Over the last month, I've literally made over 100 of these, and changed the recipe at least three times. I made 100 of them for the BIG OM YOGA RETREAT I cooked for earlier this month, and they were well-received! Check out their page for announcements on upcoming yoga retreats in Oklahoma!
The secret to the best vegetarian burger is the ratio of grains and vegetables to your sticky ingredients, such as flour, breadcrumbs and egg. I recently did a vegan version for a family I was cooking for and though they were delicate and softer than the ones made with egg, the taste was incredible. The trick is to let them cool for 5-10 minutes before assembling your burger or salad in order to allow them to set up. This recipe, as always, has room for many tasty embellishments and substitutions to fit your lifestyle preferences. I'll include those at the end of the recipe directions. Meanwhile, you can imagine the multitude of ways to have these deliciously healthy patties. Assembled traditional burger-style, on a salad or in a wrap, they make a protein-rich addition to any vegetarian ensemble just about.
INGREDIENTS
1 c cooked or canned black beans
3|4 c toasted, cooked quinoa ( be sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking )
1|2 c yellow onion, minced
2-3 carrots, grated
4 medium mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T white miso
1|4 c oat flour
1|2 c breadcrumbs ( you can toast gluten free bread and put into the food processor if needed )
1 egg or substitute a flax egg if you're vegan ( 1 T flax meal hydrated in 1 T water for 5 minutes )
1-2 T nutritional yeast
pinch of cumin and smoked paprika
fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
sea salt + black pepper + cayenne to taste ( or fresh, diced jalapeño )
olive oil for sautéing
Good vegetable modifications are grated zucchini, bell peppers and sweet potato!
METHOD
Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and the carrot and sprinkle with salt to soften. Cook about 5-7 minutes and add the mushrooms and the garlic for another 5 minutes. Combine the quinoa and the black beans in a large bowl. Mash them together with a fork or potato masher until about half of the beans are broken down. Add the cooked vegetables and stir. Add the remaining ingredients and combine until the texture resembles a typical burger consistency, making sure that it is not too wet. You can add a little more breadcrumbs or flour until it becomes a little sticky and more on the dry side. Adjust your seasoning and put the bowl into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you cook them.
When it's ready, warm some more olive oil in the same skillet and form them into burger patties, making sure that they are mostly flat on both sides and have smooth edges. This can all be done with your hands. They will cook evenly this way but they are mostly cooked already, except for the egg. Cook for about 6 minutes on either side on medium to medium high. They can be prepared ahead and refrigerated or frozen between sheets of parchment paper for later and are easily reheated in the oven on a baking sheet or back in the skillet.
Serve them on whole grain buns with your favorite condiments and fixings or on a salad with fresh sliced tomatoes and avocado and a creamy dressing. Also great on pita or tortillas as a pocket or a wrap. The sauce in the photo is greek yogurt, whole grain mustard and sriracha! Topped with cilantro, this was my favorite way to eat them. Super light for breakfast and easily adapted as vegan and gluten free!
ENJOY!
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