Oh hi… end of summer. Nothing dramatic, just my ongoing disbelief.
I won’t dwell on how time seems to fly. Though summer hasn’t officially ended yet, now is the perfect moment to use up basil, corn and other late-summer produce that will be hard to find fresh for months. There’s something comforting about squeezing every last bit of summer into these final weeks.
One benefit of being an adult: summer doesn’t get cut short simply because school starts. When I was a kid, the first day of school erased any remaining summer vibes—routines returned, extracurriculars kicked in and suddenly I was wearing new “fall” clothes and wondering why I was sweating in September. Even when it was still 90 degrees, summer felt over.
I’m that person who gets nostalgic about last week. It’s a little extra, but also part of why I appreciate being able to savor the end of the season now—enjoying summer produce, lingering on warm evenings and eating summery meals just a little longer.
One downside of adulthood? Simple math sometimes escapes me because we can just look everything up on our phones. I’m grateful my partner is good with numbers—most of the time. Still, it’s funny how grown-up life has small trade-offs.
I’m making the most of sweet corn while it lasts. This recipe is ideal when you have summer leftovers: slice the corn from the cob and mix it with your beans, blitz a big batch of pesto with the last of the basil, and top the burgers with ripe tomatoes, plenty of salt and pepper. You can even grate in a bit of zucchini to use up produce—this is a great way to clean out the garden or the crisper drawer.
I love a peppery arugula pesto, so I used a mix of basil and arugula. The patties are a version of classic double-bean burgers, and the grilled corn adds a welcome crunch. These burgers are everything I want right now: hearty, vegetable-forward and full of texture.
Bean Burgers with Grilled Corn, Pesto + Heirloom Tomatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained + rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 1 large egg + 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 ears grilled corn cut from the cob (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 6 whole grain buns
Instructions
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Add the beans and chickpeas to a food processor with the egg, garlic, panko, basil, chives, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until combined but still slightly coarse. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the grilled corn. Form into 6 even patties.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the remaining olive oil. Cook the patties, in batches if needed, until golden and warmed through, about 5–6 minutes total, flipping gently to keep them intact. Once cooked, assemble on buns with pesto and sliced tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Notes
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P.S. I was this close to adding bacon… I just didn’t have any.