On Monday I shared a delicious and decadent tasting Broccoli Au Gratin for your holiday dinner.  Au Gratin recipes are fairly traditional and not that unusual for holiday meals.  

Today I share a more “outside the box” holiday dish, one that can serve as a tasty side, but also a dish that is a great main dish for any vegetarian or vegan guests at your dinner table.

My friend M shared this recipe with me.  This southwestern inspired dish takes black beans, a great source of plant protein, and adds some fantastic flavors to create black bean cakes.  But wait, it gets better:  the “crust” of the cakes are crumbled baked tortilla chips, which add a fun twist and taste.

A word to the wise:  if your black bean cakes crumble a bit when you cook them (like ours did in our first trial run), simply place in a tortilla and enjoy as a really tasty filling for a burrito!

Black Bean Cakes

5-6 cups black beans (about 3 – 15 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed)
¼ cup salsa
1/3 cup diced red onion
½ cup diced red pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups crushed tortilla chips, preferably baked
vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, salsa, onion, red pepper, cilantro, salt, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.  Stir well and then, using your hands, mash the mixture.  If you don’t want to use your hands, you can use a pastry blender or a large fork, but your hands will work best.

Shape the mixture into 2-3 inch diameter patties, about ¾ of an inch thick.  Place the patties in the refrigerator about 15-30 minutes to chill and firm.

In a shallow dish, place the tortilla chips.  Take each patty and gently press in the chips.  Flip, and repeat.

Meanwhile, heat about 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  

Place 3-4 patties in your pan.  Cook for 4-5 minutes.  Flip, cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

You may place the cooked patties on an oven-safe dish and place in a warm oven to keep warm while you finish the other patties.

Makes about 16 patties.

Life is sweet,
SPC