Today is Meatless Monday, so I prepared vegetarian quinoa burgers for the occasion. I flavored them with broccoli and triple cream cheese. The burgers were so flavorful and I felt in veggie heaven; not one second did I crave the meat.
The reason behind the deliciousness of the burger is the creamy and velvet cheese. The broccoli provided a great contrast of color and the necessary greens for a balanced diet.
1. Info for Quinoa Burger Recipe
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 20
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Quinoa Burger Recipe
- 4 slices day-old gluten-free bread
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, drained
- 6 ounces triple cream cheese, diced
- 2 teaspoons red chili flakes
- 1½ cups broccoli florets, blanched and separated
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ teaspoons salt
3. Directions:
- Seasoning the bread:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Cut the bread into small cubes. Mix 3 tablespoons oil with 1 clove garlic. Generously spread the garlic oil on the bread pieces. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 6-8 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
- For the quinoa burgers:
- Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan, add the onions and cook for 6-8 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.
- Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a coarse mill. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread, quinoa and eggs. Season with red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add the remaining garlic and cooked onions. Add the small broccoli pieces and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix well.
- Assembly:
- Place in a large zip top bag. Spread specks of the cheese, then flatten the quinoa burger mixture into a thick layer (about 1 inch). Cut open the bag and form 18 burger patties using a circle cutter. Form 2 more burgers with the scraps.
- Using a non-stick pan, heat the rest of the oil. Place the burgers and cook until a nice crust is formed. Flip the burgers and cook over low heat for about 3 more minutes. Remove from the pan.
- Serving suggestion:
- Toast mini hamburger buns. Spread a layer of pickle mayonnaise on one side and Sriracha sauce on the other side. Add a tomato slice and top with the quinoa burger and form the burger sandwich.
- Serve warm.
- Bon appétit!
4. Tips and advices:
- For a vegan version, you can omit the eggs and use a combination of xanthan gum (fine powder used as a binder and emulsifier), liquid lecithin (egg yolk substitute) and a bit of oil. You can find these online or in any specialty food store such as Whole Foods. Look for a (32-ounce) liquid lecithin bottle, which is much easier to cook with than the capsules. Count 1 part each xanthan gum and lecithin to 2 parts oil ratio).
- For the Sriracha sauce: Count 1 part mayonnaise to ¼ part Sriracha.
- For the pickle mayonnaise: Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 6 finely chopped cornichons (small French gherkins) and 1 tablespoon Cognac.
