With a dedicated vegan within our family, we recently have started welcoming new, previously unknown ingredients like the quinoa. What is it? How does it taste? How does it cook? And yes, I admit, the first glances into the quinoa plate have not been so inviting. Daring to try a taste we have been surprised to admit that it tastes OK. Trying a new recipe, however like this quinoa burgers, has been a complete new level of family cuisine adventure. But, boy was it worth it!
Quinoa is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. It’s light and fluffy in texture but has that whole grain ability to fill people up, as we have discovered with these burgers. They don’t look much but just two or three are more then enough to fill a grown person up. The taste however is absolutely amazing! The parmigiano makes all the difference, adding this delicious touch of salty baked perfection, giving character to the plain in nature quinoa burgers.
What I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. Just choose your veggies and overall burger filling next to the quinoa and voila! Your quinoa burgers are ready! Served with a light salad, lemon slice and a delicious yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice dressing our Sunday lunch is a pure delight.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- Alpro plant cooking butter
- 100g baby spinach
- 1 small onion
- handful of rocket salad
- 1 lemon (juice of one lemon, plus slices)
- 200g quinoa
- 50g panko bread crumbs
- 4 tbsp Natural Yogurt
- 50g Parmigiano
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- ground black pepper
- pinch of salt
Method
1. Cook the quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear, drain and transfer to a medium pot. Add 2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.
2. Wash the spinach, dry the leaves and cut into big chunk pieces. Soften the spinach in a medium hot pan, placing a kitchen paper on top to absorb all the liquids.
3. Cut the onion into small pieces.
4. Beat the eggs.
5. Rasp or cut the parmigiano into small pieces.
6. Once the quinoa has cooled, mix with the spinach, onion, beaten eggs, parmigiano, panko bread crumbs, salt and ground black pepper. If the mixture feels still very liquid add more dry bread crumbs.
7. Make 12 quinoa burgers and place them on a flat surface. Let them stay in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
8. Heat a table spoon of Alpro plant cooking butter in a pan and bake the quinoa burgers on both sides until golden brown.
9. For the dressing: mix the yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice and season with salt and ground black pepper.
10. Serve the quinoa burgers with a handful of rocket salad, lemon slices and the dressing.
