Crispy Black Bean Cakes

I crave these black bean cakes, even when I'm not pregnant. They're another regular in our house, as they are deliciously dairy-free, and when paired with our favorite kale salad, with salt, lime, and olive oil, it's a pretty healthy meal (minus the fried aspect, of course). For us, they're a weekend meal, though - I wouldn't say they are quick to whip up.

The original recipe was taken from Food and Wine, and we follow it exactly (minus topping with sour cream). No need to change it at all!

Crispy Black Bean Cakes


2 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying (we usually use canola)
1 small onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 15-oz cans of black beans, drained, or approximately 3 cups of cooked, dried beans
1 1/4 cups plain dry bread crumbs (we use whole wheat)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
Avocado and lime wedges for serving

In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape the onion mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups of the beans and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but not smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Mix in the remaining whole beans and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 12 1/4-cup patties (we use a measuring cup to do this, which produces perfectly shaped cakes), about 1/2 inch thick.

Put the flour, beaten eggs, and the remaining 3/4 cup of bread crumbs into 3 shallow bowls. Dust each black bean cake with the flour, tapping off the excess. Dip the cakes in the egg and then in the bread crumbs, pressing so that the bread crumbs adhere.

In a very large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the cakes and fry over moderate heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve the black bean cakes with avocado and lime wedges (we squeeze quite a bit of lime on ours). You can add sour cream and scallions as well if you like.