Quinoa Burgers

Quinoa burgers are vegetarian and gluten-free, yet packed with protein and totally delicious. Freezer-friendly, too!

Am I the only person who feels completely snuck up on by the 4th of July holiday this year? I’m so hurt. I haven’t even hung my $3 USA flag pennant banner from Target yet! Which, how annoying is finding something you love in their $1 bin section (ok, half-like but are buying because it’s cheap) only to look down at the price tag and see it’s actually $3? #firstworldproblems

At any rate – are there any BBQ/cookout/holiday recipes you want to see in the next week or so? I’d love to whip up something special for you. Triple Berry Rum Slushies are already in the works – muwahaha!

Ahem. In the meantime, vegetarians – heck, anyone who wants an inexpensive, healthy, filling, and/or freezer-friendly meal – I’ve got a humdinger of a recipe for you today: Quinoa Burgers made with Sabra Hummus, who is sponsoring this recipe plus the massive product giveaway + $100 VISA Gift Card Giveaway at the end of this post. These burgers are perfect for a July 4th get together!

I couldn’t decide what to call these burgers, which are made with the aforementioned hummus plus cooked quinoa, mushrooms, oat flour and everyday spices. Veggie Burgers was too nondescript. How about Mushroom-Hummus Quinoa Burgers? Far too crunchy. And Crispy Quinoa Patties just wasn’t cutting the mustard. Quinoa Burgers though? Juuust right.

Good story.

But seriously let me TELL you about these burgers (which, let me just put it out there, taste way better than they look.) Now I love me a good veggie burger but often times they’re loaded with gluten (breadcrumbs, I’m looking at you,) and are white or black bean-based. I love beans as much as the next gal but sometimes I just don’t want a super-dense bean burger when my cravings shift to the vegetarian side. That’s why I created a light burger recipe that’s quinoa and mushroom-based, held together with homemade oat flour, and baked until crunchy on the outside yet tender on the inside. They are SO good! I’ve had about 16 in the past week while recipe testing and I’m still not sick of ’em, which is a good thing because they freeze and reheat beautifully making them perfect to eat any day of the week for a super-quick lunch or dinner.

I mentioned these are perfect for the 4th because, while it’s the biggest grilling holiday of the year, not everyone craves a beef burger. Whelp, lucky for you and me, these burgers are baked so you can save more room on the grill for someone else’s Perfect Grilled Steaks with Herb Butter. Just do it!

Crunchy, creamy, savory, hearty, filling, and fabulous you are going to want these burgers on hand at all times – holiday or not!

Start by adding 1/2 cup dry quinoa that’s been rinsed very well under running water to 1 cup boiling vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you don’t need the dish to be vegetarian.) Place a lid on the pot then turn the heat down to medium low and cook until the quinoa is tender, 15-20 minutes. Set the quinoa aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, process 3/4 cup certified gluten-free old fashioned oats in a food processor until you’ve got flour, about a minute or two. I like Trader Joe’s gluten-free oats best as I seem to have a reaction to Bob’s Red Mill’s.

Pour the oats into a big mixing bowl then add 8oz mushrooms to the food processor and pulse until they’re well chopped. You can use any kind of mushrooms you like – these were just regular old buttons.

Ok! Add the mushrooms and 2 chopped shallots to a large skillet with 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat then saute until the vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and 3 minced garlic cloves then saute for 1 more minute, and then set the skillet aside to let the vegetables cool slightly.

Once the mushrooms and quinoa are cool enough to handle, add ’em to the oatmeal bowl with 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce,) 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is GF,) and spices including salt, pepper, chili powder and smoked paprika. 

Plus, 1/4 cup Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, which I love so much it almost hurts. The Olive Tapenade flavor sure gives it a run for its money though. Please tell me I’m not the only one who plows through 2+ tubs a week?

Mix everything up then form 4 patties out of the mixture and place them on a plastic wrap-lined patter or plate. Depending on how cool you let your quinoa and mushrooms get, the mixture could be very loose or come together nicely. Regardless, it will be ok. As your good friend and mine Chris Harrison always says – TRUST THE PROCESS.

Pop the platter into the refrigerator to let the patties cool completely (you could even let them sit overnight, just cover with plastic wrap,) then transfer the patties to a nonstick sprayed, foil lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 28-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Pop onto buns (these are Udi’s GF buns,) then top with more Sabra hummus, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and then dig in!

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As I mentioned, these burgers freeze beautifully so you might want to make a double batch. To freeze, cool the burgers completely then wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag. To reheat, unwrap from the plastic wrap then place on a plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on 50% power for a minute then full power for 30-45 seconds or until heated through. Simple as that! Enjoy!

SABRA PRIZE PACK + $100 VISA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

To celebrate the 4th of July, Sabra has launched a new site called “Four Course Fourth” where you can find fun, festive recipes for the holiday using hummus in four categories: appetizers, salads, main dishes, and yes – even desserts!

Enter to win a Sabra prize pack of products plus a $100 VISA gift card by using the widget below by July 2, 2015 at 12am CT. Visit the Four Course Forth website and leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite recipe is for one entry, and tweet for a second entry. Good luck! 

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