Black Bean Cakes

Black Bean Cakes

Here's one of my favorite recipes from the USU Extension Booklet "Top 10 Meals Under 10 Dollars." It's extremely flavorful, yet a low-fat protein! Enjoy!


Talk about "knock your socks off"! These bean cakes end up crispy and crusty on the outside, but oh so tender and creamy on the inside. A true study in contrasts, this dish is elevated to notches unknown when served garnished with your favorite guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. 

7 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (5 to 6 ounces), diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup all-purpose flour (preferably whole wheat)
2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning*
2 (15.5-oz.) cans black beans, drained and quickly rinsed (or 3 cups cooked beans)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 egg, lightly beaten
 ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons hot sauce


1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the onion and cook until soft and lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
 2. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate and stir in the Cajun seasoning. Set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the black beans well with the back of a fork — the mixture should be relatively smooth, with no whole beans remaining. Stir in the cooled onion mixture, cilantro, egg, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander and hot sauce and mix well.
4.  Divide the mixture into 8 evenly sized patties (about 1/3 cup each). Heat the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, dust the patties in the seasoned flour mixture and carefully transfer them to the hot skillet (the cakes will be delicate). Cook the cakes until golden brown on both sides and heated through, about 2 minutes per side. If necessary, season with more salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

 Yield: 4 servings *You can buy Cajun seasoning at the store or make your own with this combination of spices. It's very handy to have in your cupboard, and tastes great on baked potato wedges!

 Homemade Cajun Seasoning:
 2½ tablespoons paprika
 2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
 1 tablespoon black pepper
 1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme


Adapted from emerils.com

BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 lb dried black beans, soaked in water overnight
(or if you are making it last minute use 4 cans of black beans, drained but not rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 lb bacon
1/4 lb Ham hocks or use you can use a left over ham bone from leftover baked ham (this can be stored in the freezer if you don't want to use it right away)
4 medium sized onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
3 stalks of celery including leaves
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
2 tsp cumin
12 cups of chicken broth or 2 of the large 49 1/2 oz cans
1/8 cup red wine vinegar (mom says this is the secret to it, don't skip)

Cook bacon in a separate pan until juicy (not crispy). This is just to render off some of the fat. Remove the bacon from the fat and set aside. Heat oil in large pot. It will need to be large enough to add the ham bone and still hold all the liquid. Cook celery, onion and garlic until they're soft. Add drained beans, chicken stock, pepper cumin ham hock and bacon. Bring everything to a boil then let simmer on low few hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the ham hock and set out to cool. When they have cooled enough to work with and not burn your fingers, pull the meat off the bone and return the meat to the pot. Add red wine vinegar. Stir to combine.

This is great served with cornbread. I like to top it with low-fat sour cream. You can also use salsa, cilantro and fresh diced tomatoes.