When Jaden told us they were done eating meat, my first thought wasn’t about protein or nutrition. It was: what happens to burger night?
Burger night was a family tradition. Nobody had to dress up, everybody built their own, and the kitchen looked like a tornado had hit a condiment aisle. I wasn’t ready to give that up, and I wasn’t going to make Jaden sit there with a plate of fries while the rest of us ate burgers.
Jaden came by their love of spice honestly. It runs in this family. So if they were giving up beef burgers, their replacement had to bring some heat. A couple of chipotle peppers in adobo did exactly that: smoky, a little fiery, and good enough that the meat-eaters started eyeing them.
So we did what we now call Base and Branch. Everything that can be shared is the base, and only the patty branches off.
The Base (shared by everyone)
- Buns, toasted
- The toppings bar: lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, cheese, and whatever sauces your family fights over
- Oven fries or a big bowl of slaw
Branch 1: Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
- 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ onion, diced and softened in a little oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced, plus 1 tsp of the adobo sauce
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg (or a flax egg to keep it vegan)
- 1 tsp each cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Spread the beans on a sheet pan and bake at 325°F for about 15 minutes to dry them out. This is the secret to a bean burger that holds together. Mash them with everything else, leaving some texture. Taste a pinch of the mix before adding the egg. If you want more heat, add another chipotle. Form 4 patties and chill them for 20 minutes, then pan-fry in a little oil, about 5 minutes per side, until crisp.
Branch 2: Beef Burgers
- 1 lb ground beef, formed into 4 patties
- Salt and pepper
Cook about 4 minutes per side, until they reach 160°F inside.
The one rule: cook the bean burgers first or in their own pan. Nobody wants a veggie burger that’s been sitting in beef grease, and your vegetarian will notice.
How It Went
Honestly? Better than I expected. Burger night stayed burger night, and over time the rest of us found we were happy to eat the black bean burgers too. Not every week, but every so often the whole family skipped the beef and ate the same burger. When a meatless dish earns a spot in the regular rotation for everyone, you know it’s a keeper.
That’s the whole idea behind One Table Kitchen: you don’t need two dinners, just one base and a smart branch.
Does your family have a burger night split like ours? Tell me in the comments what toppings make your table’s cut. More Base and Branch dinners are on the way, so check back soon.
