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Chef Linda
Linda Soper-Kolton, Chef, came to the Sanctuary as a guest chef to share her love of compassionate cooking in our then-fledgling culinary program. Lured by the magic of the Sanctuary, her love of animals and the urgency of our mission, Linda stayed on to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food.
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Black Bean Cakes

By Chef Linda

Veggie burgers are all the rage. With endless combinations of vegetables, grains, and flavorings, there's no reason to ever get bored. A homemade veggie burger is the perfect way to deliver a variety of healthy ingredients in a single serving! Black Bean Cakes boast a powerful combination of black beans, sweet potatoes, and nuts in every bite.

I call these cakes, not burgers, because they are light and delicate. Many recipes call for rice or other cooked grains as binders, in place of eggs. A little oat flour was used to help bind, but the combination of mashed black beans and baked sweet potato (instead of raw) provides enough holding power without the use of heavy grains. The result is a lighter feel on the fork and in the tummy.

Feel free to use whatever spice combinations you prefer. I've tried this with curry powder as an alternative to the Mexican spices and it's equally delicious. To top these Black Bean Cakes, I used Cashew Sour Cream, but added cilantro and lime juice when making it to complement the spices. Serve these with Jalapeño Corn Casserole for a scrumptious, Southwestern-style meal.

 

Ingredients

 1 medium or 2 small sweet potatoes
 ½ cup oat flour or bread crumbs
 2 cups cooked or rinsed and drained canned black beans
 ½ cup almond meal
 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed seeded and finely chopped (leave seeds in for more heat)
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 2 scallions, finely chopped
 2 tbsp Juice from one lime
 2 tsp cumin
 2 tsp chili powder
 ½ tsp chipotle powder
 ½ tsp salt

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 375ºF degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes on the tray and bake until fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, scoop out flesh into a bowl. This can be done a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge.

Place black beans in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the beans. Add sweet potato flesh, almond meal, oat flour (or bread crumbs), jalapeño, garlic, scallions, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes.

Use the same tray and parchment paper from sweet potatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Scoop out bean mixture using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or portion scoop onto the tray, leaving about 2 inches in between. Use a knife or small spatula to flatten into patties that are 3-4 inches wide and about 3/4 inch thick. Bake at 375ºF for about 35 minutes. Remove tray from oven and let set for about 5 minutes. They may be too fragile to move if you don’t allow for the setting time. Serve on buns or simply on lettuce, with sliced avocado, tomato, and cashew sour cream. Extra black bean cakes can be stored in a container with parchment paper in between layers in the fridge or freezer.

Black Bean Cakes
IngredientsDirections

Black Bean Cakes

DifficultyEasyCook Time35 mins
YIELDS
Makes 8 to10 patties

INGREDIENTS

 1 medium or 2 small sweet potatoes
 ½ cup oat flour or bread crumbs
 2 cups cooked or rinsed and drained canned black beans
 ½ cup almond meal
 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed seeded and finely chopped (leave seeds in for more heat)
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 2 scallions, finely chopped
 2 tbsp Juice from one lime
 2 tsp cumin
 2 tsp chili powder
 ½ tsp chipotle powder
 ½ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1

Preheat oven to 375ºF degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place sweet potatoes on the tray and bake until fork tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, scoop out flesh into a bowl. This can be done a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge.

Place black beans in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the beans. Add sweet potato flesh, almond meal, oat flour (or bread crumbs), jalapeño, garlic, scallions, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes.

Use the same tray and parchment paper from sweet potatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Scoop out bean mixture using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or portion scoop onto the tray, leaving about 2 inches in between. Use a knife or small spatula to flatten into patties that are 3-4 inches wide and about 3/4 inch thick. Bake at 375ºF for about 35 minutes. Remove tray from oven and let set for about 5 minutes. They may be too fragile to move if you don’t allow for the setting time. Serve on buns or simply on lettuce, with sliced avocado, tomato, and cashew sour cream. Extra black bean cakes can be stored in a container with parchment paper in between layers in the fridge or freezer.

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