Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers

Makes 8 burgers

Recipe by Sonali aka the Foodie Physician via Food52.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

These burgers make a hearty, meat-free dish that can satisfy a serious hunger craving. In fact, my husband said, “These taste like they have meat in them.” The patties are made with nutritious black beans, oats, and protein-packed quinoa. They are very easy to make, but the prep is a bit time consuming. However, they are so worth the effort, especially if you double or triple the recipe and freeze them before baking so that you can enjoy a delicious and healthy vegetarian meal any night of the week.

Patties:

½ cup quinoa

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 large egg (To make this a vegan dish, replace the egg by mixing 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 Tablespoons warm water. Let it stand for a few minutes to thicken up before using.)

2/3 cups cooked corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 Tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo or substitute with some hot sauce & smoked paprika

1½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup rolled oats, ground into crumbs

Yogurt Sauce:

½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt or Vegenaise 

1½ teaspoon minced chipotles in adobo or substitute with some hot sauce & smoked paprika

½ teaspoon adobo sauce

1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Rinse the quinoa really well. Place the quinoa in a small saucepan along with 1 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan. Cook 10 to 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat.

Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Season them with a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Place the mixture into a large bowl. Add approximately 1½ cans of black beans to the bowl and, using a potato masher or fork, mash all of the ingredients together until a pasty mixture forms. Stir in the remaining beans along with the tomato paste, egg, corn, cilantro, chipotles, cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa and ground oats until evenly distributed.

Form the mixture into 6 equal patties, compacting them well with your hands as you form them. Place the patties on a baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight.

To make the yogurt sauce, stir the yogurt, chipotles, adobo sauce, honey, and mustard together in a small bowl.

When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400° F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the patties on the sheet. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, until the patties are golden brown and crispy, then carefully flip them over and cook another 10 minutes. You can also fry the patties in a pan with a small amount of oil. Serve patties on the buns with the yogurt sauce and toppings of your choice.

Here you see the Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burger topped with the Yogurt Sauce
and served atop some baby greens.  I also added a locally grown tomato and
some chunks of avocado.  The (gluten-free) Double Corn Quinoa Cheddar Muffin rounds
out the meal. And the cut up peach made for a healthy sweet ending.