Day weekend and this post has me craving a veggie burger!
Julia
Tuesday 27th of May 2014
Glad you like the burgs and hope you had a fun weekend!