I’m having the weirdest dreams.

butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

Yesterday I dreamt that I was napping on the couch and someone was trying to feed me these sliders, like sticking a plate of them in front of my face and trying to shove them in my mouth.

Then I dreamt that Eddie was wearing my neon socks.

Then I dreamt that I posted a really weird but very real photo on instagram. I’m way too connected if I’m dreaming about pictures on social media and what not.

butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

The sliders dream was by far the weirdest though because I have no clue WHO was trying to feed them to me, we didn’t have any left, I’d already eaten them and woke up with a serious craving.

It’s not that waking up from a nap and wanting to eat is a new thing for me – no matter what – if I ever nap or fall asleep during the day (which is weird to begin with because I hate naps unless they are on the weekend and even then I think they are a waste) I wake up wanting to eat ALL THE THINGS. Like even if I’m full prior to the nap. For some reason, nap wake ups = starvation. Like fistfuls-of-cereal-and-pretzels-that-scrape-the-bottom-of-the-hummus-container starvation all within a matter of two minutes. Followed by some chocolate or my newest (old) obsession: DOTS.

I mean, who the heck is eating Dots these days? For some reason I’m into them. But I bought a box at the dollar store and my brother insisted they were probably from 1992.

Probably.

butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

I have news! I *think* that this might be my last butternut recipe for a few weeks. Or even a few months. Not because I’m over it (as if) but because when you’re in nesting mode and have no design or organization skills whatsoever, “nesting mode” means testing recipes for freaking FEBRUARY. Like cooking until your fridge is seriously busting at the seams. Eating Thanksgiving in August and doing away with Christmas cookies in September.

It’s very difficult for my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants brain but hello, I have NO idea what my life will be like in a few weeks. Besides wonderful. And heavily caffeinated.

Oh oh oh annnnnd I have nothing in the freezer yet, and honestly? I probably won’t. My dinner brain doesn’t work like that. Maybe I’ll regret it or maaaaaybe I’ll just eat a lot of pizza. And mashed potatoes.

Or mashed potato pizza.

butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

Sooo. If you’re so totally over squash, not into it or just don’t have it on hand, you can easily sub sweet potatoes here instead. I kind of made a riff of my sweet potato burgers from a few years ago but with beans for a bit more added texture. And in slider form!

Because little things are cute.

And mean you get to eat MORE.

There adorable mini burgers are topped with the meltiest havarti ever, some chipotle ketchup, cilantro and plopped on a little bun. I brushed my buns with melted butter then sprinkled on some garlic salt before toasting them because GARLIC BUTTER. It added a ridiculous amount of easy flavor which I would highly suggest.

And of course, after I started eating one, I just threw the potato chips on top of the sandwich too because no sandwich is complete with chips ON it. Take it from me.

butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

Black Bean Butternut Sliders with Chipotle Ketchup

4.88 from 8 votes
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Ingredients

chipotle ketchup

  • 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Instructions 

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter and olive oil. Add the squash, shallots, garlic, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook until the squash is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in a few grates of fresh nutmeg.
  • Transfer the entire pan contents to a food processor. Pulse until just slightly chopped (the squash will start to somewhat puree). Add in the beans and pulse just a few times until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the egg, bread crumbs and flour until your have a slider “dough.” Form the dough into 8 to 10 sliders (I go by the size of buns I have) and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stick them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add another drop of olive oil if needed, then carefully add the sliders into the skillet. Cook until golden on each side – about 6 to 8 minutes per side – gently flipping with a small square spatula so you don’t bread the sliders apart. In the last minute or so of cooking, add sliced havarti cheese on top to melt.
  • To serve the sliders, toast the buns slightly. Spread the ketchup on the bottom bun then top with a burger. Add the cilantro on top of the cheese (or lettuce if you hate cilantro!) and eat.
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butternut black bean burgers with chipotle ketchup I howsweeteats.com

(you should add a side of Dots.)