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Greek Bean Burgers

Traditional regional herbs and spices flavor these Greek bean burgers so you’ll feel like you’re eating on the Mediterranean with the explosion of flavor in each bite. Greek Bean Burgers | C it Nutritionally

A certain scent hangs in the air when you near the ocean…I think it’s the humidity that suspends the sea salt. I grew up close to the Atlantic ocean, but it wasn’t until I lived on the Mediterranean Sea for two years that this scent became so peaceful to me (and traumatic to my hair!). Maybe this is why, out of most cuisines around the world, Mediterranean food consistently tops my list of favorites.

Greek Bean Burger | C it Nutritionally
Santorini, Greece

There’s a distinct scent when you walk into most Mediterranean restaurants too. Usually, it’s influenced by some fish, but it’s the fresh herbs and spices and refreshing vegetables, like cucumber, tomatoes, and olives, that really get to me.

So when I’m in a pickle for inspiration, I typically veer to the Mediterranean side of things. I had been meaning to cross this off my list months ago, but time escaped me. The first time I attempted this recipe, my Greek bean burgers fell apart so horribly, but tasted delicious. I finally got around to tweaking a few things, so I had the scents and flavors of the Mediterranean wafting through my apartment…with successfully sturdier Greek bean burgers too!

Greek Bean Burgers | C it Nutritionally

White cannellini beans provide the perfect blank canvas (and protein!) for this recipe because their often bland flavor is masked by the fresh herbs and spices packed into every bite. The shredded zucchini adds more texture and juiciness to this vegan and gluten free delight!

Check it out…

Greek Bean Burgers | C it Nutritionally

Simply mash beans with a fork in a medium-sized bowl, then add all other ingredients. The “flax egg,” oats, and beans all help these burgers stick together. Feel free to play around with the quantity of herbs and spices added…tickle your taste buds! Unless you are a strict vegan, I highly recommend adding the feta cheese. It provides the perfect tanginess, saltiness, and extra Greek inspiration!

Be sure to refrigerate the batter for these Greek bean burgers for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can meld and the burgers adhere once cooked.

Then, preheat a pan over medium-high heat, form your burger ‘batter’ into patties (I made 4 large burgers), and throw on your grill pan (or a regular saute pan works too).

With all of your willpower, do not flip or touch these burgers before the *4* minute mark! You want a nice golden crust to form on the outside and if you are constantly moving them, it won’t happen! After four minutes on one side, flip, and let cook for another four minutes.

Greek Bean Burgers | C it Nutritionally

Whip up these Greek Bean Burgers tonight…

Meatless Monday Greek Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 48 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Serving Size: 1 burger

Ingredients

  • 1 flax “egg” (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water)
  • 1 15oz can white cannellini beans
  • 1/2 cup [packed] zucchini, shredded
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • 4 kalimata olives, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon dill, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Red chili flakes, to taste (optional)
  • Freshly ground black pepper (I used 8 turns)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray for cooking
  • Optional: 1/4 cup feta cheese

Instructions

  1. In a small dish combine ground flax seeds and water. Mix and set aside for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. In a medium bowl, mash beans with a fork. Then add the remainder of the ingredients and mix well. Add flax egg and continue to combine.
  3. Cover bowl with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours to allow the mixture to set and flavors to meld.
  4. Once time has elapsed, remove from the refrigerator and form into [about 4] patties.
  5. Heat oil-coated skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot (this is important!), cook patties for 4 minutes on each side, carefully flipping, until a golden crust forms. Serve immediately with hummus and/or tzaziki over salad or stuffed in a whole grain pita.
  6. Leftovers can stay refrigerated for up to 5 days.
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Greek Bean Burgers | C it Nutritionally

Eight minutes total to cook…Now that’s a #MeatlessMonday meal I can get behind!

Have a tasty day! 
XO

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  1. Did you mean cannellini beans? The only cannelloni i’m familiar with are pasta tubes, not beans. Am I missing something?

  2. Is there anything that I can substitute the oats for? They don’t normally agree with me. Otherwise, love the recipe! It’s such a clever idea.

    1. Breadcrumbs (regular or gluten free) would probably work wonderfully. Otherwise, perhaps quinoa flakes? Let me know if you try one of those and how they come out! Thanks! 🙂

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  4. I just came across your website. I will be making these soon! I have the same philosophy about food. I am looking forward to going over your site.

    1. Thanks so much for your kind words Melissa! If you have any questions about anything, please let me know! Enjoy! 🙂

  5. Made these last night for myself (vegan) and my non-vegan boyfriend. We both loved them!!! He thought they were the best things I had ever made and said he would eat them “any night.” The flavor is so complex and interesting – for future people attempting to prepare this, I wouldn’t leave anything out!! I put everything in my food processor to get everything finely chopped with minimal effort and it worked great. The only thing is that they crumbled apart a bit during the pan sautéing. Maybe for non-vegans, a real egg would work better as a binder. I might try brushing them with olive oil next time and broiling them. Maybe that would keep them together better? But even if they were crumbly, they were delicious! We made pita tacos and stuffed them in with diced tomato, tahini sauce, hummus, chopped spinach, and roasted eggplant cubes. Out of this world!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Lauren! Vegan burgers can always be finnicky, but did you let them chill for at least 30 minutes before trying to cook? I’m sure baking them (spray a tin foil-lined sheet with nonstick spray first) would work too, for the future! 🙂

      1. Hi! Yes, I did let them chill for around an hour. Like I said, it didn’t ruin the flavor at all. Just a bit crumbly. I will try baking next time!

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  7. Just made these last night and they were delicious! I made mine with the feta and a real egg instead of flax, but without the tomatoes or olives, and it was awesome. Thanks for sharing.

  8. i almost took a bite out of my screen….your pictures just keep getting better and the recipes are Delish with a capital D!!!