Easy Vegan Quinoa & White Bean Burgers (Gluten-Free!)
These easy vegan quinoa burgers come together quickly and easily using mostly pantry staples! The burgers are incredibly versatile—you can serve them over greens, on buns, or stuffed into pita bread. We love to slather them with Herbed Aioli (use vegan mayo for a vegan version) or hummus, and we top them with cucumbers, avocado, and greens. However they're also delicious with yogurt, feta, sliced tomatoes, or the classic burger fixings... the sky's the limit! You can either cook the quinoa as indicated below or use 2 cups of leftover cooked quinoa.
Servings: 6 people
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
Do Ahead: The uncooked quinoa burger patties can be refrigerated overnight. The cooked burgers can be frozen between sheets of parchment paper for up to 3 months.
Tips:
- 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!