Black-Eyed Pea Burger Patties (Printable)

Hearty black-eyed pea patties blended with herbs and spices, baked or pan-fried to golden perfection.

# What you need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

02 - 1/2 small onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small carrot, grated
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Binders and Seasonings

07 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
08 - 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
09 - 5 tablespoons water
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Add-ins

13 - 1/2 teaspoon cumin
14 - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
15 - Pinch of chili flakes

# How to make it:

01 - In a small bowl, combine ground flaxseed with water and let sit for 5 minutes until thickened.
02 - Preheat oven to 400°F or heat a skillet over medium heat for pan-frying.
03 - In a large bowl, mash the black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher, leaving some texture intact.
04 - Add diced onion, minced garlic, grated carrot, chopped parsley, smoked paprika, breadcrumbs, flax egg, olive oil, salt, pepper, and any optional add-ins to the mashed peas. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
05 - Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into a firm burger patty.
06 - Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and firm.
07 - Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties 4-5 minutes per side until crisp and browned.
08 - Serve patties on buns with desired toppings or alongside fresh salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in under 30 minutes and taste like you fussed over them way longer than you actually did.
  • Once you master the basic formula, you can play with spices and mix-ins without worrying about the whole thing falling apart.
  • They freeze beautifully, so batch-making becomes your secret weapon for busy weeknights.
02 -
  • The flax egg is essential for structure; skipping it or reducing it means you'll end up with patties that fall apart, something I learned the disappointing way early on.
  • Don't skip the resting period in step 1 for the flax mixture—it needs those 5 minutes to develop its binding power, and impatience here shows in the results.
  • If your mixture feels too wet, add a tablespoon or two more breadcrumbs; if it seems too dry, drizzle in a bit more olive oil—every batch of peas is slightly different in moisture content.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze the uncooked patties between parchment squares; you can cook them straight from frozen without thawing, just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
  • Toast your burger buns in the pan where you cooked the patties—those browned bits left in the pan add incredible flavor to the buns that feels like a small luxury but takes zero extra effort.
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