Quinoa Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Sun Dried Tomato Mayonnaise

Tailgate season is here! This delicious quinoa burger with caramelized onions and sun-dried tomato mayonnaise is a healthy spin on your favorite game day food.

Ingredients

For the Burgers:
4 cups of cooked quinoa
1 can of drained black beans
2 finely minced cloves of garlic
2 cups packed sliced baby spinach
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon each ground cumin and chili powder
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
olive oil for cooking

For the Toppings
½ cup of mayonnaise
¼ cup of thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large peeled and thinly sliced sweet onion
2 cups of packed arugula
8 slices of pepper jack cheese
16 slices of fresh tomato
8 toasted buns

Preparation

For the Burgers:

1. Add cooked quinoa, beans, garlic, onion, spinach, eggs, spices, bread crumbs and seasonings to a large bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Using your hands form 8 quinoa burger patties.
3. Add the cooking oil to a large pan over medium heat and add in the quinoa burgers and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides and cooked throughout. Set aside.

For the Mayonnaise & Onions:

1. Combine the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar to a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add in the sliced sweet onions. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until soft and browned. Set aside.

To Plate

1. Add some arugula to the bottom of a toasted bun and then layer on with a cooked quinoa burger, pepper jack cheese, 2 tomato slices, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomato mayonnaise and the top toasted bun.
2. Repeat and serve.