I'm utterly addicted to these burgers, which I have now named Quin-Bean Burgers. I think I have been a bit low on protein on account of only having 2 meals per day (including breakfast). So I came up with this recipe to boost my protein a bit, inspired by lunchboxbunch's bean burger recipe. As I said, sweetcorn makes everything better.
Recipe uses metric cups (1 cup = 250ml), but you can be flexible with ingredients and quantities.
You can use sprouted quinoa in place of cooked, but you'll get a crunchier texture. Don't like sweetcorn? Then just leave it out, or use your favourite vegetables, sauteed or boiled, instead. If you don't have flax, you can use more flour or breadcrumbs as a binder.
I like to make double the quantity, using one tin of white beans and one tin of a different kind of bean, then freeze for later.
Ingredients:
- 1 x 400g tin of your favourite beans
- 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast (optional, gives more flavour)
- 1 slice of wholemeal bread
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar (optional)
- 3 tbsp coldpressed rapeseed oil, or any veg oil
- 1/8 cup plain wholemeal flour
- seasonings of your choice (optional)
- 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup frozen sweetcorn
Breadcrumb coating (optional)
- 2 slices of wholemeal bread (or equivalent in pre-prepared breadcrumbs)
- ~ 1/4 cup vegan milk OR water
- ~ 1/4 cup wholemeal flour
- seasoning (e.g. pepper, thyme, chilli, parsley)
- 1-2 tsp rapeseed oil
Method:
Start with the breadcrumbs, if using. Blitz up 2 slices of bread in a coffee grinder until you get a fine texture. Then spread evenly on a dry baking tray and bake at gas mark 2 (150C/300F) for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until they have dried out.
Start by rinsing the beans well, and leaving to drain.
In the meantime, rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water for a few minutes. You want to remove the soapy coating on the grains. Place in a saucepan, and add 1/2 cup of boiling water. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer until all the water is absorbed (around 20 minutes).
While the quinoa is cooking, cook the sweetcorn according to the instructions on the pack, then leave to drain.
Then in a large bowl, add the beans, half of the breadcrumbs, the nutritional yeast, cider vinegar, oil and any seasonings. Mash well until it resembles a paste. Don't worry if you leave some beans unmashed.
Gently mix in the quinoa, and then the sweetcorn.
Mix in more breadcrumbs/flour until you get the right consistency. It should be soft, slightly sticky and easy to mould, but not so sticky that it stays stuck to your hands.
Mould to whatever size and shape you want: burgers, sticks, cubes, balls.
Optional step: coat with breadcrumbs.
Note: If you do NOT coat with breadcrumbs, the quinoa on the outer edges of the burgers will go hard and crispy when cooked, which may or may not be to your liking ("not", in my case).
Add the milk/water to the flour a little at a time, until you get a batter that is similar in consistency to thick cream. Mix in any seasonings with the batter.
Once you've moulded your shapes, one by one, thoroughly coat each with a layer of batter.
Then coat each shape in a layer of breadcrumbs.
If freezing, carefully place in a plastic zipper bag and freeze, keeping in one layer until frozen. These can keep for up to 3 months. If you are NOT using the breadcrumb coating, then wrap individually in greaseproof paper, or individual freezer bags. They WILL stick together otherwise.
Preheat oven to gas mark 6 (200C/400F).
Place on a baking tray and bake for about 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through.
