Black Bean Burgers with Comeback Sauce

What's our secret to a tasty black bean burger? The slow cooker. Slow cook the beans in broth kicked up with smoky bacon and sautéed aromatics, then use them to make these hearty Black Bean Burgers topped with a spicy, smoky sauce. You can easily make the burgers vegetarian by omitting the bacon and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable when slow cooking the beans. We’ve paired this flavorful burger patty with Comeback Sauce. This mayonnaise-based sauce hails from Mississippi, but Southerners all across the Deep South love the spicy kick it gives to a plethora of fried, grilled, and steamed foods.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 yellow onion (about 10 oz.), chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 red bell pepper (about 8 oz.), chopped (about 1 cup)
3 thick-cut bacon slices (about 4 oz.), chopped (optional)
3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 jalapeño chile, halved lengthwise
6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons grated yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices Muenster cheese
4 brioche buns, toasted
4 butter lettuce leaves
1 large tomato, cut into 8 thin slices


February 2018