Who loves quinoa? WE do! It's healthy, easy to cook with, and delicious. And these quinoa cakes? Crazy-versatile. Whip them up as an appetizer, serve them as a side or a snack, even put them on buns and top with some roasted veggies and this cashew cream sauce for an amazing spin on a veggie burger. They do the work!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups cooked white quinoa, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup finely minced red onion
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cup bread crumbs, since I cook gluten-free, I made my bread crumbs by pulsing an Udi's bagel in the food processor
- Olive oil or clarified butter for coating pan
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt; stir to mix well. Add the basil, red onion, cheese, garlic, and breadcrumbs to the bowl; stir, then let the mixture sit for a few minutes so that the bread crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. If your mixture is too wet you can add a little more breadcrumbs at this point and if it is too dry add a small amount of water.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil or clarified butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Form the mixture into 12 small patties; when the oil is hot place enough patties in the skillet so that it is full, but the patties still have room in between them. Cover, and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the bottoms are crisp and deeply browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second side for about 7 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties.
Notes
Make about 1 cup of dried quinoa according to package instructions to get 2 ½ cups cooked.
I cook my patties in a cast iron skillet on medium-low. If you see that your patties are not browning after the first side has cooked for 10 minutes crank up the heat on your stove a bit and continue to cook the patties until they are browned.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 658kcalCarbohydrates: 101gProtein: 29gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1080mgPotassium: 789mgFiber: 10gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 397IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 259mgIron: 8mg
Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
You can serve these Crispy Quinoa Cakes with a number of different sauces; if you're short on time, a good jarred marinara will definitely work, but I love using this Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Cream. If you have leftovers, it makes a tasty veggie dip or sandwich spread!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, seeds and skin removed (from a jar is fine)
- ¾ cup filtered water
- 1 small clove of garlic
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- ¾ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and blend on high, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Blend until the cashew cream is smooth and silky with no chunks. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 1100kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 36gFat: 85gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 46gSodium: 2866mgPotassium: 1414mgFiber: 8gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 109mgIron: 13mg
Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
Andrea says
I just served these at my Girls Mastermind Lunch and they were a hit. This sauce is totally addictive!
L rdders says
Are these manageable without cheese?
Duncan says
It has eggs in it! It's not a true vegetarian dish. Vegetarians don't eat eggs - at least the ones I know don't.
Alissa says
Hi Duncan! I think you're mixing up vegetarians and vegan. Vegetarians don't eat meat, but dairy and eggs are okay. Vegans don't eat any animal products.
Kathrine Silver says
Lacto-ovo vgetarians eat eggs, vegans and lacto vegetarians do not.
Chelsea says
HI, What is the recipe for the cashew cream sauce? I cannot seem to locate it on this page. Please post it when you get a chance. I would love to try this recipe! Thank you!
Alissa says
We will get it back as soon as we can! We're just having some technical issues at the moment. I'll let you know as soon as it's back. Apologies!
Santana says
Yes! Recipe please! I'd hate to guess the ratios and not get a tasty result! I have the enchiladas on the menu for tonight!
Joni says
Same here, waiting for the cashew cream recipe to make the enchiladas. Any chance you could email it to us?
Rachel says
Has anyone tried freezing the patties or sauce?
Trudy says
I made the patties and the roasted red pepper cashew cream today. They are fabulously delicious. Thank you for sharing ?
Wanda says
LOVE THESE! I’ve been making your red pepper cream sauce for a few years now, but I never made a batch of the quinoa cakes. Just made them today, spooned a little red pepper sauce on top of a couple and had green Smoothie. Perfect lunch ?? I used 1/3 of a cup to make my quinoa cake.
Trudy says
Just wanted to thank you for this delicious recipe. It has become one of my family’s favorite meals.