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Asian Quinoa Burgers are the most delicious way to sneak vegetables into meal! They combine quinoa, broccoli, carrots, and soy sauce into healthy burgers that stay together and can be enjoyed on their own or with an added side of veggies.Â
Recipe originally created in September 2015 // Updated: March 2020
Everyone loves a good veggie burger, and these Asian quinoa burgers might just be my new favorite! And by "new" favorite I mean that I created this recipe years ago but forgot about it until recently.
There are many reasons why I love this recipe, but one of them is because it's possibly the easiest way to "sneak" veggies into a meal. When you're eating a veggie burger, you're eating the main dish and the side of veggies all in one!
You guys know I love quinoa and carrots and broccoli, so think of this recipe as combining all of those things into one. Yep, they're pretty darn tasty. Let's walk through how to make these quinoa burgers.
QUINOA BURGER INGREDIENTS
Quinoa: You can't make quinoa burgers without quinoa! I used white quinoa, but any kind will work. Make sure you pour the quinoa into a mesh sieve or strainer and rinse it will before cooking it!
Broccoli: Adding broccoli to burgers may sound weird, but it works! It really, really does. I don't have much to add for this ingredients, but adding broccoli to these burgers is an awesome way to squeeze some veggies into a meal.
Carrots: If you can find shredded carrots, go that route. That way, they're easier to mix up in the food processor.
Breadcrumbs: I love using panko breadcrumbs in a LOT of dishes--I find them to be incredibly versatile--but if you need a substitution, try using just regular plain breadcrumbs instead.
Oats: The broccoli, carrots, soy sauce, and flax egg make up the flavor of these burgers, but we need more dry ingredients to help hold the burgers together, and that's where oats come into play. I used old fashioned oats, but I imagine quick oats would work too.
Soy sauce: Soy sauce is what gives these burgers their flavor, but if you want to keep these gluten free, make sure to use tamari (and gluten free breadcrumbs!).
Flax egg: Many veggie burger recipes include an egg, because the egg acts like glue and helps hold all the ingredients together. In order to keep these vegan, I tested them with a flax egg and they worked, so that's what I recommend using. FYI, in order to make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 2 tablespoons of water, stir them together, then wait 5 minutes or so for the flaxseed to absorb the water. The end result will be a similar texture to an egg.
TIPS FOR MAKING VEGGIE BURGERS
Use your hands or a large spoon to mix everything together really well. You want to make sure the dry and wet ingredients are evenly mixed; otherwise, you'll have trouble forming the mixture into burgers.
Refrigerate the mixture for at least 20 minutes, or longer. The recipe says 20 minutes, but if you want to prep these a few hours in advance that's fine too. This way, it'll firm up and be easier to work with (less moist!).
I found that these burgers held together really well. However, if you're having trouble getting them to stay together, then I'd add a second flax egg.
HOW TO SERVE A QUINOA BURGER
- On a bun
- On a salad
- Eat it as-is
- With a side of broccoli and/or carrots (because you can't ever have too many vegetables)
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER TASTY VEGAN RECIPES
- Lentil Bolognese
- Tofu Curry
- The Best Vegan Lasagna
- Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry
- Buffalo Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs
Asian Quinoa Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups cooked broccoli
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- â…“ cup soy sauce
- 1 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal+2 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, prep your flax egg by combining the flaxseed meal and water together in a bowl; set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the mixture to form an egg-like texture.
- Next, combine broccoli, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, and oats in a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Pour mixture into a large bowl and stir in the quinoa, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, sesame seeds, salt, and flax egg and stir everything together by hand.
- Set burgers on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, allowing time for the burgers to firm up.
- Once burgers are set, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and cook burgers until slightly browned on each side. Serve burgers with your favorite sauce (i.e. teriyaki or some sort of Asian-flavored sauce) and enjoy!
Laura says
Hi! I know this is an old post, but I'm interested in making these burgers. However, I abhor broccoli. Any ideas for Asian-y substitutions?
Erin says
Hi Laura--so I haven't tried anything other than broccoli, but you could try increasing the amount of quinoa and carrots you use and just omit the broccoli all together. You could also try adding a cup of cooked lentils, which are pretty neutral tasting.
Joan says
These look great! Do you think they could be baked in the oven?