Make your flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal and 2 ½ tablespoon of warm water in a small bowl. Then set in the fridge for about 10 minutes to let it thicken up.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat. I have never made these burgers on a non stick pan, but I’m guessing it may not be enough to keep them from sticking or falling apart.
Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, grated carrots, garlic, green onions, cilantro, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.
Next, put the pureed mixture into a large bowl. Add the oats and flax egg and combine well. The mixture will seem wet and loose, but don’t worry they firm up in the oven.
Taste your finished burger mix and add salt to taste before baking.
Portion out a measured ½ cup size ball of the mix into your hands. Then lay the ball onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and flatten it out into the shape of a burger. The mix should make about 7 burgers using ½ cup portions of the mix.
Bake the burgers for 20 minutes at 375 degrees fahrenheit. After 20 minutes carefully flip the burgers using a spatula and bake for another 5 minutes. DO NOT flip the burgers until they seem pretty firm. If your burgers seem too loose to flip just keep baking them until they firm up enough. Every oven is different so don’t worry if it takes more than 20 minutes before your burgers are ready to flip.
Let the burgers cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes to firm up even more before serving.
Serve on your favorite bun with all the toppings you love! I suggest adding some vegan chipotle aioli that goes fantastic with the flavors of this burger.