No matter how excited I get about finding a great recipe like a citrus honey cake made with polenta or the perfect whole wheat pancakes, I still love all the experimenting that goes into discovering something new. It strikes me that there are two ends of the spectrum when it comes to cooking. On the one hand, we follow a recipe to the letter and on the other we look at a pan like a blank canvas – throwing ingredients in with abandon to see what comes out. Likely most of us have moments of each, yes?
I have neglected this space for the past week, but it’s not because I’ve been without a wooden spoon or a sink full of dishes. I’m tempted to blame my silence on the heat. (It got so hot today that I was surprised that the whole city didn’t melt before my eyes.) Frank has been out of town for work, so the silence is because I’ve fallen deep down the rabbit’s hole of the experimental side of the cooking spectrum. I’ve been creating and combining and concocting new things (all in the highly air-conditioned confines of my apartment). It’s the kind of freeform cooking that produces some duds for sure, but also some of my all-time favorites (Szechuan Green Beans, White Chicken Chili and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake to name a few).
So while there’s a bit more experimenting to be had this week in my quiet kitchen where there’s no one to question that fact that I’ve had three varieties of gazpacho for dinner three nights in a row, I still wanted to pass on this beauty of a recipe for which I followed the original, and couldn’t have been happier with the result.
I found these black bean and quinoa burgers first thanks to the lovely ladies at Feast on the Cheap and have made them several times since. I form the patties a bit smaller than the original recipe calls for and freeze them. Thawed and baked, these are an incredibly satisfying vegetarian dinner. Frank and I have had them numerous Fridays during lent this year – vegetarian and oh-so-simple, they’ll continue to be a hot weather staple.
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp Kosher salt, divided
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup frozen corn
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 and ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup oat flour
- 10 sandwich buns
- lettuce
- 1 avocado, sliced thin
- 1 recipe creamy Southwestern yogurt sauce (below)
- Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and cook 10-15 minutes until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and sauté until onions are softened, 5-6 minutes. Place the mixture into a large bowl. Add black beans to the bowl and using a potato masher or fork, mash together until a pasty mixture forms.
- Stir in the tomato paste, egg, corn, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa, oats, and oat flour until well mixed. 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.
- When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400 F or heat a griddle to medium-high heat. If baking, spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the patties on the sheet cook 10-12 minutes until the patties are golden brown and crispy. Carefully flip the over and cook another 10 minutes. If using a griddle, heat 4-6 minutes per side or until slightly golden.
- Serve patties on buts with lettuce, avocado slices, and yogurt sauce (recipe below).
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- juice squeezed from ½ small lime
- pinch of salt
- Whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
This is the perfect burger to me! I’ll take one to go 🙂
Katrina @ In Katrina’s Kitchen recently posted..Homemade Cadbury Cream Egg Brownies
I shall look forward to seeing the results of your experimenting Jess! I don’t know if I could get a vege burger past my husband but I could try. The buns look so fluffy and soft!
Claire @ Claire K Creations recently posted..Happy Easter!
we eat black bean burgers all the time. These are perfect!
Cassie | Bake Your Day recently posted..Confetti Popcorn (for Julie!)
Okay, these look incredible…just saw the photo re-posted on tumblr. Definitely going to give them a try tonight! x
Caroline recently posted..back in action. [avocado, chickpea & quinoa salad w. lemon-mustard vinaigrette]
They’re super addictive – enjoy, Caroline!
Made them last night and they were incredible! I’ll post soon and be sure to link back to you. 🙂
Caroline recently posted..all aboard. [zucchini boats stuffed w. couscous, bell peppers, mushrooms, feta & toasted pine nuts]
I love a good veggie burger – these look great! Especially that southwestern yogurt sauce … I have a feeling that would be pretty awesome smeared on a lot of things : )
Ashley recently posted..Sausage, Red Pepper and Arugula Pasta
So true, Ashley. I had leftovers of that sauce and I had it over rice and a sort of Spanish meatball that I’ve been working on a recipe for – delicious!
Yummmm!!! These look great. I tend to find most veggie patties a tad on the bready side (all those binding oats and bread crumbs) so usually have then sans bun, but those buns look so dang cute! I like that these use quinoa and oats as the filler / binder rather than traditional bread crumbs. Definitely pumps up the nutritional value of the recipe. I’d love to make a batch of these mini and make little veggie burger sliders. So cute!
Katie (The Muffin Myth) recently posted..what’s good around the web!
saving this burger recipe, Jess!! it looks like darn near perfection! I’m in charge of family dinner next week with my fiance’s family. And two of them are vegetarians. I’d love to make these!
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted..Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies.
Stunning photos! I’m so glad you loved these as much as us 🙂
Nicole – thanks so much for the fantastic recipe! These are a new favorite around here. So glad to have found your site!
Yum! If I freeze some of them, do I do it before or after cooking them? Thank you!
Jess – freeze them before cooking. They’ll be a bit dry if you freeze them after cooking. It’s best to allow them to thaw completely after pulling them from the freezer, and before cooking, but not completely neccesary. I’ve moved them from the freezer directly to the oven and they came out great!
Thank you!
Those patties look deliciously moist! I think I will make them too!
PolaM recently posted..#SRC: Oatmeal Pancakes
Jess these look delicious! My oldest daughter and I are always on the lookout for new quinoa recipes. Perfect for spring and summer 🙂
Karista recently posted..Crawfish Fettuccine
ohmygosh! The patties looks so moist!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..How-To: Mungbean Sprouts
I’ve been looking for some good veggie recipes that are high in protein…looks like this would fit the bill! Love the sauce recipe as well.
The Mistress of Spices recently posted..Tomato rice, South Indian style!
Oh yes, if you’re looking for protein, these are it!
Great post and beautiful photos! I’m so glad you liked the burgers! As credited by Prevention RD, the original recipe is actually mine. Is there any chance you could site my blog as the original source? Thank you 🙂
http://www.thefoodiephysician.com/2012/06/dining-with-doc-black-bean-quinoa.html
OF course Sonali – I’m so sorry to have missed including the link the first time around – all has been updated! And thank you for the AMAZING recipe!
these veggie burgers sound awesome. there are so many recipes out there for them, but these incorporate so many of my favorite ingredients. lovely recipe.
Lindsey recently posted..asparagus with shallot vinaigrette + crisp lemon zest
Curious about step number 4?
Deb – thanks so much for catching that and taking a minute to send me a note. The instructions for the yogurt sauce have been pulled out since they are included below. Should be fixed now.
These are amazing! So yummy… I added some Herdez red salsa and mixed mayo, lime juice, garlic powder and cumin for the sauce. DELISH!
Made these on Sunday and served with a sriracha mayo, and I’m STILL so excited to eat the last one tomorrow! My boyfriend has been skeptical about veggie burgers but even he loved them. Thank you!!
Jane – thanks so much for your note! I’ve made these many times and they’re still one of my favorites, and I’m sure that sriracha mayo really put them over the top!