Savory Mushroom Quinoa Burgers
Most veggie burgers are made with beans and grains, making them off-limits during Passover. Quinoa, a permitted pseudo-grain (actually a seed), becomes a delicious substitute when mixed with umami-rich sautéed mushrooms. Serve these burgers during Passover and year-round as a quick make-ahead meal for anytime of the day. Use organic ingredients wherever possible.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoon thyme, chopped
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 egg or 1 serving chia paste*
- To serve: Mixed salad greens, avocado, olive oil, sea salt
Preparation
- * If using chia paste in place of the egg, place 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds into a small bowl and add 4 tablespoons warm water. Stir gently and allow to sit for 10 minutes to gel, before proceeding with the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl with the red onion-mushroom mixture. Gently toss to blend. Season the mixture with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste mixture, adjusting seasoning as desired.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg to break up the yolk. Pour the egg (or chia paste) on top of the quinoa mixture and use a fork to blend the ingredients well.
- Using a ½-cup measuring cup, scoop out ½ cup of the mixture and form into a burger shape, pressing the mixture together lightly and flattening. Place on the lined baking sheet. Make 5 additional burgers with the remaining quinoa mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully flip over each burger and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.
- Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature over a bowl of mixed greens. Add a few slices of avocado, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt for a delicious meal.
- Notes:
- The cooked quinoa-onion-mushroom mixture can be prepared 2 days in advance. Just before baking, mix in the egg.
- To make uniform patties, use a 3-inch ring mold. Place the ring mold on the lined baking sheet and fill with ½ cup of quinoa mixture, pat down and remove ring. Repeat with remaining quinoa mixture to form 6 patties.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- To make smaller, slider-sized burgers, measure out ¼ cup quinoa mixture for each burger, to yield 12 sliders.
Jessica Grosman
