My lunches have been consisting of these quinoa patties lately and I can say I have been looking forward to lunch more than ever before.
Having extended my maternity leave for a few additional months, I have been exercising almost daily, and having these ready to enjoy right after workouts has been wonderful.
They reheat really well and are filled with nutrients and deliciously aromatic thanks to a fine amount of carrots, celery and onion tucked within.
They are great as is but you can also enjoy them with a melted slice of cheese on top which you can easily cut out thin using a cheese slicer or include shredded cheese in the mixture for extra protein.
Quinoa’s texture is very sexy. It’s soft and pleasant to bite into but not mushy. What I love about quinoa patties is the crispy surface from pan-frying. It adds a nice nutty, slightly charred taste that highlights the softer inside even more.
QUINOA PATTIES RECIPE
Yield: 8 PATTIES
Prep Time: 15 MIN
Cook Time: 10 MIN
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- ½ medium onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Canola oil, for pan-frying
Directions:
Step 1: Place the quinoa with 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
Step 2: Meanwhile, chop the carrot, celery, and onion finely in a mini food processor. Transfer to a frying pan. Add the olive oil and sweat the vegetables over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, cooked quinoa, salt, pepper, mustard, and whipped eggs.
Step 4: Generously coat a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Shape the quinoa mixture into 3-inch patties. Carefully and closely deposit the patties onto the hot pan.
Step 5: Cook the patties undisturbed, 3 to 4 minutes per side until their surface is brown and crispy. Use two spatulas to carefully turn them over. Proceed in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and makes flipping the patties difficult.
