Black Bean Quinoa Burger with Baby Artichoke Recipe

Excerpted from ‘Southern Cooking, Global Flavors’ by Chef Kenny Gilbert and Nan Kavanaugh

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Published August 17, 2023

black bean quinoa burger with avocado on it on plate; cut up tomato next to it

Kristen Penoyer

Serves 6

Texture and seasoning are the two things that can make or break a veggie burger. I love quinoa. It is high in protein, great for texture, and tastes delicious when seasoned. It pairs well with black beans, which add nice color and rich flavor to a veggie burger.

The xanthan gum in this recipe binds the burger ingredients together. This recipe allows for a little flexibility, so try working in seasonal vegetables, like butternut squash in the fall. Experiment with it and have some fun.

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 2 lemons (¼ cup)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
12 fingerling potatoes or heirloom baby potatoes, halved lengthwise
4 cups grapeseed oil (or canola or corn oil)
2 (14-ounce) cans quartered baby artichokes, drained and patted dry (2 cups)
2 cups potato starch
Kosher salt
¼ cup grapeseed oil
½ medium yellow onion, cut into small dice (½ cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (½ cup)
2 ribs celery, cut into small dice (½ cup)
½ cup chopped white button mushrooms
¼ cup chopped garlic (4 to 6 cloves)
1 cup cooked red quinoa (prepare according to package instructions)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained (3 cups)
1 bunch cilantro, leaves cut into thin ribbons (1 cup)
¼ cup potato starch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup mild olive oil or vegetable oil
6 slices heirloom tomato
3 avocados, halved, pitted and sliced
Kosher salt
6 ciabatta buns, halved and toasted
3 cups loosely packed baby Tuscan kale

Directions

Make the lemon aioli

Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic paste and lemon pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the fries

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife. Remove the potatoes and reduce the oven temperature to 170°F. Cool the potatoes to room temperature.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven on medium or in a table top deep-fat fryer, and bring to 375°F.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and artichokes with the potato starch until fully coated.

Carefully put a small handful of potatoes and artichokes into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Use a long-handled strainer or spider to transfer the potatoes and artichokes to a sheet pan; season with salt to taste and keep warm in the oven. Continue with the remaining potatoes and artichokes.

Make the burgers

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet on medium for 1 minute, then coat with the grapeseed oil. Put the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and garlic in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened, stirring constantly. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl, then add the quinoa. Set aside. Clean the skillet.

Put the black beans in a food processor with metal blade and process for 1 minute, until pureed but still slightly chunky. Add the pureed black beans to the bowl with the vegetables and quinoa, then add the cilantro, potato starch and salt. Mix with your hands until well combined. Form 6 patties ½ to ¾ inch thick and place on a plate.

Heat the skillet on medium-high. Coat the skillet with the olive oil, add the burgers and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side. You may need to do this in batches. Once all the burgers are seared, transfer to a sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes.

The build

Season the tomato and avocado with salt. Spread some of the lemon aioli on a bottom bun. Layer kale and heirloom tomato on the bun. Place the burger on top of the tomato, then arrange avocado slices on the burger. Spread some of the aioli on the top bun and place it on the avocado. Plate the remaining servings. Enjoy with the artichoke and potato fries and the remaining aioli for dipping.