1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked 8 hours or overnight (or one 14 oz can of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup raw quinoa
salt
2 medium-sized red beets (about 10 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2-4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
zest from 1/2 a medium lemon
juice of 1 medium lemon

Steps

If using dried chickpeas, drain them and place them in a medium saucepan with the bay leaf. Cover with a few inches of water, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are almost tender. Add some salt to the pan to season the water. Continue cooking until the beans are very tender. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour total, depending on the size and age of the beans. Add water to the pan as needed. When the beans are done, let them cool in their water until needed. 

Place the quinoa in a very fine mesh strainer, place the strainer in a bowl or measuring cup, and fill with water to cover the quinoa. Let soak 5-10 minutes, swishing occasionally, to rinse off the bitter coating. The water will turn a beige-yellow. Drain the quinoa well, discard the soaking water, and place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot, and let the quinoa steam until tender and all the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, until ready to use.

Peel the beets with a potato peeler, then grate them using a grating attachment on the food processor or on the large holes of a box grater. Be careful with beet juice splatter, it will stain anything it touches! Heat the oil in a wide pan. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, the grated beets, and a nice big pinch of salt. Give it a stir, then cover the pan and let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the beet is tender, 5 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and deglaze by adding the vinegar and make sure to stir in any mixture stuck on the sides. 

In the bowl of a large food processor, combine the cooked chickpeas, quinoa and beet mixture - it should still be fairly chunky. Mix this in two batches if necessary, pulse and blend until you have a sticky, smooth mixture. Add in the parsley, lemon zest and juice, and salt until combined.

Alternatively, combine everything in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until your mixture sticks together. You won’t be able to achieve a smoothly blended mix but instead you will have a burger with more chunky texture. 

Scoop two tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball in the palm of your hands, and start to flatten out with your fingers. If it starts to stick to your hands, simply coat your hands with some water. They will stain a little red from the beets at this point. If you would like to make large burgers, divide the mixture into 6 equal portions to make thick patties. 

Coat the bottom of a wide skillet with oil and heat over a medium flame until the oil shimmers. Carefully add the patties. Cook until the first side is golden, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side until it is golden and the burger is cooked through, 2-3 minutes, reducing the heat if the burger is browning too quickly.

Serve the patties over salad or a grain bowl, and if making burgers, on toasted buns with any toppings you like.

Source Recipes

Source offers a weekly Farm Box of fresh organic produce and an assortment of pantry staples sourced from farms that adhere to sustainable, regenerative practices. Recipes are designed to highlight the freshest seasonal items offered in the box. Shop or learn more here.