Crispy Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

I am constantly on the search for great veggie burgers. While anyone who reads my blogs knows I love meat burgers, I am intrigued with how to make the best veggie burger, that really competes with any meat burger. I have found one here. Firm, crispy and delicious, great, flavorful body - not mushy. This one is a winner, and stands up to all the great toppings you might have in mind. Go wild with this!

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup rainbow quinoa

1 poblano green pepper, finely diced

1 small onion, tennis ball sized, finely diced

1 red Fresno pepper, finely diced (or Jalapeño)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced

1 carrot, peeled and shredded on a coarse grater

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp Besan (garbanzo bean flour), optional

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring 1-1/2 cup water to boil in a small saucepan and add a dash of salt. Add the quinoa and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes. Fluff and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast beans for 30 minutes in oven, until dry and skin is cracking. Shake a few times. Remove from oven and cool.

Sauté onion and peppers in a sauté pan for about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and herbs and cook another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Place the beans in a small food processor and pulse several times just to form a very coarse meal - you still want to see good chunks of the black beans. Turn beans into a mixing bowl.

Add the cooled quinoa, sautéed veggies and carrot along with all remaining ingredients. Mix well with your hands and then form into four to six burger patties. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Gently place the burgers in the skillet and brown the first side for about 3-5 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for the same amount of time - a crispy burger is really good (there is no ‘medium rare’ here).

Add cheese slice on top if desired and allow to melt.

Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Makes 5-6 burgers.

Cook’s Notes: If you don’t have the fresh herbs, relax. Sprinkle in half as much of dried whatever ya’ got!

Advised by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, the whiz-kid chef of the ‘Food Lab Cookbook: Better Home Cooking Through Science’ (you can imagine, one of my favorite books!) and Serious Eats online, roasting the black beans dehydrates them and makes them bind so much better, forming a much less mushy burger; one challenge of the veggie burger.

I like using shredded carrot (or store-bought matchstick) along with shredded (NOT grated) Parmesan, because I feel these act as rebar-like structural supports to help bind together a cohesive burger - perhaps the biggest challenge of the veggie burger. I also feel the besan flour acts as a good cement to bind as well.

PS - as with most bean burgers, I hesitate to do on a grill... I have not tried this one. Perhaps it is a contender?...

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