Description
Plant-based, protein-packed quinoa burgers. They’ll make you do a double take. Best served with a special sauce and homemade buns (see recipes below).
Ingredients
Scale
- Quinoa
- 3/4 c. black quinoa (see notes)
- 1 3/4 c. water
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Black Bean Mixture
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 c. oat flour (see notes)
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (pescatarian friendly)
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- a couple cracks of fresh ground pepper
- 1 large egg
- Extras
- Special Sauce
- Brioche Buns
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa. Into a saucepan, combine quinoa ingredients. (Rinse quinoa if you wish.) Bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low, cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until just tender. The skinny white ring around the grain will be visible. Once cooked, add to an uncovered bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. You can make this a couple days in advance. (This quinoa will be on the salty side which is necessary to carry enough flavor throughout the burger.)
- Prepare the burgers. Drain and rinse black beans. Roughly mash the beans. Add in the cooled quinoa, chopped nuts, oat flour, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and a couple cracks of pepper. Stir together until evenly incorporated. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg. Fold into the burger mixture. Set aside. At this point, you can store the mixture in your fridge up to a day.
- Meanwhile, prepare the griddle. Turn burners to medium heat and continue to heat for about 10 minutes or until griddle is hot. Spray griddle with a high heat oil. Form the patties to the same width as the buns. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Using a sturdy spatula, remove patties to a baking sheet. Eat immediately or keep warm in a warmed oven.
- Or, fry the patties! This might be our favorite way to eat these burgers. To a heated cast iron skillet, add a 1/2″ layer of high heat oil. Place the formed patties into the oil and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Again, using a sturdy spatula, remove patties to a baking sheet. Eat immediately or keep warm in a warmed oven.
Notes
• Black Quinoa acts different from other quinoas. It’s drier, more toothsome, and takes longer to cook. If subbing in a different type of quinoa, use less water (check package instructions) and lower the cook time.
• Oat Flour can be purchased but it can be made just as easily. In a food processor or high-powered blender blitz oats until they become a flour.
• Worcestershire Sauce is technically not vegetarian. It is pescatarian friendly. My dad always added a couple dashes to his burgers growing up. I had to do the same to these. Omit if desired.
