Black Bean Patties

Black bean patties draw on a Native American tradition of campfire cakes built from beans, rice, and cornmeal. The plains tribes used wild rice. This version trades it for brown rice, which is easier to find and gives the patties a similar nutty backbone. The combination of black beans, brown rice, and cornmeal creates a complete protein, which is why these patties hold up as a main dish on their own.

A cup of soy milk and a generous tablespoon of cumin are what bind everything into a workable dough. Add cornmeal a tablespoon at a time if the mixture feels too wet. You want stiff enough to form a patty that doesn’t crumble in the pan, soft enough that the texture stays tender after cooking.

These are remarkably versatile. Topped with mushroom gravy alongside a green vegetable, they’re a hearty dinner. Cooked plain and drizzled with warm maple syrup, they’re a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast that recalls a savory pancake. Form raw patties, wrap in wax paper, and freeze. Defrost and fry whenever you need a meal in 10 minutes.

Kitchen Tips

• Cool the beans and rice fully before mixing if you’ve just cooked them. Hot ingredients turn the cornmeal into a gluey paste.
• Mash about half the beans for binding, leave the rest whole for texture.
• Heat the corn oil hot enough that the patty sizzles on contact. Tepid oil gives soggy, oil-soaked patties.
• Don’t flip too early. Let a deep golden crust form on the first side or the patty will stick and tear.

Variations

• Stir in a chopped roasted poblano or 2 tablespoons of fresh corn kernels for southwestern flavor.
• Top dinner patties with salsa verde, sour cream, and pickled red onion.
• Use polenta in place of cornmeal for a slightly creamier texture inside the patty.