Above: quinoa burger with all the trimmings.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is a wheat-free, gluten-free grain and can be consumed by anyone that suffers from celiac disease. Although I don't have a gluten sensitivity, I know I feel a lot better and have fewer digestive complaints when I limit the amount of wheat products in my diet.
I have a box of Ancient Harvest brand quinoa pasta in my pantry. According to Ancient Harvest, "quinoa stands alone as a complete protein grain. It supplies all the essential amino acids in a balanced pattern."
Above: two varieties of organic quinoa.
My daughter, who turns 16 years old today, decided to become a vegetarian 3 years ago. My husband and I aren't vegetarian, but as hard core amateur athletes, we are continually looking for ways to eat a healthier diet. A BurgerFi restaurant recently opened up near us in downtown Delray Beach. They offer a delicious quinoa burger for their vegetarian patrons. My daughter and I really enjoy BurgerFi's veggie burger so I thought I would try to make my own version of a quinoa burger.
Where to Find Quinoa?
Besides quinoa pasta varieties, you can also buy quinoa in it's raw state. You can find quinoa at most grocery stores, in either the rice or pasta aisle. I found red and white varieties of organic quinoa at the 4th Generation Market in Boca Raton, Florida.
If you use the white variety of quinoa, you will end up with something that looks similar to a turkey burger. If you use the red variety of quinoa, you will end up with something that looks similar to a traditional beef burger.
Above: quinoa burger mixture waiting to be made into patties and pan fried.
Cooking Quinoa
Before you can make quinoa burgers, you first have to cook your quinoa. The quinoa I purchased didn't come with directions on how to cook it so I searched a couple recipe sites on the Internet. I wasn't sure if my quinoa was pre-rinsed or not so I just assumed it wasn't. I placed the quinoa in a pan and covered it with water and let the quinoa soak a minimum of 5 minutes then used a fine mesh strainer to drain off the water.
- 1 cup uncooked rinsed quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
I placed the rinsed quinoa back in the pan along with the 2 cups of water and the salt. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer the quinoa until all water has been absorbed. I didn't really time it but think it took around 15 minutes to cook.
Quinoa Burger Recipe Ingredients
- 1 recipe cooked quinoa
- 1 large carrot - grated
- 1/4 cup onion - minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup cream cheese - room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup panko - Japanese style bread crumbs
Above: pan fry quinoa burgers in extra virgin olive oil.
Quinoa Burger Recipe Directions
- As there are two eggs in this burger recipe, I let the cooked quinoa cool down a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Once the quinoa has cooled down, stir in all the remaining ingredients. I placed the burger mixture back in the refrigerator for two hours, to let it firm up a bit, before making the burgers.
- To cook the burgers, I placed 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and placed the pan over medium high heat. I formed large patties with the quinoa burger mixture and cooked them until medium brown and crispy on both sides.
- You can eat the quinoa burger as is, or dress it up like you would a hamburger by placing it on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion.
Above: enjoy a quinoa burger with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Variations
Gluten free quinoa burger
- Substitute 1/2 cup crushed rice Chex cereal for the breadcrumbs.
- Serve the burger without a bun.
Dairy free quinoa burger
- eliminate the mozzarella
- substitute silken tofu for the cream cheese
Vegan quinoa burger
- eliminate the mozzarella
- substitute silken tofu for the cream cheese
Ingredient Substitutions
- Any shredded cheese, such as cheddar, colby or Monterrey jack, can be used in place of the mozzarella.
- Ricotta cheese, cottage cheese or even silken tofu can be substituted for the cream cheese.
- Instead of cooking the quinoa in plain water, which has salt added to it, substitute the water and salt with vegetable broth. If you aren't vegan or vegetarian, you may cook the quinoa in chicken broth if desired.
- Green onions, or even shallots, can be substituted for the onion.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva
