Meatless on Mondays: Black Bean Burgers

Inspired by Meatless Monday, a campaign encouraging people to cut back on their meat consumption one day a week, TakePart's "Meatless on Mondays" will give you every reason you need to skip the steak. By going vegetarian one day a week, you reduce your environmental impact, expand your palate, and improve your health. Plus, eating meatless is just plain kind to animals.

We know, we know. A black bean patty will never taste like the grass-fed, ground beef burger that carnivores crave—we just happen to think there's no point in comparing apples to oranges. A black bean burger has a delicious taste all its own, and comparing it to beef just doesn't do it justice.

Now that that's out of the way, brace yourself for a delicious Meatless Monday.

Bean burger heaven. (Photo: Beth Moncel, Budget Bytes)

Hearty, wholesome, and chock-full of protein, this recipe by Beth Moncel of Budget Bytes definitely beats a frozen Boca patty—and it's cheaper, too, especially if you use black beans cooked from dry.

Since the burgers are made from scratch, there's plenty of room to add your own touch, says Beth.

"You can make them with an Indian flare (curry powder), a Mediterranean feel (oregano, sun dried tomatoes and maybe some feta) or just throw together whatever spices you want. I just added a little of this, a little of that and what resulted was a seriously good bean burger! Follow my lead or make it your own!"

Get the full recipe here.

This recipe comes from Budget Bytes, a blog devoted to easy cooking that will save you money.