Spicy Mexican Bean Burgers Recipe

1. Spray a non-stick frying pan with a little 1-cal cooking spray. Add the onion and spring onions, season with salt and pepper and fry over a low heat for about 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured
2. Add the garlic, chilli and Cajun spice, then fry for 2–3 minutes. Tip into a bowl, add the beans and roughly mash
3. Leave to cool slightly, then add the egg, breadcrumbs, coriander and lime juice. Season well, then mix to combine. Gently stir in the crumbled feta
4. Wet your hands lightly, then shape the mixture into 4 large patties. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up
5. Preheat the grill to medium. Spray a little more cooking spray in a grillproof frying pan and heat over a medium heat. Add the burgers and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Top each burger with a slice of halloumi, then cook under the grill for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and melted
6. Serve in toasted buns topped with guacamole, rocket leaves and sliced tomatoes, if desired

How to freeze:

1. Place the uncooked burgers on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper
2. Freeze until they are solid, then pack into a freezer-proof plastic container and freeze for up to 3 months
3. You can cook the burgers from frozen; preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/Gas mark 6 and preheat a baking sheet. Place the burgers on the hot baking sheet and spray with 1-cal cooking spray on both sides
4. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through
5. Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the foil, cover each burger with a slice of cheese and grill for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling

Ingredients

Calories per serving: 244 with halloumi; 459 with burger bun, halloumi, guacamole and salad

• 1-cal cooking spray
• ½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped 19 cals
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced 6 cals
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 8 cals
• 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 5–10 cals
• 2 tsp Mexican or Cajun spice mix 10 cals
• 1½ x 400g tins mixed beans, drained and rinsed 360 cals
• 1 egg, beaten 78 cals
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs 134 cals
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves 10 cals
• juice of ½ lime 6 cals
• 75g low-fat feta cheese, crumbled 135 cals
• 80g reduced-fat halloumi cheese 204 cals
• salt and pepper

optional extras per burger

• 1 toasted seeded granary burger bun 180 cals per bun
• 1 tbsp low-fat guacamole 17 cals
• 10g rocket leaves 2 cals
• 1 tomato, sliced 16 cals