I got the idea for this Bean, Pesto, and Quinoa Cakes with Roasted Tomatoes recipe in a roundabout way. Now that I have basil growing in the garden again, I'm on a quest to use up my frozen pesto because I'll be able to make it fresh whenever I want to. If making a big batch of pesto and freezing it for fall and winter marks the end of summer for me, then frantically trying to use up that pesto is a sure sign of spring. It happens every year, like clockwork.
It's a good thing this recipe took a few tries to get right—I think I used half of my pesto supply perfecting it. The first time I made it, I only used cannelini beans. It was not good. I've realized that I only like cannelini beans as a component of a dish, not as the main ingredient. White bean cakes with just white beans, pesto, panko, and egg were definitely meh. So then I used half the beans and more ingredients each subsequent trial. Cheese! Why not? A zucchini? Of course! And then quinoa. Sometimes less is more, but sometimes more is more. And this is a more is more recipe. But even with more, it's still not a lot.
If you make this, don't skip the roasted tomatoes on top. I say this because I am always the person who skips making the sauce or topping when I'm making recipes like this. So don't skip the tomatoes! It would be like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without peanut butter. Trust me, I made this recipe enough times to know. But all that effort was worth it, because the end result is delicious.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups dried cannellini beans, cooked)
- ¼ cup quinoa cooked according to package
- 1 small zucchini julienned
- ¼ cup prepared pesto
- ¼ cup panko
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 roma tomatoes diced
- ¼ cup basil leaves coarsely chopped
- olive oil mister or cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two rimmed baking sheets with oil or line with parchment paper.
- Combine beans, quinoa, zucchini, and pesto in a medium bowl. Use wooden spoon to smash beans a little bit. Fold in panko, cheese, and egg. Form mixture into 12 patties and place each one on first baking sheet.
- Transfer tomatoes to second baking sheet. Spray with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place both baking sheets in oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until bean cakes are golden brown and tomatoes are just beginning to brown. Halfway through cooking time, stir tomatoes and flip over bean cakes.
- Serve tomatoes over cakes and sprinkle with basil.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
you NAILED those white bean cakes! bean anything like that can be tricky to get to stick together and be the right texture and consistency and they look perfect!
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
I definitely agree that sometimes more is more. I love your recipe, I'll make it for sure for one of my breakfasts and I won't skit tomatoes on top 🙂
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I am so making these and I wouldn't dream of skipping the tomatoes!
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
I love quinoa cakes...definitely adding white beans next time. These look so wonderful!
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
Mmmmm this almsot looks like a fresh, healthy spin on pizza all wrapped up in a burger! Roasted tomatoes, mozzarella cheese AND pesto--what's not to love? Can't wait to try these!
dixya| Food, Pleasure, and Health says
yummilcious - these bean cakes are making me hungry
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I could never skip tomatoes on this delicious cakes! YUM 😀
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
I'm so glad you kept at it because these look phenomenal!
I'm so jealous you already have basil in your garden. We have to wait for at least another month here. The weather is ideal for it right now (it's unseasonably warm) but in a week it'll be back down to 45 and bye bye basil.
Kiersten says
They start selling transplants in early April here. It's insane. I'm still getting used to the seasons here!
Christy@SweetandSavoring says
As soon as I saw this title, I said 'yes!' to myself. Quinoa, white beans, pesto, roasted tomatoes...it sounds perfect and like something I would love. Miraculously, I have every ingredient in the house right now, yay!
Also have basil growing, and hoping the plants thrive like they did last year! Good luck with yours 🙂
Kiersten says
I just went out to get basil for another recipe yesterday and something is eating my Genovese basil! I hope it rebounds, but there's not much left. :/
Christy@SweetandSavoring says
Oh no, that's awful :\ We just spotted some rabbits for the first time in awhile in our garden- luckily my husband put the basil in a pallet garden, so they can't reach it. He's hoping some hawks get to the (adorable) rabbits :\
I've never tried this, but I read that spreading coffee grinds around the garden might help as a deterrent; also rabbits and deer don't like strong scents of things like soap- literally chunks of soap at various points in the garden apparently keep them away!
Kiersten says
Thanks for the tips! I never see animals around here (not even squirrels!) and I'm guessing it's because of all the construction in our neighborhood. But we're a few houses away from the woods, so I KNOW they're lurking. 🙂 They must come out at night!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Your cakes look so good, love the roasted tomato topping!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
These pesto cakes look so tempting, Kiersten.
Twingle Mommy says
These look so fresh and yummy. I will try them soon.
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
These look delicious! I love roasted tomatoes!
Alissa N says
I tried making veggie burgers with cannelini beans a while back, and it was a total fail. I still haven't really perfected the recipe, but looks like you got it perfect here.. yum!! I love that you say not to skip the tomatoes too, I totally would have 🙂 Loving the flavor combos here, I can't wait to try it!
Kiersten says
Veggie burgers are so tough! I am working on a recipe now that just isn't coming together. Sigh.
Rachel @ Bakerita says
I'm totally drooling over here...this sounds so so amazing!! The addition of roasted tomatoes sounds phenomenal. I love roasted tomatoes with pesto! Pinned (:
Kiersten says
Thanks for the pin!
Maria Tadic says
These look yummy. I love pesto and love having it stockpiled in my freezer! Adding to burgers and whatnot just adds such a big fat hit of basil-ly freshness. Love it! Can't wait to try this.
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily says
Just when I think I've seen every imaginable veggie burger out there one like this pops up. I literally can not wait to make this one. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love veggie burger recipes but am just a bit bored with the usual 😉
Kiersten says
Yeah, I eat veggie burgers a lot so I definitely know what you mean! 🙂
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says
Love bean cakes! Yours look delicious!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
I have kept my basil plants alive in my kitchen window all winter and this is the perfect excuse to make another batch of pesto!
Kiersten says
Maybe I should try that next winter! I hate having to buy basil in the colder months.
Dana says
I hate tomatoes! Anything else I could sub?
Kiersten says
If you like tomato sauce, that works. If not, an aioli would be good, or even some sauteed veggies. 🙂
Kiersten says
I mean like marinara tomato sauce. Not tomato sauce out of the can. Just to clarify!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
You know my weakness for pesto! I just bought some today - to go with white beans ironically - because it's the perfect food for babies who will only eat with their fingers nowadays. If I had any darn quinoa I would be making this tomorrow!
Kiersten says
Sam eats pesto and white beans?! Fancy! 😀
Natalie @ Once Upon a Cutting Board says
Cheese always makes everything better but I love that you also squeezed a bunch more healthy ingredients into these like the quinoa and zucchini... Looks like all the hard work paid off! These look like they would be great as a burger or in a pita too!
Kiersten says
You could definitely make these into burgers! 🙂
Lisa @ Greek Vegetarian says
Oh wow, thanks for doing all the hard work for us, perfecting the recipe for those quinoa cakes! I'll be making these for sure, and when I do, I promise to make the roasted tomatoes!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
I am absolutely in love with these cakes! I have recently made Quinoa patties myself and haven't use eggs as a binder so I had to incorporate some flour in them. I'll try with eggs next time!
Kiersten says
I couldn't get these to stay together without egg. I think there's just too much stuff in them!
Kathryn says
This pretty much combines all my favourites (pesto! white beans! roasted tomatoes!) in one dish. Perfect summer eating.