Spinach & Feta Quinoa Burgers

I really can't believe that I am writing a post about quinoa burgers.  This recipe is not something I would normally consider making, but a friend of mine, who is an excellent cook, told me that the teenagers in her house get super excited when she makes quinoa burgers.  Because I have always loved everything Arlene cooks, I asked her for the recipe.  My first attempt, I deviated slightly from her recipe, changing green onion to sweet onion, and cooking the onion and garlic before adding them to the burgers.  I liked them, but didn't love them.  Tonight was attempt number two.  This time, I made my burgers smaller,cooked the spinach, and added an extra egg.  The result was spinach & feta quinoa burger perfection! 

I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quinoa.  I boil 2 cups of water in a small pot, add 1 cup of rinsed quinoa, stirring it and bringing it back to a boil before reducing it to low heat.  I then cover the pot and cook it for about 12-14 minutes.  When the water is absorbed, I remove it from the heat, fluff it, and let it sit for about 15 minutes with the lid on. 

I used my new favorite bread crumbs in this recipe -- The Fresh Market Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

Make sure there is a good amount of olive oil on the bottom of your pan so your quinoa burgers don't stick. 

I couldn't wait to try them at this point! 

 

Tonight, I served my quinoa burgers with an avocado and papaya salad -- 1 papaya, 3 avocados, the juice of one lime, 2 T extra virgin olive oil, 1/8 tsp coarse ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/4 + 1/8 tsp of kosher salt.  Stir gently to combine.  

Ingredients

1 C of uncooked quinoa

1 tsp olive oil + more for frying the burgers

1 C of sweet onion -- chopped

2 cloves of garlic -- minced

2 C of fresh baby spinach -- chopped

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

1/2 tsp Herbamare seasoning

4 large eggs -- beaten

1 C gluten free breadcrumbs

1/3 C grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1/3 C feta crumbles

Directions

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer and cook it according to package directions.  Put it in a large bowl to cool.  

Cook the onion in 1 tsp of olive oil in a stainless steel frying pan on medium heat.  When the onion has begun to soften and brown, take the pan off the heat and add the garlic and spinach.  Stir until the spinach begins to wilt, then add your vegetable mixture to the quinoa bowl.  Allow the quinoa mixture to cool to room temperature before adding the salt, pepper, Herbamare, eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan/Romano, and feta.  Stir well to combine, then form 8 patties.  

Clean your frying pan, add enough oil to coat the bottom, and turn your burner to medium heat.  When your pan has heated up, add 4 quinoa burgers, cooking them for about 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned.  Add more oil to your pan and cook the remaining 4 burgers.

Recipe Notes

If you are not sure what Herbamare is, check out my post on Gluten Free Szechuan Wings. You can purchase this seasoning at Whole Foods. 

Thank you Arlene for a great recipe, and inspiring me to try new things!  

Linked to: Vegetarian Mamma's Gluten Free Fridays, Gluten-Free & DIY Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays