Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers
November 10, 2015  | 
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In the northeast most of us have covered up the grill for winter but those burger cravings still come on strong.  And when they do, you may want to try this delicious vegetarian alternative. You won't be disappointed and you will have added another plant based recipe to your repetoire.  And if you are lucky enough to have left over yogurt sauce then save it for dipping veggies---the best!
 
Recipe developed by Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician  www.thefoodiephysician.com
 
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1teaspoon olive oil
  • small red onion, chopped
  • cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • tablespoons tomato paste
  • large egg
  • 2/3 cup cooked corn (fresh or canned)
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • cup rolled oats, ground into crumbs

Yogurt Sauce

  • 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
  • teaspoon minced chipotles in adobo (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce
  • 1teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • multigrain hamburger rolls (optional)
  • Lettuce, avocado slices, and tomatoes, for topping (optional)
Preparation:
  1. 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. 
  2. 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 1 1/2 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 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa and ground oats until evenly distributed.
  3. 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. 
  4. To make the yogurt sauce, stir the yogurt, chipotles, adobo sauce, honey, and mustard together in a small bowl. 
  5. 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 saute 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.