Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice the sweet potatoes down the center lengthwise. Place the sweet potatoes, cut side down, on lined baking sheet. Roast until they yield to a gentle squeeze, 30 to 40 minutes or longer. Set aside for now.
In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all water is absorbed, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the skin of the sweet potatoes and roughly chop the insides. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled sweet potatoes and quinoa, black beans, onion, cilantro, garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Mix/smash well.
Blend the oats for 30 seconds on high, then sprinkle them over the mixture and mix until the mixture holds together when you shape a portion into a patty. If not making the burgers immediately, cover mixture and refrigerate for later.
Use a measuring cup to measure out ½ cup of the mixture. Gently shape it into a patty about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter. Use your hands to gently flatten the burgers and smooth out any jagged edges. Repeat the process for each patty; you should end up with 8.
Brush both sides of each patty generously with olive oil and place them on the lined baking sheet, leaving a few inches of space around each one. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the patties are deeply golden on the outside, about 35 minutes, flipping halfway.
Serve burgers as desired. Leftover burgers keep well, refrigerated, for 4 days. Or, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months (thaw in the microwave for about 1 minute or in a 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until warmed all the way through).