Carol Ann’s Version of “the Hoot” – Homemade Black Bean Burgers

Do you remember the first time you ate a veggie burger? I do. Steele’s had a chef named Hoot that made the most delicious black bean burgers. I called them “the Hoot.” This was my first. Hoot was quite proud of his recipe and wouldn’t share it. Nope. He kept that recipe under lock and key.

Food historians credit Gregory Sams with inventing the first veggie burger in 1982. Sams named it the “VegeBurger”, and it was one of the most successful food products ever launched. The ingredients Sams used to make this phenomenon were sesame seeds, oats, soya, wheat, and veggies. The veggie burger has come a long way over the years and now includes ingredients we often don’t think of like beets, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and zucchini.

Veggie burgers have become so popular they are now a staple at barbecues and on restaurant menus. Grocery stores began selling Garden Burgers® and Boca Burgers® in the 1990s, and now we have the Impossible Burger® and Beyond Meat®. I don’t think any of the store-bought varieties are as delicious as “the Hoot”, and Hoot made his with black beans. I have been experimenting for years to duplicate Hoot’s secret recipe, and the following is pretty darn close.

Do you have vegetarians attending your next barbecue or are you trying to eat less meat and more plant-based foods? Carol Ann’s version of “the Hoot” is not only tasty but just as satisfying as a juicy, hot-off-the grill hamburger.

Carol Ann’s Version of “the Hoot”

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

Makes 4 patties

2 cans (16-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

½ cup red onion, diced

½ cup carrots, shredded (about 2 carrots)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup breadcrumbs

Cooking spray

In a medium bowl, place beans and mash with a fork until thick and pasty. Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, and garlic and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, place egg, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the black beans and mix to combine. Add the breadcrumbs and mix until the mixture holds together.

Form the mixture into four patties.

Spray a grill pan with cooking spray. Place the grill pan on a preheated grill and cook about 8 minutes per side.

Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings:

Cheese slices

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced red onion

Sliced or mashed avocado

Lettuce leaves

Pickle chips

Pickle relish

Mustard

Ketchup

Mayonnaise

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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