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Gluten-Free Quinoa Patties with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

By Meaghen Walsh

Published on May 24, 2019

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Gluten-Free Quinoa Patties with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse, plus 1 tablespoon oil4 scallions, chopped fine4 garlic cloves, minced2 cups water 1 cup prewashed white quinoa 1 teaspoon salt 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, lightly beaten2 ounces baby spinach, chopped (2 cups)2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice2 tablespoons olive oil

Before You Begin

We like the convenience of prewashed quinoa. If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure if it's washed), quinoa should be rinsed before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin) and dried on a towel. White quinoa was used to develop this recipe. Do not substitute red or black quinoa, the patties will not hold together.

Instructions

  1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat tomato oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallions and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, quinoa, and salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let sit, covered, until liquid is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
  2. Add sun-dried tomatoes, egg, egg yolk, spinach, Monterey Jack, lemon zest, and lemon juice to cooled quinoa and mix until uniform. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/2 cup each), pack firmly into 1/2-inch-thick patties (about 31/2 inches wide), and place on prepared sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, until patties are chilled and firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay 4 patties in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently flip patties and continue to cook until golden on second side, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer patties to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Return now-empty skillet to medium heat and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining 4 patties. Serve.
Gluten-Free Quinoa Patties with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Styling by Marie Piraino.

Gluten-Free Quinoa Patties with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Headshot of Meaghen Walsh
By Meaghen Walsh
3.5(14)
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Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse, plus 1 tablespoon oil
4 scallions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, lightly beaten
2 ounces baby spinach, chopped (2 cups)
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse, plus 1 tablespoon oil
4 scallions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, lightly beaten
2 ounces baby spinach, chopped (2 cups)
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients

½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse, plus 1 tablespoon oil
4 scallions, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 cup prewashed white quinoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk, lightly beaten
2 ounces baby spinach, chopped (2 cups)
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

While we liked the earthy flavor of red quinoa, no matter how long we cooked it, it simply didn’t soften enough to form cohesive patties. Classic white (or golden) quinoa performed much better, and upping the amount of cooking liquid delivered even more cohesive patties since the quinoa cooked up extra-moist. We skipped the usual toasting step, which encourages the individual grains to separate rather than stick together. As for the binders, we tried mashed beans and potatoes, a variety of cheeses, bread, and processing some of the quinoa itself—but only the duo of a whole egg plus one yolk and cheese were successful. Chilling the formed patties for 30 minutes further ensured that they stayed together. Baking was an appealing hands-off cooking method, but the heat of the oven dried them out. It was much easier on the stovetop to create a crust on the exterior while maintaining a moist interior. Because the patties needed at least 8 minutes on each side to set up and cook through, cooking them over medium heat prevented burning but still resulted in a nice crust.

Before You Begin

We like the convenience of prewashed quinoa. If you buy unwashed quinoa (or if you are unsure if it's washed), quinoa should be rinsed before cooking to remove its bitter protective coating (called saponin) and dried on a towel. White quinoa was used to develop this recipe. Do not substitute red or black quinoa, the patties will not hold together.

Instructions

  1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat tomato oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallions and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, quinoa, and salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let sit, covered, until liquid is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
  2. Add sun-dried tomatoes, egg, egg yolk, spinach, Monterey Jack, lemon zest, and lemon juice to cooled quinoa and mix until uniform. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions (about 1/2 cup each), pack firmly into 1/2-inch-thick patties (about 31/2 inches wide), and place on prepared sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, until patties are chilled and firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay 4 patties in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently flip patties and continue to cook until golden on second side, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer patties to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Return now-empty skillet to medium heat and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining 4 patties. Serve.

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