3 Ingredient Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Yum

These black bean and quinoa burgers have been an old standby on my weekly meal prep menus for years. They’re vegan, but because the are made with black beans and quinoa, they are filling, and incredibly versatile so that you can customize them as you like.

Why you should make 3-Ingredient Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Somehow, despite working from home, I’ve gotten really good at filling my time with God knows what. If you’re like me, you need quick and easy meal prep options that are filling, balanced and also taste good. These black bean burgers do all of those things.

Not only are these burgers full of protein from the black beans and quinoa (which means they’ll keep you filling full for hours), but they’re also vegan and gluten free because these burgers are made without breadcrumbs. If you have a can of black beans, some quinoa and some seasoning, you can make these burgers. Seriously—they’re crazy easy to make and require no special equipment (though it does help if you have a potato masher).

The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s freezer-friendly, meaning that you can make a big batch and keep them in your freezer for days that you don’t have the time or every to make a healthy meal. And lastly, the recipe is so simple that it’s an excellent base to whatever spin you’d like to put on it. In the summer, I like adding roasted corn and cajun seasoning to these burgers for a tex-mex feel, and they hit the spot every time.

Pro Tips/Things to Know About This Recipe:

Choosing your ingredients

• Beans: To make these burgers, I recommend that you use canned beans to cut down on cooking time.
• Quinoa: you can use any quinoa you like. I usually use red or tri-color quinoa for a little extra fiber—plus, I prefer the color and texture in the burgers
• Seasonings: another great thing about this recipe is that you can get as fancy or as basic as you want. If you’re a traditionalist, you can just stick to salt & pepper, but if you’re going for in Italian flare, you can use the Italian seasoning or your choice. Personally, I like to use cajun seasoning because I like the flavor profile, but you can do whatever you want.

How to make 3 Ingredient black bean burgers

Making black bean burgers is as easy as spotting a lie in a Trump speech:

• Cook your quinoa: Pour quinoa into boiling, lightly salted water (you will be seasoning more later) and boil until cooked. There should be no water left in the pot.
• Cook your black beans: While quinoa cooks, spoon your black beans (without aquafaba) into a saucepan and add seasoning. Cook on medium-low heat until all liquid has evaporated, beans are tender and seasoning has absorbed. Add tablespoons of aquafaba as you go if needed.
• Mash beans & combine with quinoa: Use a fork or a potato masher to completely mash all black beans, then pour in cooked quinoa and stir to combine. Taste and add more seasoning as desired.
• Form & Fry burgers: Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes until warm enough to handle by hand. Scoop mixture into hand, and form 3-4 patties. Fry patties in a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan until browned on each side.
• Serve: On your favorite buns with toppings. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to toppings, so I top mine with lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Why does this recipe work?

This recipe works because the mashed black beans, once they are cooked down, form a thick paste (like ground meat) that forms the foundation of the burger, and the quinoa, like flour, helps provide the beans with more structure.

If you’re looking to make your own spin on this recipe, just be sure to be careful not to add other ingredients that will expel too much water into the burgers, or they will fall apart and will not firm up properly to fry them. Examples of things you can add to the burger include seeds (like sunflower seeds, flax seeds, etc), corn kernels, etc. But, do not try to add other mashed vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes.

If you do want to add sweet potatoes to your burgers, make sure that they contain as little liquid as possible and replace some of the mashed black beans in the recipe OR add a significant amount of quinoa to the recipe.