I go through food phases A LOT. For a week or two I’ll eat quinoa in so many things, and then I won’t have it for months. Same thing happens with smoothies for breakfast, energy bites for snacks, yogurt bowls, they’re all on rotation. I could go on and on. That is what happened this week. Lately I’ve been doing mostly lean proteins and roasted veggies for dinner. I forgot about how much I love meatless meals and all the protein and nutrients different grains can provide. These are SO good you guys. And hearty! Definitely not a sad meatless burger.
Totally didn’t plan it this way, but these would be perfect for Meatless Monday! I rarely do Meatless Monday myself, but I feel like it’s a good habit to get into. There are so many wonderful and nutritious meatless meals I’ve been missing out on!
Look how hearty these things are! They’re filled with sautéed mushrooms, onions, toasted pecans, oats, and quinoa. And a liiiittle bit of cheddar and barbecue sauce. I used this BBQ sauce. It’s the best. I also use it in this recipe which is AMAZING. I’ve made it SO many times and it’s always a huge hit.
I added a little extra BBQ sauce, red onion, tomato and greens on top and it was perfect. They could even go for an extra layer of melty sharp cheddar. Because why not?
There really is no substitution for a juicy beef burger in my opinion, but these are my favorite meatless burger I’ve tried thus far.
I love eating these by themselves too. Don’t get me wrong, I love bread, but sometimes I just like them plain with a big salad on the side. It all depends on my mood.
I loved the addition of toasted pecans in these burgers. I’ve never thought off adding nuts to my meatless burgers, but it really added something special.
These would be SO good with sweet potato fries. But what isn’t?!
BBQ Cheddar Quinoa Burgers
These BBQ cheddar quinoa burgers are made with quinoa, sautéed mushrooms, pecans, egg, and spices! They're incredibly delicious, easy, to make, and they are a healthy meatless burger option!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms (can use white button mushrooms too)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, very finely chopped
- 1/3 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Tessemae's), plus extra for topping
- lettuce for topping
- sliced tomato for topping
- sliced red onion for topping
- your favorite buns
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and add quinoa. Cover, reduce to low heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions become soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms, garlic, oregano, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add the cooled quinoa, mushroom mixture, cheddar cheese, toasted pecans, oats, soy sauce, salt, and BBQ sauce. Mix until throughly combined. Form into 4-5 patties and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, flip very gently (they will still be delicate at this point), and bake for another 15-20 minutes depending on how crispy you like them. They'll be done once they're golden and crispy on top and the edges! Serve with extra BBQ sauce, lettuce, sliced tomato, and sliced red onion!
Inspired and adapted from the quinoa burgers in this book.
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