Smoky Bean & Beet Burger

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quinoa (cooked)
• 1/2 large red onion (finely diced // 1/2 onion yields ~3/4 cup)
• 1 cup mushrooms (shitake, baby bella, or white button, finely chopped)
• 1 pinch salt & pepper
• 1 15- ounce pinto beans (well rinsed and drained Optional Black Beans)
• 1 cup beet (grated finely raw)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (or sub extra cumin)
• 1/4 tsp paprika (smoked )
• 1/2 cup walnuts (raw crushed or ground into a loose meal)

Instructions

1. 1

   If you do not already have cooked quinoa, prepare it at this time. 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa will yield ~3/4 cup cooked.

2. 2

   Finely Chop Red Onions and Mushrooms and set aside.

3. 3

   Add Walnuts to food processor and Pulse to make walnut meal (finely chopped)

4. 4

   Add cooked quinoa, beans, mushrooms, onion & shredded beets to walnut meal continue to pulse and combine all ingredients then add spices and stir. For even more flavor, add a shake of vegan worcestershire or A-1 sauce (optional). Taste and adjust, adding more salt for overall flavor (we added another 1/4 tsp).

5. 5

   Set in the fridge to chill while your oven preheats to 375 degrees F (190 C) (skip this step if cooking on the stovetop - see notes).

6. 6

   Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray or olive oil. Form mixture into roughly 1/3-cup sized patties (8-9 patties // adjust if altering batch size). I use a peanut butter jar lid lined with plastic wrap to get the perfect shape (a tip I learned from Iowa Girl Eats). You can also just take handfuls and mash them into loose patties.

7. 7

   Arrange burgers on a baking sheet and brush or spray the tops with olive oil. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for a total of 30-45 minutes, gently flipping after 25-30 minutes. Cook longer to dry them out even more and achieve more crisp, but it’s not necessary.

8. 8

   Serve on small buns or atop mixed greens salad with desired toppings.

9. 9

   * I personally sear burgers on griddle or frying pan 2 min each side until browned and then pop them in the Air Fryer on 350 for approx 15-20 minutes (you can also do this and then cook in oven for the 25-30 minutes.