Caramelized onions, barbecue sauce, and spices make this burger an all-American hit!
Allow 20 minutes extra to prepare the quinoa if you are making this recipe from start to finish in one day.
Chef's notes
The serving size is 1 patty. Store any leftover patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze (layered with pieces of parchment and stored in an airtight container) for up to a month and enjoy on a later date!
RECIPE TIPS
Tahini: Tahini is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. You may find it in the international or Kosher aisles, or among the nut butters or salad dressings.
Steps
1
Make the Burgers
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup quinoa rinsed & drained (≈3⁄4 cup cooked)
1⁄2 yellow onion diced (≈1 cup)
1 (15-oz) can black beans drained & rinsed (≈1 1⁄2 cups)
3⁄4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 1⁄2 teaspoons tahini
1 1⁄2 teaspoons mild chili powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1⁄2 teaspoons paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 tomato sliced
1⁄4 avocado (optional) sliced
1⁄2 head romaine lettuce leaves separated
4 whole-grain sandwich buns
PREPARE GRAINS
Bring quinoa and 1⁄2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool; fluff quinoa with a fork.
PREPARE PATTIES
Saute onions in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. (As the onions release water the remaining sugars will concentrate and start to caramelize the onions in the pan. You can add a splash of water if needed to prevent burning.) When onion is fragrant and soft, after 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
Place black beans in a bowl and mash well with a fork, leaving only a few whole beans.
Add cooked quinoa, sautéed onions, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, tahini, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to black beans; mix well with a wooden spoon until a moldable dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes. If mixture is too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more barbecue sauce; If too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste; adjust seasonings as needed.
For each burger, scoop ⅓ to ½ cup of mixture and use your hands to shape into a patty.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place patties in hot skillet and cook until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip carefully, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more.
ASSEMBLE & SERVE
Slice tomatoes and avocados, separate lettuce, and toast buns, if you’d like. Serve burgers on buns, topped with fixings of your choice.
