Makes 6 -8
1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons of fine salt
Fresh black pepper
1 can (15 oz.) white beans (I used cannellini), drained and liquid reserved.
1/2 cup diced red onion
Juice of one lemon or lime
2 cups of fresh dried breadcrumbs
¼ -1/2 cup of fresh chopped tarragon
¼ cup of flour, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for cooking

In a large bowl, mash your beans. I like to mash the beans and leave about a half of them almost whole. Add the quinoa to the beans along with the seasonings and lemon juice. Mix well. Add in half of the breadcrumbs and if necessary 3-4 tablespoons of bean liquid. If the mixture is too wet, add additional breadcrumbs. Next, fold in the tarragon and adjust any of the seasonings to your own taste.

Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron pan on medium high and begin to form your patties. When the pan is hot, lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour onto a flat plate. The flour helps create a crunchy layer on the burger and helps keep it from sticking. Drizzle in a small amount of oil into the pan. Form each burger and carefully dredge both sides in the flour. Gently tap off any excess and set the burger into the pan. Cook on medium heat until the bottoms are nicely browned. Carefully turn the burgers and continue cooking until they’re crisp and heated through, about 5-6 minutes on each side.

Serve on a soft bun, or as I prefer, open–faced on a bed of leafy greens with fresh diced tomato, a squeeze of hot sauce and a generous dollop of next week recipe, Avocado Mayo.