These Mexican bean patties are great in a sandwich, topped with enchilada sauce, or nestled in a tortilla. They’re loaded with hidden veggies and protein.
I’m a big fan of bean patties. They’re compact, convenient, and full of good things. And, of course, they’re tasty too. Each patty contains lots of colorful, hidden veggies. It’s a shame that we sometimes have to resort to such trickery to get the non-veggie lovers in our lives to eat some fresh produce, but here’s one tasty way to do it. The good news is they taste just as good for those of us who love fresh vegetables. I especially like how the bell pepper flavor comes through in these Mexican bean patties.
You can freeze these bean patties and pop them in the microwave later. This feature makes them perfect for lunches, picnics, or a last minute -oh, I forgot to cook anything – dinner.
Ingredients
The picture below shows the vegetables used in the Mexican bean patties. You can use any color bell pepper. I chose a calabaza squash, but zucchini or yellow crook-neck works just as well. Add some onion, garlic, bagged spinach, and fresh cilantro to complete your veggie list.
The picture below shows the rest of the ingredients. You’ll need cooked pinto beans (home-made or canned), brown rice, corn, wet and dry ingredients, and spices. Everything is listed in the recipe below. I also use egg replacer to keep the patties from falling apart while they’re cooking.
Making Mexican Bean Patties
Cut the bell pepper, onion, and squash into medium-sized pieces and saute these ingredients in oil along with the minced garlic. When these veggies are almost through cooking, add the spinach. The spinach cooks very quickly so be sure to add it last.
Let those veggies cool for a few minutes while you get the rest of the ingredients ready. After the veggies have cooled for a few minutes, add them to a food processor along with the beans, cilantro, and wet ingredients. Blend those ingredients thoroughly.
Add the dry ingredients plus half of the corn and brown rice. Blend these ingredients thoroughly.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the remaining brown rice and corn. This optional step adds some texture to the final patties. You can blend everything all at once if you want.
Scoop out the mixture with a large spoon and shape it into patties. Put three or four patties in a non-stick skillet and brown them for about three minutes on each side. This part goes a lot faster with an electric skillet or griddle.
Transfer the patties to a plate. You can serve them right away or freeze them for later.
Serving Mexican Bean Patties
These Mexican bean patties are good served with some kind of sauce, like a spicy enchilada sauce or avocado tomatillo salsa. They go great with a salad. too.
Use them in a sandwich if you want. Add some cheese, mayo, and whatever else you like.
If you like bean patties, try my cannellini bean patties. If you’re a fan of Mexican food, try my veggie enchiladas, quesadillas, avocado tomatillo salsa, and enchilada sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 can pinto beans or 1.5 cups of cooked pinto beans
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons oil – separated sunflower, avocado, or similar light oil
- 1 cup frozen yellow corn thawed
- 2/3 cup chopped red orange, or yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup packed spinach
- 1/2 cup squash zucchini, calabaza, or yellow crookneck
- 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/2 a lime
- 2 tablespoons red prepared salsa
- 2 tsp cumin
- Optional 1 or 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons egg replacer
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Instructions
- Chop the squash, bell pepper, and onion.
- Mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press.
- Use one tablespoon of oil to saute the vegetables.
- Let the cooked vegetables cool for a few minutes.
- Put the cooked beans, the wet seasonings, and the cooked vegetables into a food processor.
- Blend for a few seconds.
- Add the other tablespoon of oil, half of the cooked brown rice, half of the corn, the corn meal, and the bread crumbs to the food processor.
- Pulse until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the mixture to mixing bowl and add the remaining corn and brown rice.
- Scoop out the patty mixture and shape it into patties.
- Put four or five patties in a non-stick skillet and brown for about three minutes on each side.
Notes
- Patties that are about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter are easier to turn in the skillet.
- Remember, the ingredients are already cooked so you just need to brown them in the skillet to turn them into patties that you can eat right away or freeze.
- If you don’t use a non-stick skillet, add the second tablespoon of oil to the skillet instead of the patty mixture.
Nutrition
Products used in this recipe
This one sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it
Thanks! These make good quick lunches on RV trips.