Baked Quinoa Veggie Burgers

Name: Baked Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 43 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1 h 26 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¾ cup (140 g) white quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 30 seconds and drained; 1½ cups (360 ml) water; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for sautéing the onion and garlic; ½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ medium onion); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 large (about 1 packed cup) (110 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned cannellini or white beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry (about 1½ cups beans); ¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the parchment and patties; 6 buns (420 g) burger buns, toasted, for serving (about 70 g each) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Hearty, golden-edged burgers made with fluffy quinoa, creamy white beans, grated carrot and oats. They hold together without frying, bake on one sheet pan, and stay tender inside with a lightly crisp exterior.

Prep: 43 min
Cook: 43 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 2 hr 11 min
Makes: 6 burgers (about 4 inches / 10 cm wide)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

6 servings

¾ cup (140 g) white quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 30 seconds and drained
1½ cups (360 ml) water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for sautéing the onion and garlic
½ cup (80 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ medium onion)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 large (about 1 packed cup) (110 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned cannellini or white beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry (about 1½ cups beans)
¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the parchment and patties
6 buns (420 g) burger buns, toasted, for serving (about 70 g each) (optional)

Equipment (9)

Medium saucepan with lid (2–3 quart / 2–3 L)
Fine-mesh sieve
Large skillet (10–12 inch / 25–30 cm)
Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Rimmed baking sheet (13×18 inch / half sheet)
Parchment paper
Wide spatula
Pastry brush

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: about 2 hours 10 minutes start to finish, but most of it is hands-off cooling, resting and chilling.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) while the patties chill (step 8), not at the start.
The quinoa must be fully cooled before mixing, or the egg will start to cook and the mixture will turn gummy.
Drain and rinse the beans, then pat them fairly dry so the burgers are not wet.

1
Cook the quinoa
- Rinse ¾ cup (140 g) quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and drain well.
- Add it to a medium saucepan with 1½ cups (360 ml) water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All the water is absorbed and you can see tiny curled 'tails' separating from each grain.
Tip: Rinsing removes the natural coating that can taste bitter.
2
Rest and cool quinoa
- Leave the covered pan off the heat for 5 minutes to steam.
- Fluff with a fork, then spread the quinoa on a large plate or small baking sheet in a thin layer.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes until no longer steaming.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Quinoa is fluffy, dry-looking and only barely warm to the touch.
Tip: Warm quinoa makes a mushy, sticky mix, so do not skip the cooling.
3
Prep the vegetables
- While the quinoa cools, finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, coarsely grate the carrot on a box grater, and finely chop the parsley.
- Keep the onion and garlic together and the carrot and parsley together.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is in pieces no bigger than ¼ inch (6 mm).
4
Sauté onion and garlic
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Scrape into a large mixing bowl and let cool for a couple of minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning; garlic smells fragrant but is not brown.
Tip: Burnt garlic turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat if it colors.
5
Mash the beans
- Put the beans in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until about two-thirds are a rough paste and the rest are still partly whole.
- This gives both binding and texture.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture looks chunky and paste-like, not perfectly smooth.
Tip: Do not purée the beans in a food processor; a smooth mix makes dense, pasty burgers.
6
Mix the burger mixture
- To the onion bowl add the cooled quinoa, mashed beans, grated carrot, parsley, oats, beaten egg, Dijon, smoked paprika, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Mix firmly with a spatula or clean hands for about 1 minute.
- Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the oats absorb moisture.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A handful squeezed in your fist holds its shape without crumbling or dripping.
Tip: If it's too wet to hold, stir in 1–2 tablespoons more oats; if crumbly, add 1 tablespoon water.
7
Shape the patties
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the parchment with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
- Scoop about ⅔ cup (155 g) of mixture per burger, and press into 6 patties about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Set them on the sheet, spaced 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Patties have smooth, compact edges with no cracks.
Tip: Wet your hands slightly to stop the mixture from sticking.
8
Chill and preheatOven 400°F / 205°C
- Refrigerate the patties, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Patties feel firm when gently pressed.
9
Bake first sideOven 400°F / 205°C
- Brush the tops of the patties with half of the remaining olive oil (about ½ tablespoon).
- Bake in the 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Bottoms are golden brown and the patties lift easily from the parchment.
10
Flip and finishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Slide a wide spatula under each patty and flip carefully.
- Brush with the remaining oil (about ½ tablespoon).
- Bake 12–14 minutes more at 400°F (200°C).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Both sides are deep golden and the centers register 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: Flip gently; the patties are most delicate when hot, so use a wide spatula.
11
Rest the burgers
- Leave the burgers on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- They will firm up as they cool slightly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Patties no longer feel soft when pressed at the edge.
12
Serve
- Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickles or a yogurt-garlic sauce.
- Or serve on greens without a bun.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the grated carrot in a clean towel if it seems watery to keep the mix from getting too wet.
Make sure the quinoa is fully cooled and dry before mixing; wet quinoa is the top cause of crumbly burgers.
For extra-crisp crusts, move the tray to the top rack for the last 2 minutes of baking.
Use a wide spatula and flip only once.

Make ahead

Shape the patties (step 7) up to 24 hours ahead, cover the tray tightly and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 2–3 minutes to the first side. Or bake fully, cool, and reheat when needed.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cooked burgers keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezer: freeze cooked patties on a tray until solid, then bag with parchment between them for up to 3 months. Reheat from fridge in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or from frozen for 18–20 minutes, until hot (165°F / 74°C) in the center.

Substitutions

large egg → flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes). Makes the burgers vegan; the patties will be slightly softer, so chill them a full 20 minutes.
canned cannellini or white beans → canned chickpeas. Drain, rinse and mash the same way; the flavor is slightly nuttier.
old-fashioned rolled oats → panko breadcrumbs. Use ½ cup (30 g); the burgers will be slightly crispier and the oat rest is not needed. Use gluten-free oats or crumbs for gluten-free.
Dijon mustard → 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste. Keeps the brightness and savory depth.