Quinoa Black Bean Burgers

HELLO.

Have you forgotten about me? I hope not. I haven’t forgotten about you!
I do apologize for my absence; there’s a big, exciting venture that’s been consuming much of my spare time lately. That’s all I’ll tell you for now, but more details to come! 😀

Now, onto the food!

I’ve done it. I think I’ve finally perfected my black bean burgers, and it’s about time!

They’ve always had good flavor, but I couldn’t get the texture quite right.
Turns out, I was probably just being impatient before because cooking them longer seemed to be one of the main reasons they weren’t mushy this time.

The addition of quinoa was also something new I tried. It was actually a substitution for the bread crumbs I used to use, and the outcome was really nice. The quinoa gave the burgers a wonderful depth of texture.

I also slapped on some of my freshly made jalapeño jelly (to which I’ll post the recipe soon!), and, let me tell you, it is a delicious pair for the burger! If you have jalapeño jelly on hand, put some on your black bean burgers! If you don’t have any at the moment, go make some for your burgers. You could even make my tasty recipe if you wait just a bit for it. 🙂

But whether or not you have jalapeño jelly, you’ll want to make these Quinoa Black Bean Burgers. You can pair them with any condiment you like!

They are such a satisfying alternative to typical meaty burgers, and they are so good for you. Did you know that one cup of cooked black beans contains 30% of the recommended daily value of protein? It contains 20% of the daily value of iron, too. So that’s neat.

Now, go get cookin’!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. quinoa, uncooked
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. reduced sodium vegetable or chicken broth*
• 1 Tbs. dehydrated minced onion (or 2 1/2 Tbs. minced onion, fresh)
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and lightly rinsed
• 1/2 of a medium apple, chopped very finely (about 1/2 c.)
• 1/2 c. sweet potato, cubed and cooked al-dente
• 1/2 c. onion, diced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. onion powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 to 4 Tbs. flour

* One cup of water can be used exclusively to cook the quinoa, and the broth can be omitted. However, using broth is highly recommended as it boosts the flavor immensely.

Instructions:

1. Cook the quinoa with the water, broth, and onion according to the package directions.
2. In the meantime, chop the apple very finely, and dice the onion. You could also cook the sweet potato at this time if you haven’t done so already.
3. In a medium bowl, mash the black beans somewhat coarsely. Add the cooked sweet potato, and mash a bit more. Stir in the apple, onion, and spices. When the quinoa is ready, stir one cup of it into the black bean mixture.
4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.*
5. Stir 2 Tbs. flour into the bean mixture, and add more as necessary until the consistency is thick enough to form into patties. Then, with wet hands (so the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands), shape the mixture into equal-sized patties.**
6. Place the patties onto the lined baking sheet. Cook them for 12 to 14 minutes, flip them, and cook them on the other side for another 12 to 14 minutes, until the exterior is crisp, and the inside is firm.
7. Remove the burgers from the oven, top them with your choice of condiments (lettuce and jalapeño jelly or BBQ sauce on a toasted bun being mine), and enjoy!
8. Recipe yields about 7 four-inch burgers.

* Alternatively, the burgers can be pan fried. I’m unsure of the heat level and cook time since I never use this method. Feel free to share that information in the comments if you cook black bean burgers this way!
** I made 7 four-inch burgers that were probably a half-inch thick. You can certainly make the patties however big or small you want them, but just note that larger, thicker patties will take longer to cook.

Mmmmm, just look at that. It’s a big, bold, hearty burger that won’t make you regret your dinner afterwards.

What’s your choice condiment to pair with black bean burgers?

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