Chipotle Black Bean Veggie Burgers with Lime Yogurt Sauce

Dry beans thoroughly between paper towels. Reserve ¾ cup beans and set aside. Heat ½ tablespoon avocado or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic and sauté until soft and slightly caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow them to slightly cool.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the remaining 2¼ cups beans, cooked peppers and onions, chipotle seasoning, breadcrumbs, cilantro, egg, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Pulse mixture to combine without pureeing, leaving larger chunks of beans still intact. Transfer mixture to bowl and fold in the ¾ cup reserved whole beans and cotija cheese.
Form mixture into 8 patties (clean hands are the best tool for this part!) and place on parchment or wax paper. You’ll use about ½ cup, or 4 ounces, of the mixture for each burger. If you want to make smaller, slider-size burgers, you’ll use about ⅓ cup, or 3 ounces, per patty. (If the batter feels too sticky to form, stash the bowl in the fridge for about 20 minutes to firm.)
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil over medium-high heat. (Using this much oil forms a really nice crust on the patties) Add patties and reduce heat to medium, cook 5 to 6 minutes per side. Gently flip to make sure the patties cook through, but the outside does not burn. (Outside will appear darker in color because of the spice blend and black beans.) Serve immediately with a dollop of yogurt sauce on top.