I’ve come up with a million different recipes to use these patties and I’ve already enjoyed them three ways — in two days. Enter sweet-salty-nutty-perfect-not-your-boring-black-bean burger. 

I found this recipe on Food52 and I had a feeling they were going to be delicious. I’m pretty sure I even said “Oh, hell yeah,” out  loud. To myself.

I made a few changes — halved the amount of grains and used farro instead of quinoa. I find farro much tastier, and I love the texture, but of course you can use any grain you like. I bet buckwheat would be great here, too. Maybe even wheat berries. If there was a Twilight rendition of ancient grains, I would be on Team Farro.

I really wanted this burger to taste and mimic the texture of the savory, dense almost-bloody burger I was dreaming of and I have to say, I am impressed. Let me enlighten you with some of my ideas for this ultimate bean burger:

• Crumbled like sausage over 2 fried or scrambled eggs and veggies in a skillet
• Smothered in melting brie cheese and topped with arugula on sandwich or bun (check.)
• Open-face sandwich with a gently fried egg with oozing yolk and sliced avocado (see below.)
• In a salad with warm veggies and hummus (lunch yesterday)
• Baked in a ramekin with eggplant and mozzarella

Okay, I have to stop I’m getting hungry again. Plus, you get the point.

Sun-Dried Tomato & White Bean Farro Burgers

adapted from Food52 recipe. Makes about 8 small patties. 

• 1 can white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• large handful sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup cooked farro, cooled
• 1 egg
• grated pecorino romano cheese
• handful fresh julienned basil
• crushed red pepper and cracked black pepper to taste
• extra virgin olive oil
• juice from half of a lemon
• just under 1 tbsp whole wheat flour

Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mash with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Heat frying pan to medium heat and spray or drizzle with olive oil. (The more oil you use, the more your burger will hold its texture and flavor. I kind of went to olive-oil spray-town with this one.) Cook patties a few minutes on each side until golden brown and delicious. Store in airtight container and eat every day until they are all gone.  Feel free to experiment with the recipe and share!