Black Bean Cake Recipe

Our college dining hall at Furman, fondly referred to as the "DH," put out a few well-known specialties.

Chicken Finger Tuesday, Quesadilla Thursday, and oh my gracious, those black bean cakes!

The black bean cakes had a cult following.  And recently I asked my friends on Facebook how they might go about recreating the sauce that accompanied said black bean cakes.

Thirty-two comments later from college girlfriends, I was just about ready to give it a try.  Combined with a basic recipe outline from Natalie at Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers, here's what I came up with.

Black Bean Cakes

1 can black beans, rinsed

1/4 cup diced white onion

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1 Tbsp. taco seasoning

Add all ingredients in a bowl, smashing black beans with a fork and mixing until combined.  When mixed together completely, shape into balls and then flatten.  Put on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

Warm a grill pan on medium heat, and cook each side until it gets firm and warmed through.

Black Bean Cake Sauce
1 part sour cream
1 part red salsa
Taco seasoning to taste

Make at least 20 minutes in advance to let flavors combine together.

I thought that grilled avocados (which I just broiled this evening) would be the perfect accompaniment.  I poked the avocado half with a fork, squeezed on lime juice, topped with a few shakes of Texas Pete, and then covered with Mexican cheese and a little Parmesan cheese too. 

It was a beautiful plate!

Next time I will make these changes:
*Add garlic to the black bean patties
*If I've eaten healthy recently, try pan-frying them in a little olive oil rather than just using the grill pan and a little non-stick spray
*Lessen the amount of taco seasoning in the sauce -- it was a little too spicy for me
*Add lime juice to the sauce for an extra little zing

All in all, my recreation of the DH's black bean cakes was a success!  I love eating a vegetarian meal when I can, and this one definitely tasted like a treat.