Quinoa Black Bean Patties

I saw this recipe on the bag of Quinoa that I got at Trader Joes and was skeptical that it would have any taste, let alone taste good. However, I was truly surprised at how much flavor these little patties had! My picture looks like some sort of a "gift" from a local cow, but I assure you, these patties are not the bovine type. 


The only negative thing I have to say is that I had a LOT of trouble keeping these patties from falling apart. I think that chilling them for at LEAST 30 minutes would really have helped (the recipe suggested 10 minutes).  


I ate mine on a bed of lettuce (as in the picture) with a dressing of olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Lee ate his on a bun with fixings, like a regular burger - he said it was fantastic (THAT'S a HUGE compliment coming from a beef-lover like Lee).


The recipe also calls for "Trader Joes Everyday Seasoning"  - which I did not have on hand. However, I had some that I had made for something else and you could make your own as well with spices you probably already have like, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, cayenne, cumin, etc.   You could probably use something like Season Salt, and reduce the extra salt and have a great result.


I hope you give this one a try - we liked it!


Enjoy~




Ingredients~
3 C cooked quinoa
6 TBL olive oil
3/4 C red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 C fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 egg, beaten (optional)
2 C bread crumbs (I used Panko for extra crunch)
Salt and Pepper, and seasoning to taste

1. In a medium pot, bring 1 1/2 C quinoa (I used Trader Joes Tricolor Quinoa) and 3 C chicken broth or you can use water) to boil. Turn to a simmer, cover pot and cook until all water is absorbed, 10 - 15 minutes. Take off heat, stir and let cool slightly.

2. Heat 3 TBL olive oil in a skillet, add red pepper and saute until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and shallot, continuing to saute until soft, about 1 minute.


3. Remove from heat, let mixture cool slightly. Add black beans and cilantro to pan. Stir to combine.

4. Put bean mixture into food processor and pulse until chunky. 

NOTE~ The recipe suggests adding the quinoa to the processor at this point, along with salt and pepper. However, I wanted my quinoa to stay whole, so I put the bean mixture into a bowl and added the quinoa by hand.


5. Add the beaten egg. (this is optional for vegans, but if you can tolerate it, it helps to hold the mixture together).


6. Divide mixture into 7 or 8 patties and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (I put mine on a sheet pan lined with foil).

(Season bread crumbs with everyday seasoning and some salt and pepper to taste).


7. Dredge patties in bread crumbs, handling gently and pressing crumbs in. Fry patties (about 4 at a time) in remaining olive oil, adding more oil if pan gets too dry. Drain on paper towels; eat while hot!