| For the bean veggie burgers: | |||
| 1/4 | cup | quinoa | rinsed |
| 1/2 | cup | water | |
| 3 | tablespoons |
canola oil |
or other vegetable oil, divided |
| 3/4 | cup | red onion | chopped, more or less as needed |
| 2 | cloves |
garlic |
minced, more or less as needed |
| 2 1/2 | cups | pinto beans | cooked, well drained, or any other similar beans |
| 1 | teaspoon | paprika | smoked |
| 1 | teaspoon | cumin seeds | toasted and ground |
| 1/4 | cup | cilantro leaves | freshly chopped |
| 3 | tablespoons | cornmeal | |
| 1/3 | cup | cornmeal | for coating burgers |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | salt | |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | black pepper | |
| 6 | each | hamburger buns | toasted, prefer whole wheat* |
| 6 | each | lettuce leaves | * |
| 6 | slices | tomatoes | * |
| For the guacamole: | |||
| 1 | each | avocado | ripe |
| 3 | tablespoons | cilantro leaves | freshly finely chopped |
| 1 | tablespoon | lemon juice | or more or less to taste |
| 1 | tablespoon | red onions | finely chopped |
| 1 | clove |
garlic |
minced, or more or less to taste |
| 1 | pinch |
cayenne pepper |
or to taste* |
| 1 | pinch | salt | or to taste* |
For making the burgers:
Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add quinoa and return to a boil.
Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover and let stand.
Add 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add 3/4 cup of onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in beans, paprika and ground cumin and mash the beans to a smooth paste with a potato masher or fork (or you can use food processor).
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool for a couple of minutes.
Combine well the quinoa, 1/4 cup of cilantro, 3 tablespoons cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Form the bean mixture into 6 patties.
Coat them evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup cornmeal and arrange to a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For making the guacamole:
Mash avocado with a fork.
Stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons onion, garlic, cayenne and salt to taste.
Preheat oven to 200°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and cook 3 burgers until heated through, brown and crisp on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Watch carefully, do not burn.
Transfer cooked burgers to the oven to keep warm.
Cook the remaining 3 burgers with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent overbrowning.
Arrange the burgers on buns with the orders of lettuce, tomato and the guacamole.
Storage burgers into ziplock bags, and put in the freezer.
First published: 2010-02-23 last updated: 2012-05-06




