Spicy Corn & Bean Burgers

I suspect that whether or not you're trying to lower your cholesterol, none of us eat as many beans as we should do. Why we don't is a mystery... these Corn and Cannellini Bean Burgers, for example, are absolutely delicious, and kind of legitimise eating 'burgers' every day (which can never be a bad thing, surely?!). They are as delicious with some basmati rice and chilli sauce on the side as they are in a bun with some chargrilled red pepper. And even more delicious made with fresh corn.

Ingredients

  •  1 Tin Cannellini Beans
  • 1 Tin Sweetcorn
  • 1 Onion
  • Handful or 2 of Breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • Pinch Red Chilli Powder
  • 2 or 3 Cloves Garlic
  • Fresh Coriander or Parsley

Chop the Onion and gently fry in some Olive Oil for 5 or 10 minutes until soft and sweet

Chop or crush some Garlic (as much as you fancy)

Add half the Garlic to the pan and fry for a minute, then add a small teaspoon of Smoked Paprika and a pinch of Chilli Powder; stir and take off the heat

While the Onions are doing their thing, drain and empty the Cannellini Beans into a large bowl… Squash half of them with a fork or potato masher

Drain the Sweetcorn and add this to the Beans

Also add the rest of the crushed Garlic to the bowl, with some Salt & Pepper, a handful or two of Breadcrumbs and some chopped fresh Coriander or Parsley

Now add the cooked Onion mixture, and give the Bean Burger mixture a good old mix, preferably squashing together by hand

Make Burger shapes out of the mixture, and lay them out on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper

If you’re after extra crunchiness on the outside of the burger, you could gently press a few extra Breadcrumbs onto the outside…

If you can give them an hour in the fridge to firm up, all to the good – if not, don’t worry!

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚c and bake for 30 mins or until really golden and crunchy on the outside

[I don't know about BBQing these; it might work out fine, but I'd be worried they might break up and tragically fall through the grate...]

Enjoy these healthy Corn and Bean Burgers in a bun with some roasted or chargrilled tomato and red pepper…

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