Black Bean Quinoa Beet Burgers

 

I have been seeing a lot of progress in the plant-based protein trends recently, and I am liking it! I don't think I can give up meat, but I am not opposed to the idea of reducing my intake. I have always considered myself a partial vegetarian because of my vegetarian mother, so I am totally in support of all the mainstreaming.

Cooking vegetarian meals can be intimidating, but once you get the hang of a few you will quickly realize that there are lots of creative options. There are a million different versions of veggie and bean burgers out there. I am a huge beet fan, so I tend to gravitate to those first. This recipe is a mash-up of a few different bean beet burger recipes that I have tried. It is very tasty, and you can even make it oil free in the oven with parchment paper!

Black Bean Quinoa Beet Burgers

2 cans black beans

2 cups beets (peeled, grated)

2 cup quinoa (cooked)

1/2 cup oatmeal flour (or any other flour variety)

1/4 cup red onion (minced)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder (preferably smoked)

a couple shakes of cayenne pepper (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 425. Smash the black beans – you will want to leave a bit of texture to them. Combine all ingredients. Form into patties – a trick I snagged online that worked well was to use a plastic peanut butter lid (use parchment paper to keep your​ lid clean if you are putting it back on the jar) to cut out perfect patties. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place patties.

Bake for 15 minutes on each side. Keep an eye on the crispness depending on how hot your oven runs – you can go up to 20 minutes per side if you want more of a crunch.

Garnish with your favorite toppings! I keep a pot of arugula growing in my kitchen during the winter, so I paired my burgers with spicy arugula, fresh jalapeños, red onion, avocado, tomato, and spicy mustard. Serve and enjoy!