Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Whenever I have a very specific craving for a burger, I make these black bean quinoa burgers. This plant-based adaptation gives me all the comfort I would expect from a regular burger, but with wholesome ingredients. I use high-protein black beans, fluffy quinoa, and fresh cilantro for patties that are crisp on the outside, tender and juicy inside, and ready in just 27 minutes.
Servings: 6 burgers
Calories: 250kcal
Ingredients
For The Burgers
- ½ medium red onion roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 30 oz canned black beans rinsed and drained, divided
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley leaves
- 1 egg or 1 flax egg
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs or oat flour
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 4 sprouted wheat burger buns
For The Toppings
Instructions
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse onion and garlic until finely chopped.
- Add 1 can black beans, cilantro, parsley, egg, and red pepper flakes and pulse to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the remaining can of black beans, quinoa, and the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix until well combined.
- Divide mixture into 6 portions and form into patties.
- Place on hot oiled grill over medium-low heat and cook about 6 minutes a side or until heated through.
- Toast hamburger buns on a grill. Place a burger on the bottom of each bun. Top with baby spinach (or lettuce), tomato, onions, and ketchup.
- Cover the burgers with the top of the bun and serve.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this black bean quinoa burger recipe is to not overprocess your mixture. I make sure to use the pulse setting to maintain control and not end up with a pureed mixture, which will cook to a mushy center.
- Toast the buns: Toasting the burger buns may seem like an extra step, but it is what elevates this meal. The crisp slices of bread make sure not to absorb any juices, so my rolls stay fluffy instead of stodgy.
- Chunky texture: I pulse only a portion of my beans and keep the rest whole, so my burgers are not like a fried paste.
- Cool the quinoa: I let the quinoa cool before mixing it, so it does not create excess moisture in the patties.
- Add spice: To really get that grilled burger flavor, I add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetarian BBQ spice.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3.5mg