black bean & chard patties with poblanos

Mmmm…I love a good vegetarian meal. Plus, anything with black beans and feta cheese is my bread and butter. These black bean and chard patties are so wholesome and flavorful, it is not a recipe you should pass over!

The patties are extremely easy to make, just combining wilted chard, mashed black beans, egg, Panko, and seasoning. The pickled onions and roasted poblanos are the cherries on top, elevating this dish from backyard barbecue to Michelin-star elegance.

poblano peppers are seriously underrated

I often use jalapeños or other hot chili peppers in my cooking, but I’ve recently begun including poblanos, and I have to say these peppers are highly overlooked. I think they might be somewhat difficult to find in most regular grocery stores unless you live in the southwester US or Mexico, but it’ll be so worth it if you make an effort to find them. You should also definitely scoop them up if you see them at local farmer’s markets in the summertime.

Poblanos are a type of Mexican chili pepper, typically more mild than jalapeño peppers but punchier than sweet bell peppers. They’re found in many different sizes, but they’re characterized by they’re pointy tips and are almost always picked while green. Although poblanos will add a bit of a kick to your dish, the flavor is mellow for a chili pepper and so delicious, especially when roasted.

pickling isn't just for cucumbers, you know

When most people think of pickled vegetables, I’ll bet you anything the first thing that comes to mind is those tiny little pickled cucumbers you put on hamburgers and hot dogs. And don’t get me wrong—pickled cucumbers are AMAZING, but why they get to hoard the name “pickles” is lost on me, because there are sooooo many different veggies that you can pickle!

Just to back it up for a second, pickling is simply the process of fermenting something (like a cucumber) in brine or vinegar and allowing the flavor to take on a yummy tanginess. Items other than cucumbers that you can pickle? Carrots, beets, asparagus, green beans, and…red onions!

Red onions are one of my favorite things to pickle, because you can make a huge jar, pop them in the fridge, and use them for weeks with so many different meals. They’re not only amazing in this dish, but they’re also great in tacos, salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, etc.

Side note: the more I think about the word “pickle” the funnier of a word it is. Seriously, I dare you to say “pickle” ten times out loud and NOT laugh. It’s an impossible task. Anyway, I digress…

what this pickle-y dish requires

Sorry, I couldn’t resist another opportunity to use the word “pickle”. I think I’m slap-happy. Anyway, here’s what you’ll need:

Chard or Swiss chard You can use another green here as well, like spinach or kale, but I urge you to branch out and diversify your greens with this dark, leafy vegetable

Black beans You can use beans from a can OR cook your own from dried black beans. That could be fun if you have the time 🙂

Panko crumbs These are simply fine, crustless bread crumbs that will help add some substance to the patties

Red onion, honey, and vinegar These shall be for the pickling

Yellow onion and garlic For giving the patties a little extra flavor

Poblano peppers For me these, are like the icing on the cake. I’m all about customizing recipes, but I highly recommend not skipping this step!

Crumbled feta Because this dish just wouldn’t be complete without it

⟶ the recipe

black bean & chard patties with poblanos

ingredients

1 bunch of chard, including stems, chopped

1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and patted dry

½ cup Panko crumbs

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 medium poblano peppers

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Pinch of salt

Prep time

45 minutes

Cook time

15 minutes

Total time

1 hour

Makes 16 patties

instructions

Combine a cup of boiling water, honey and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl, stirring to dissolve the honey and salt. Stir in vinegar, then add red onion. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high, and place peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam until cool enough to handle. Peel and seed the peppers. Tear them into strips and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Scrape onto a plate.

Return the pan to medium heat, add some additional olive oil and chard. Cook, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water if it starts to stick, until the stems are tender and any liquid has evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrape onto the plate and let cool.

Place beans in a large bowl and coarsely mash. Add the chard mixture, egg, breadcrumbs, Cajun seasoning and a pinch of salt. Mix well.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using about ⅓ cup to make each, portion the bean mixture into 16 patties, 1/2 inch thick, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the patties lightly with olive oil. Broil until browned and firm on top, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the patties and brush the other sides with olive oil. Broil until browned, 4 to 6 minutes more.

Serve sliders topped with poblanos, pickled onions, and feta.

⟶ recipe notes

Adapted from Eating Well
The original recipe suggests eating these with buns like sliders, but I chose to omit them to keep this dish super light. But feel free to include!
If you have the time, you can certainly use dried black beans and cook them (should be about 4 ½ cups worth, cooked)

⟶ modifications

To make this recipe gluten-free you can use gluten-free Panko crumbs (or omit them completely and include more black beans)

⟶ make it ahead

You can pickle the onions ahead of time and keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks (you can also make big jars of these and use them with various recipes)