Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread

Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread is an easy, healthy, vegetarian, appetizer recipe for any game day spread or Super Bowl party!!

Yum

Who’s ready for the Superbowl? Is it just the commercials or the actual game? We are more of college football fans but do watch pro too. We don’t really have a team…ok…maybe the Falcons but they usually aren’t that good. Who are you rooting for? I guess I am rooting for the Broncos, but it is really just because it is Peyton Manning’s last game (probably) and I like him a lot better that Cam Newton!! Anyhoo…I am excited about the food…of course 😆 And do I have a winner for your game day spread!! Meet Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread…my new <3

My inspiration for these little gems actually came from a Quinoa and Black Bean Burger that I have had a couple times at a new local BBQ restaurant. I know that sounds weird to get a veggie burger from a BBQ joint, but I am always impressed whenever a restaurant has a vegetarian option (it is rare around here) and usually want to give it a try.

That was the case the first time that we went to this new restaurant. It is kind of a more upscale (but not fancy or anything) BBQ restaurant and they have some unique menu items. I saw the Quinoa and Black Bean Burger on the menu, ordered it and was super impressed!! It was so yummy!! In fact, both times that we have been there I have ordered it and loved it 😀 We actually tried to get them to give me the recipe, but they wouldn’t so I set out to recreate this burger at home. That is what any good food blogger would do, right?

I started looking online and found this recipe for Black Bean-Quinoa Burgers with Spicy Mayo, Avocado, and Mango from Delish and decided to give that one a try. I didn’t really want to do the mayo thing and the restaurant just slaps a piece of cheese on there’s, but I wanted something to top my burgers…the avocado from this recipe caught my attention and I thought that a good guacamole spread would be fantastic!!

Ok, so now the question is why Quinoa and Black Bean sliders? That brilliant (if I do say so myself 😉 ) came about in the bakery section of the grocery store. I was going to pick up some whole wheat burger buns when the slider ones caught my eye!! SOLD!!  I thought when watching football, you want to nibble and graze throughout the big game, so smaller = better 😆

Here is your recipe for Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread:

Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 cup red quinoa (or other variety if desired)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 jalapenos, ribs and seeds removed (unless you like it super spicy)
• 1 bunch cilantro, stems cut off
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• Zest and juice from one lime
• 1 can (15 oz.) reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup liquid egg whites
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 10 whole wheat slider buns

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions and then set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, place garlic, jalapenos and cilantro leaves in a food processor. Process until finely chopped, stopping to scrap down the bowl at least once.
3. Scoop avocado flesh into a small mixing bowl and mash with either a fork or a potato masher.
4. Add about ¼ of the cilantro mixture, tomato, zest and juice of one lime to the mashed avocados. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and place in the frig.
5. Add black beans to the rest of the cilantro mixture in the food processor. Pulse a couple of times but keep the black beans slightly chunky.
6. Add the cilantro and black bean mixture to the cooked quinoa.
7. Add the spices and stir to combine.
8. Add the liquid egg whites and stir to combine. You may need to add just a little more egg white to really get them to bind.
9. Form into 10 golf ball-sized patties and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and press gently down on each patty to flatten.
10. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
11. Pre-heat oven to 375.
12. Heat a cast iron (like this one) or other oven-safe skillet over medium high heat.
13. Once hot, add olive oil to the pan.
14. Add the sliders to the pan and sear for 2 minutes. Gently flip and sear for 2 minutes on the other side.
15. Place skillet with sliders in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.
16. Place cooked sliders on the bottom half of the bun, top with a big dollop of guacamole spread and then add the top half of the bun.
17. Enjoy while watching the big game!!

Notes

You might need a little more or less of the liquid egg white to right consistency for the sliders. You want them to to be able to form patties but not too moist.
You can use any variety of quinoa that you like, I just had red in the pantry.
You will probably have extra guac, so just grab some chips and enjoy 🙂

3.5.3208

Here is the nutritional information for Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread:

Here is one final look the Red Quinoa and Black Bean Sliders with Easy Guacamole Spread:

Happy Super Bowl!!