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Loaded with roasted cauliflower, quinoa, chickpeas, oats, spices and pepper jack cheese, these cauliflower burgers are not only easy but healthy for you as well.
I have yet another veggie burger to share with you today. Yes it takes a little more time than just throwing some beef burgers on a grill, but it's worth the wait. This dish was actually inspired from one of my favorite food blogs - Pinch of Yum.
I've made plenty of veggie burgers over the last few years, and this one is right at the top of my favorites. Last I looked I've actually shared 7 different veggie burger recipes, but don't hold me to that amount.
By the time you're looking at these cauliflower burgers, I've probably added a few to the site. It really is a go-to of ours as you can make ahead and freeze and then just use when you don't feel like cooking!
I feel like cauliflower has a made a huge resurgence in recent years. It's such a versatile vegetable that can be roasted, grilled or even made into something similar to mashed potatoes and this is just another recipe that highlights cauliflower's versatility.
So if you're like most Americans and trying to eat a little healthier these days, I highly recommend giving these cauliflower burgers a try.
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Ingredient Notes
- Quinoa - has a ton of healthy benefits and thickens the mixture.
- Cauliflower - by roasting and adding spices, you get a nice depth of flavor.
- Spices - the combination of spices adds a slight heat.
- Chickpeas - added protein and helps with texture.
- Old-fashioned oats - combats the moisture from the peas and eggs to bind everything together.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients with these cauliflower burgers. Some variations include:
- While I like quinoa, rice is a good substitute.
- If you don't want to use cauliflower, broccoli can work as well.
- Chickpeas are great for added protein, but black beans or cannellini beans can be used too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Toss the cauliflower with some olive oil and spices and roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes. Then add to food processor and pule until rice-like consistency.
Mash the chickpeas with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.
Scoop out even portions of the mixture and add to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press down to desired thickness. Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F and then flip and bake for another 20 minutes.
FAQs
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 like these cauliflower burgers, you can make them quite healthy.
Yes. I personally like to use quinoa because of its health benefits but brown rice works as well.
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.
Benefits of Cauliflower
Like most vegetables, cauliflower is very healthy for you. Some of the benefits include:
- High in nutrients
- Helps with digestion
- Good source of antioxidants
- Low in carbs
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 your cauliflower burger together.
- Oats – by placing old-fashioned oats in the food processor and pulsing a few times, you create a healthy binder that is better than flour.
- 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, 2 eggs make all the difference. As mentioned above, you can use a vegan substitute.
- 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 cauliflower burgers from here or finish on the stove-top to develop a charred crust.
Other Veggie Burger Recipes
If you’ve tried these cauliflower 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.
Cauliflower Burgers
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 (2 lb) head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (15.5 oz can) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Buns, toasted
- Toppings (cheese, avocado, lettuce, ketchup etc...)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to packaged directions.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and place on baking sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, cumin, paprika, ground coriander and garlic powder. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Add to food processor and pulse until rice like consistency. You do not want a puree. You might have to do this in stages depending on size of food processor.
- Grind the oats in a food processor until broken up but not turned into flour. Set aside.
- In the large mixing bowl, add the chickpeas, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mash the chickpeas. Add the pulsed cauliflower, quinoa, oats, pepper jack cheese and eggs. Mix until combined. You should be able to form balls at this point. If you can't, add more oats.
- 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 8-10 patties. 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 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.
Notes
- Oats – by placing old-fashioned oats in the food processor and pulsing a few times, you create a healthy binder that is better than flour.
- 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, 2 eggs make all the difference. As mentioned above, you can use a vegan substitute.
- 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 cauliflower veggie burgers from here or finish on the stove-top to develop a charred crust.
Mark says
40 min in the oven and THEN stovetop frying?!? I’m seeing very similar recipes that don’t have such long cook times.
Ryan says
You don't have to cook on the stovetop. It is already done at that point but I like to do it for some extra crispiness.
Donna says
Is the cheese necessary in the Pattie’s? Looking to remove cheese from recipes when I can. I love cheese, and it shows. ☹️
Ryan says
Not necessary but you might need to add a bit more quinoa or oats as it does act as a binder.
Denise DelColle says
I used half Farro and quinoa and needed to add a little extra sourdough bread crumbs with walnuts. Very good tip about not touching them till 20 minutes in the oven.. That definitely holds them together. I like to coat with cornmeal as it gives a little bit more crust and also added some quinoa to the outside.
I had three extra that wouldn’t fit on the cookie sheet so I pan fried them and they came out great as well