Quinoa Burgers with Caramelized Onions

With quinoa, cannellini beans, broccoli, spices and cheese, these quinoa burgers are like broccoli cheddar casserole in veggie burger form.

Yep it's another veggie burger. Lauren and I just love vegetarian burgers - from green chili veggie burgers to sweet potato black bean burgers. There are just so many combinations of flavors.

I'm running out of ways to share with you how if 5 years ago, you told me I would be eating vegetarian burgers once a month, I would have been shocked! So I'm done telling you... sort of. But today is about these quinoa burgers with caramelized onions.

I'm sure you've had a cheddar broccoli casserole before, but have you had it in a sandwich form? That's where these homemade vegetarian burgers come into play.

While the quinoa veggie burger is quite good on its own, don't look past the caramelized onions. Yes it's a little extra work, but it really makes this burger.

So if my multiple posts about veggie burgers hasn't convinced you to try one yet, perhaps this one will.

Jump to:

• What Ingredients are in this Quinoa Burgers Recipe?
• How to Make Veggie Burgers
• Are Veggie Burgers Actually Good for You?
• Benefits of Quinoa
• Can I Make these Vegan/Egg Free?
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Veggie Burger Recipes
• Quinoa Burgers

What Ingredients are in this Quinoa Burgers Recipe?

• Quinoa - the main ingredient that has a ton of health benefits.
• Cannellini beans - helps create the texture you expect.
• Olive oil - used for cooking the produce.
• Broccoli, garlic, onion - veggies that give you additional nutrients and flavor.
• Panko breadcrumbs - helps the burgers hold together. You can also use pulsed oats.
• Egg - binds the veggie burgers together.
• Chili powder, cumin, paprika, kosher salt, cayenne pepper - adds flavor to the burger.
• Sharp cheddar cheese - complements the broccoli.
• Buns - from bread thins to pretzel rolls, any sandwich bread will work.
• Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc... - use whatever toppings you desire.
• Unsalted butter - used to cook the onions.
• Beer - helps caramelize the onions while adding flavor.

How to Make Veggie Burgers

1. Cook the quinoa according to packaged directions.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat and add broccoli and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In the large mixing bowl, mash the canellini beans with the broccoli and garlic.
4. Add the quinoa, breadcrumbs, egg and spices. Mix until combined. Mix in cheddar cheese. You should be able to form balls at this point. If you can't, add more breadcrumbs.
5. Use ½ cup measuring cup and scoop out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press down to desired thickness. It should give you 7-8 patties.
6. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 400°F before flipping and baking another 20 minutes. This should give you enough consistency to be able to freeze or cook the rest of the way to eat now. (We usually eat them for 2 nights and then freeze the rest. Great to have when you don't feel like cooking) If eating the quinoa burgers now, heat a medium skillet over medium heat with enough oil to cover bottom of skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. If using cheese add after flipping. Add toppings of your desire.

Are Veggie Burgers Actually Good for You?

The truthful answer is it depends. If you buy a veggie burger from the freezer isle, chances are it is not the best for you, but by making them homemade, you can make them quite healthy and these quinoa burgers fit that category.

Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of quinoa include

• Contains all nine essential amino acids.
• Has twice as much fiber as other grains which lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels.
• Contains iron which keeps our red blood cells healthy.
• Has lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair.
• Is rich in magnesium which relaxes blood vessels.
• High in riboflavin which improves energy metabolism.
• Contains a high content of manganese which is an antioxidant.

Can I Make these Vegan/Egg Free?

Yes you can use any egg substitute like flax or chia eggs, or 1 tablespoon of vegan mayo. If using flaxseed or chia seeds, stir 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal or chia seeds in 2 ½ tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes before using. (This replaces 1 egg) I personally don’t eat vegan so don’t make a ton of vegan meals but these will taste just as good with the substitutes.

There are also plenty of options for vegan cheese as well these days.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

I’ve made plenty of veggie burgers in the past few years and discovered that there are three keys to keeping these quinoa burgers together.

1. Breadcrumbs – you need something to help make the burger stay together and have some texture and panko breadcrumbs are perfect for this.
2. Eggs – eggs help bind the burger. I originally didn’t use eggs and found that they just didn’t hold together like I wanted but with these, 1 egg makes all the difference. As mentioned above, you can use a vegan substitute.
3. Bake – bake the patties before freezing or cooking the rest of the way. By baking the veggie burgers for 40 minutes (20 minutes per side), you allow the outside of the patties to develop a crust. You can then freeze the burgers from here or finish on the stove-top to develop a charred crust.

Other Veggie Burger Recipes

• Carrot Burgers
• Black Bean Veggie Burgers
• Cauliflower Veggie Burgers
• Butternut Squash Burgers
• Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Veggie Burgers

If you’ve tried these quinoa burgers or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.