Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Mayonnaise

Steps

1. Peel 2 carrots and chop into 2-inch pieces. Chop 1/4 of an onion into a few chunks. Place the carrots and onion in a food processor and pulse until finely diced. (If you don't have a food processor, just mince it up real tiny like.)

2. Heat up about 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Add the minced carrot and onion.

3. Add all the spices: 1 and 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Saute until the carrot is tender, about 8 minutes. Taste it to make sure it's soft. Add a couple teaspoons of oil if it's starting to look too dry. When it is almost done, add 1 clove minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. While the vegetables cook, drain the black beans but don't rinse them. Add to a large bowl. Add the cooked carrots, onion, and garlic. Using a pastry blender or two forks, mash the mixture to break down the black beans. Don’t mash them completely; just until the mixture is cohesive.

6. Add 3 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons Sriracha and stir well. Add 1 cup panko crumbs and 1 egg, and mix gently to combine. The mixture should easily hold together when formed into a patty. If it doesn’t, add more panko, little bits at a time.

7. Form the mixture into patties, about 1/2-cup each. Make each patty about 1/2 inch thick. Place the patties on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a plate is fine) and refrigerate the patties for a minimum of 20 minutes, or up to two days (well covered) before cooking.

8. Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Place the patties in the skillet (don't crowd them, do a couple batches) and allow them to cook over medium heat until browned and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Add more olive oil as needed.

9. Add a slice of cheddar cheese to the top of each patty after you have flipped it, if you want slightly melty cheese! (you do)

10. Serve with ketchup if you want, I couldn't care less. Just kidding, serve these on buns with lettuce and tomato, with avocado too if you have some!

11. Sriracha mayo: Add 1/2 cup mayo to a bowl and add about 1-3 teaspoons sriracha. Stir it up and see if you want more sriracha. This is my favorite sauce for these burgers!