Crispy Quinoa Burgers

Hi! Today I have another vegetarian burger recipe that passes the test of holding up well, and passing the meat-lover's test. Let me start by saying I have never cooked with quinoa, let alone even tried quinoa. I was a little intimated by the thought of it, but these burgers turned out wonderfully. They're pan-fried in a touch of oil, and smushed flat in the pan to get as much surface browning and crust as possible. These burgers are flavorful and hold together really well. I am now in love with quinoa!

Crispy Quinoa Burgers
Author: Herbivore Haven, Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Makes: 4-5 burgers

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked red quinoa
• 1 cup cannellini beans, mashed
• 1/2- 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa per package instructions. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mash the cannellini beans with a fork. Add to the same bowl the cooked quinoa, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine the ingredients.
2. Wet hands and form the mixture into 4 or 5 equal burger patties.
3. In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the quinoa burgers in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about five minutes per side. In the last minute or so of cooking add a bit cheese (any kind you prefer, optional). Cover the pan and cook an extra 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. The burgers should hold up well and be easy to flip.
4. Put the cooked patties on your favorite buns, top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

Notes: I made my own bread crumbs, like I did with the black bean burgers. This time, I used whole wheat bread that I crumbled with my fingers. I set the oven to 300 degrees to toast the bread crumbs. I put the crumbles of bread onto a baking sheet and set them in the oven for about 5 minutes. It shouldn't take much longer than 5 minutes to toast the bread crumbs.

I also doubled the quinoa burger recipe and chose to freeze the leftover patties, without cooking them, following the same freezing method I used with the black bean burgers. Wrap each patty individually in parchment paper and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the patties on the baking sheet in the refrigerator, giving them time to set up a bit before you put them in the freezer. After a few hours or so, remove the patties from the refrigerator, and put the patties in single layers in a freezer bag. Freeze some for a quick, easy meal later!

To cook frozen patties: Remove each patty from the parchment paper. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a splash of olive oil and cook the patties for about 6-8 minutes each side. Put on your favorite bun, top with your favorite condiments and enjoy!