Deliciously Ella’s Quinoa & Black Bean Burgers

We made these burgers for an Action Against Hunger burger-themed supper club and they were such a hit that we knew we needed to share them with you. They’re so easy to make and the mix of quinoa, black beans, mushrooms and chilli is delicious.

MAKES 6 LARGE BURGERS

1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, roasted
(see page 35)
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chilli powder
150g chestnut mushrooms
125g quinoa
250ml boiling water
1 x 400g tin of black beans,
drained and rinsed
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
(we use a gluten-free one)
1 teaspoon arrowroot
pinch of sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 220.C (fan 200.C).

Place the onion and garlic in a frying pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and cook for 5–10 minutes, until soft. Add the spices and cook for another minute before removing from the heat and leaving to cool.

Place the mushrooms in a baking tray with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper and roast for 10–15 minutes until golden.
Remove and leave to cool.

While the mushrooms cook, prepare the quinoa by placing it in a pan over a medium heat and covering with the boiling water. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Once cooked, remove and leave to cool.

Once the mushrooms and quinoa have cooled, place all the ingredients in a food processor – make sure you discard any excess liquid from the mushroom pan before adding them to the processor, as this can make
the mix too watery. Pulse until smooth then place the mixture in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.

Once cool, use a large spoon to scoop out patties and flatten them into round shapes, about 8cm across. If needed, place the patties in the fridge for another 30 minutes to firm up.

Once the patties are firm enough to hold together when flipped; place a frying pan over a medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and cook the burgers for 5 minutes on each side.

TIP
These freeze well, so put any patties you don’t need straight away in the freezer for another day or keep in the fridge for a few days and have them cold as part of an on-the-go or desk lunch.

Recipe extracted from Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook, published by Yellow Kite, £25

Photography by Nassima Rothacker