A vegan burger made with quinoa, black beans and spinach, with mushrooms, onion and vegan cheddar cheese if available.
Ingredients
Makes five patties.
For the burger patties
- 1 cup cooked black beans
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, rinsed well before cooking
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp finely ground flaxseed
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp seven-spice blend
- 3 tbsp olive oil for cooking the spinach
- 3 tbsp oil for cooking the burger patties
For the sandwich
- Vegan mayonnaise + 1 tbsp mustard
- Chopped lettuce
- 1 large onion, sliced into rings
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 tbsp oil for cooking the mushrooms
- A pinch of salt + a pinch of black pepper
- Sliced pickled cucumber
- Ketchup
- Vegan cheddar cheese, if available
- Burger buns
Method
- Soak the tablespoon of ground flaxseed in a small coffee cup of boiling water.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook until softened.
- Add the spinach over high heat so it does not release too much water. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Put the cup of cooked quinoa in a bowl and mash it lightly with a potato masher.
- Add the black beans and mash lightly, leaving some pieces of bean and quinoa intact.
- Add the cooked spinach and onion, black pepper, seven-spice, salt and soy sauce, then mix well.
- Add the soaked flaxseed and mix thoroughly.
- Oil your hands and shape the mixture into patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and cook the patties until browned on each side.
- When cooked, place the vegan cheese on top so it can melt.
- In the same pan, cook the onion rings over high heat until lightly grilled.
- Meanwhile, sauté the sliced mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Assembling the sandwich
- Split the burger bun and, if you like, toast the cut sides lightly.
- Spread with vegan mayonnaise mixed with mustard.
- Add the burger patty, then the pickled cucumber, mushrooms, onion, ketchup and lettuce.
- Close the bun and serve with crispy roasted potatoes.
Enjoy 🙂
Why a quinoa and black bean burger is more than just a “meat substitute”
Because the patty itself is made from black beans + quinoa + spinach + flaxseed. The protein comes together with fiber, folate, magnesium and plant compounds, rather than as isolated protein alone.
The replacement evidence is direct: a meta-analysis of randomized trials found that replacing red meat with high-quality plant protein sources such as legumes, soy and nuts produced greater reductions in LDL and total cholesterol than red meat. Source.
Legumes themselves have newer evidence too: a meta-analysis of 38 randomized trials found reductions in LDL and non-HDL cholesterol with whole-pulse consumption. Source.
Claims that quinoa “stops cancer from spreading” or mushrooms “protect against kidney bleeding and spleen enlargement” are not needed here. The stronger case is already on the plate: a real, filling burger whose protein comes packaged in whole plant foods instead of an animal.
Try our carrot hot dogs or black bean mortadella.
