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Chipotle Pinto Burger with Queso and Crushed Fritos

Chipotle Pinto Burgers with Queso & Crushed Fritos

Loaded with heat, smothered with queso, and topped with BBQ Fritos, these Chipotle Pinto Burgers really know how to turn the party.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Chipotle Pinto Beans

  • 4 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 227g (8oz) cremini mushrooms diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 salt divided
  • 1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cooked brown basmati rice cold
  • 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/4 cup corn flour not cornstarch
  • 1 egg

Red Leicester Queso

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 cup Red Leicester shredded, heaping
  • 1 jalapeno quartered and sliced

Chipotle Pinto Burgers with Queso and Crushed Fritos

  • 1 batch Chipotle Pinto Burgers see above
  • 1 batch Red Leicester Queso see above
  • 1 avocado diced
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 head red cabbage sliced thin
  • 4 kaiser buns sliced
  • 1/2 cup BBQ Fritos for sprinkling

Instructions
 

For the Burgers

  • Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and mushrooms and place over medium-low heat. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt over the mushrooms and saute low and slow. You want to sweat the mushrooms rather than brown them. Cook until well-softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl lined with cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze any excess moisture out of the mushrooms. Discard the liquid and transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl.
  • Pour the beans into the bowl with the mushrooms. Using the back of a fork, roughly mashed the beans. No need to be too thorough. Add the rice to the bowl and set aside.
  • Place the chipotle peppers, honey, lime juice and cilantro in a large food processor. Blitz until smooth. Add it to the bowl with the rice, beans, and mushrooms.
  • Crack the egg into the bowl and add the remaining salt and the corn flour. Using clean hands, toss well to form a cohesive mixture. Form the mixture into four patties and set aside.
  • Pour the remaining olive oil into a non-stick pan. Place over medium heat and heat until shimmering. Add the patties to the pan and fry until golden on both sides. Roughly 3-4 minutes a side. Transfer the patties to a plate and keep warm until ready to serve.

For the Queso

  • While the patties are frying, make the queso. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until frothy. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the milk, then bring to a low simmer. Reduce the sauce a bit, this should only take 5 minutes.
  • Once the sauce resembles the thickness of chowder, stir in the salt, mustard, and cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted and is well-integrated.
  • Take the sauce off of the heat and fold in the jalapenos. Let the queso cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

To Assemble

  • Place the avocado in a medium-sized bowl and give it a good mash with the back of a fork. Stir in the yogurt, lime juice, salt, and cumin.
  • Spoon a little of the avocado crema on the bottom of each bun. Add a handful of shredded red cabbage to the buns and top each with a burger patty. Pour a little of the queso over the patties and add a sprinkling of Fritos. Place the top bun on top and serve immediately with a beer.
Keyword fritos, pinto beans, queso, veggie burger