Burgers, burgers, burgers! How can you go wrong with a big, juicy burger topped with a slice of melted, gooey cheese, covered with perfectly cooked caramelized onions, and piled (like a set of
jenga blocks) with homemade sweet potato fries?! Well that's just it, you can't - even when the burger is made entirely of veggies and grains! That's right, no meat to be found, whatsoever.
Now before you turn your nose up and click away, let me defend the "Ultimate Burger." Let's start with the actual burger patty. This burger has so much flavor. The seasonings, the beans, the quinoa, the cheese - all of these elements compliment each other in the perfect way to bring it to life. First there is cheese. I think this is the secret weapon, because not only does it help to bind all the ingredients together, but it doubles as a flavor enhancer and then triples as a burger moistener. It really plays a key role in the entire life cycle of this burger.
Then there is the quinoa. This ingredient is what takes the traditional bean burger to the next level. The small round gems enhance the texture so that it does not turn to mush with each bite or crumble before you even get to taste the thing, as so many bean burgers do. The quinoa, once cooked, also adds a nice firmness to the outer layer that is so hard to find beyond the traditional burger. But never fear, that moist, softness is still captured on the inside, and you get just the right amount of every texture in each bite.
Next, there are the seasonings, of course. You must never forget those. The combination of seasonings for this burger creates the the perfect amount of heat (although Brenden can never really get enough spice, but it was perfect for me). I was weary about the chipotle chili powder the recipe called for at first, but after wafting the smell and then tasting it, I realized it was must. This spice adds yet another depth of flavor. You don't get this taste with regular chili powder. And, remember less is more when it comes to seasoning. You don't want to drown out the flavors by adding a bunch of your favorite other seasonings. Trust me on this one, the few the recipe calls for really is enough, anything more would just take away from the burgers greatness.
Now when I say less is more, take it with a grain of salt because this "Ultimate Burger" is nothing without its toppings. Melted Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and homemade sweet potato fries, need I say more?! Yes. I need. All the toppings are just melt in your mouth goodness - in fact my mouth is watering as I type. The biggest surprise was the sweet potato fries. Brenden and I were both hesitant of the added work these would entail, but our curiosity got the best of us, plus we wanted to try all the components (although we did skip the added fried egg from the original...next time though). And, the added effort was well worth it. The burgers would haven fallen short without them. The fries truly enhanced the flavor and texture of the overall dish that much more. The fries were seasoned with similar spices as the burger rather then the traditional sweetly seasoned sweet potato fries. This made the burgers just that much more spicy, but the sweet potato itself balanced the spice nicely making it enjoyable rather then overwhelming (salty and sweet...sweet and spicy...you get the idea). Honestly, I could not stop reaching for that "one last fry" and tucking it between my burger and the bun to be devoured.
Cheesy Quinoa Burgers Topped with Sweet Potato Fries and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
- 2 medium to large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
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- Cooking Spray
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced thin
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- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 1 cup cannellini beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 5 slices gruyere cheese
- cooking spray
- Burger buns
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place cut potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, chipotle chili powder, cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Gently toss with your hands make sure seasonings are spread evenly, coating each slice.
- Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.
- Spread the potato slices evenly into one layer on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove potatoes, flip them and return pans to the oven.
- Bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- Remove when potatoes are crisp but not burnt on the outside, and fully cooked and soft on the inside.
- Set aside to cool for burgers.
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- While the fries are baking, begin to caramelize the onions.
- Heat a large skillet on medium.
- Spray the skillet generously with cooking spray.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until caramelized, about 30 minutes.
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- While the fries are baking and the onions are caramelizing, begin the burger prep (just make sure to keep and eye one both).
- In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, mashed cannellini beads, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, chipotle chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are well combined and moistened.
- Next, evenly mix in the cheese.
- Form mixture into equal sized patties, we got five fairly large ones out of the batch.
- Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium.
- Cook each burger patty, until warm all the way through, 5 minutes per side.
- During the last 2-3 minutes of the second side, add gruyere cheese slices and the cheese to melt as desired.
- With all the components prepared, assemble burgers to your liking. We decide to go bottom bun, burger, caramelized onions, fries, and then top bun.
- Press the burger to fit it in your mouth and enjoy!
