These vegan quinoa burgers are the ultimate back-pocket meal. They're a cinch to make using mostly pantry ingredients, and you can prep them ahead (perfect for meal prep!). The burgers are high in protein and fiber and are naturally gluten free. It's one of those dinners I turn to on the nights when I don't know what in the he$$ to make, and best of all, my whole family loves them.
Ingredients and swaps:
- You'll need to cook ½ cup of dry quinoa, or you can use leftover cooked quinoa in this recipe (you'll need 2 cups of cooked quinoa).
- The patties are bound with canned white beans and panko breadcrumbs (regular or gluten free). The beans provide plenty of “stickiness,” so no eggs or other binders are needed! You can swap out the white beans for black beans.
- These vegan burgers are flavored with garlic, cumin, lemon zest, green onions and cilantro. Frozen peas lend a pop of color and sweetness. Feel free to switch up the spices according to what you like or have! For instance, you can add curry powder, or make a Mexican inspired patty with chili powder and lime zest.
How to make vegan quinoa burgers
These easy quinoa burger patties are made right in a food processor, and there's no pre-cooking of ingredients required (except for the quinoa).
- In a food processor, combine garlic, white beans, scallions, cilantro, lemon zest, cumin and cooked quinoa. Pulse until a coarse paste forms.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and stir in defrosted frozen peas and breadcrumbs. Form the mixture into 6 patties. You can refrigerate the patties for up to 1 day before cooking.
- Cook the burgers in olive oil until golden and crisp on both sides.
Serving suggestions
You can serve these vegan quinoa burgers on buns, over greens or in pita bread (that's how my kids like to eat them!). We love slathering the burgers with Herbed Aioli (use vegan mayonnaise for a vegan version), and we pile them with thinly sliced avocado, cucumbers, and spinach or herbs. But the sky's the limit! You can serve them with hummus, or if you're not vegan, they're fantastic with yogurt and feta.
FAQs
Yes! Arrange the patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them for up to 1 day before cooking. It's perfect for meal prep!
Yes! You can freeze the cooked vegan burger patties. Let them cool completely them store them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost the burgers then reheat them in an oven or toaster oven.
Canned beans are an excellent binder for vegan veggie burgers. Mash up the beans or use a food processor to make the patties.
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the burgers to make them gluten free.
Tips for this recipe:
- You'll need a food processor to make these vegan quinoa burgers.
- You can cook the quinoa as indicated in the recipe or use 2 cups of leftover cooked quinoa (p.s. you can freeze quinoa, so go ahead and make a double batch!).
- Use a non-stick skillet to cook the burgers to ensure they don't stick (I love my ScanPan).
- A thin fish spatula makes it easy to flip the burgers.
- Feel free to switch up the spices according to what you have or like. For instance, try adding curry powder, or make a Mexican inspired patty with chili powder and lime zest. You can also swap out the white beans for black beans.
- To make gluten free burgers, use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- For another veggie burger variation, don't miss these Gluten-Free Beet & Sweet Potato Burgers (pictured below)!
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Easy Vegan Quinoa & White Bean Burgers (Gluten-Free!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup red or white quinoa (or 2 cups already cooked quinoa)
- Salt
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 15- oz can white beans (navy or cannellini)
- 3 scallions, coarsely chopped (white and green parts)
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves (packed)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas (defrosted if frozen)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (regular or gluten free)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Buns, pita bread or greens, for serving
- Toppings for serving, such as: herbed aioli, hummus, smashed avocado, sliced cucumber, mint leaves, sliced tomatoes, yogurt, feta cheese, etc.
Instructions
- In a small pot with a lid, combine the quinoa, 1 cup of water, and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes to steam. Do Ahead: The quinoa can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- In a food processor with the blade running, add the garlic cloves and finely chop. Add the white beans, scallions, cilantro, lemon zest and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Process until the mixture forms a coarse puree, scraping down the sides. Add the quinoa; pulse to combine until a coarse paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the peas and breadcrumbs. Form the mixture into 6 patties, and place them on a piece of wax or parchment paper. Do Ahead: The uncooked burgers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day before cooking.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the burgers, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook until golden on the other side.
- Transfer the burgers to buns, pita bread or greens, and serve warm with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
- You'll need a food processor to make these vegan quinoa burgers.
- You can cook the quinoa as indicated in the recipe or use 2 cups of leftover cooked quinoa (p.s. you can freeze quinoa, so go ahead and make a double batch!).
- Use a non-stick skillet to cook the burgers to ensure they don't stick (I love my ScanPan).
- A thin fish spatula makes it easy to flip the burgers.
- Feel free to switch up the spices according to what you have or like. For instance, try adding curry powder, or make a Mexican inspired patty with chili powder and lime zest. You can also swap out the white beans for black beans.
- To make gluten free burgers, use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- For another veggie burger variation, don't miss these Gluten-Free Beet & Sweet Potato Burgers!
Did you make this recipe? If so, I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and star review below - it's helpful to me and to others!
Layal says
I don't have access to gluten-free bread crumbs. Tried using almond flour but didn't work as a good binding ingredient. Any tips on what substitute and proportion to use instead of gluten-free bread crumbs?
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Layal, do you have gluten-free bread on hand? You could lightly toast the bread then pulse it in a blender or food processor to make homemade breadcrumbs! That would be your best bet. Almond flour doesn't have good binding properties, but oat flour and chickpea flour are both good binders and could work. However, I have not tested these burgers with either flour. I hope this helps, and thank you for your question!