So, I’ve been a vegetarian on and off since I was about nine years old. At this point in my life, I probably just qualify as a picky eater, but my family and I still joke that I’m a “part-time vegetarian.” I’m extremely grateful to my mom – who cooked for the family basically every night growing up – for working around my pickiness and experimenting with new recipes to find things I could eat.
One of those recipes is this one for quinoa burgers, which let me enjoy all the condiments and sides of cookouts without having to eat hamburgers and hot-dogs. It’s a personal favorite of mine and I decided to make it this week because it’s something I know I’d be happy to eat for days, which can be great when you’re trying not to go to the grocery store as often during the pandemic.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup red quinoa
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cups finely chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon dried marjoram
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- buns and burger toppings
Instructions
Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, marjoram, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add the quinoa, mushroom mixture, cheese, pecans, oats, and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Scoop ½ cup portions of the mixture onto the baking sheet and shape into 8 patties, about 3 inches wide, leaving about 1 inch of space between each patty.
Bake the burgers until crispy, 28 to 30 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite garnishes.
Whiskey & Tea 