All I can say is thank goodness I banked a few recipe posts earlier this summer because my inspiration has been pretty dismal during this kitchen reno. Combine that with the dreaded 3rd tri “preggo brain”, and my recipe mojo just isn’t flowing like it normally does. Then there was that disaster of a crock pot recipe I made on the weekend for Eric’s birthday. The pot is still soaking in the laundry tub because when you mess up a slow cooker recipe, you pay the price. I might have to chisel it out. Thankfully, I’ve been sitting on this recipe gem since June. I don’t know how I waited that long to share it because it’s a great one! When I first made these crispy quinoa cakes they disappeared at a record pace. I think I recall eating 5 of them straight from the pan. [Then I made you wait for the recipe for 2 1/2 months! Pure evil.] The next two batches were also quickly enjoyed and made easy meals for us without much fuss. We served them as part of a weekend brunch with home fries and avocado toast, for lunch on top of a salad, and for dinner tossed into a wrap or served with roasted veggies. Oh, and I also love them for a snack, straight from the fridge (yes, cold!) slathered in hummus. So unbelievably satisfying.
For those of you who can’t tolerate beans you will be happy to know these veggie cakes don’t have a bean in sight. In fact, I think this might be the only bean-free veggie patty on my entire blog! The quinoa provides a complete protein source and gives them a wonderful chewy texture at the same time. The oven bakes them up golden and crispy – no frying required. I also made the recipe gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free so almost anyone can enjoy these delightful crispy cakes. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, snack time, or dinner, they make a great addition to any meal. Just don’t be surprised if your favourite way to enjoy them is straight from the baking sheet…
Crispy Quinoa Cakes
Yield
1 dozen cakes
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Crispy quinoa cakes packed with vegetables like kale, sweet potato, sun-dried tomatoes, and more! Enjoy these as part of breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They are great with roasted home fries and avocado toast, on top of a salad, in a wrap, or enjoyed all of their own. It's important to make sure the vegetables are finely chopped for this recipe. If the pieces are too large, the patties won't stick together as well. Recipe inspired by Vegetarian Times .
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water
- 1 cup destemmed and finely chopped kale
- 1/2 cup rolled oats, ground into a flour (use certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1/2 cup finely grated sweet potato
- 1/4 cup finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon runny tahini paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur) or regular all-purpose flour
- red pepper flakes, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the ground flax and water in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes or so to thicken.
- Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl, including the flax mixture and the 1.5 cups cooked quinoa. Stir well until the mixture comes together. Don't forget the flour because it helps bind the patties.
- Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Pack tightly so they hold together better. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully flip cakes, and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and firm.
- Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then enjoy!
- Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. To reheat, preheat a skillet over medium heat, add a bit of oil, and cook patties for about 3 minutes per side, or until heated through.
Tip:
Tips: 1) To cook quinoa, rinse 1 cup uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Place quinoa in a medium pot and cover with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and then cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer covered for 14-17 minutes until most of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and then place lid back on to steam for another 4-5 minutes. Note that this makes almost 3 cups of cooked quinoa and you only need 1 1/2 cups for this recipe, so you will have leftover quinoa (which is never a bad thing if you ask me!).
2) To make oat flour, add the oats into a high speed blender and blend on the highest speed until a fine flour forms. You can also use store-bought oat flour if desired.
I waited with much anticipation for these adorable little cakes to bake up because I REALLY wanted them to taste amazing after I saw how much nutrition was packed into each one! I wasn’t disappointed! I preferred them “with” something (a bite of this or that with a bite of the quinoa cake) but still pretty delicious on their own.
I liked them even better the next day for breakfast (crisped up and reheated in a small skillet with coconut oil) served with a fried egg.
I can’t wait for lunch so I can crisp up a couple more served with slices of avocado.
I made these tonight and they were a big hit with myself and my boyfriend! I wish I could say there were leftovers for tomorrow haha. I used white quinoa and substituted the kale for baby spinach because I had it on hand. Absolutely delicious. They browned and crisped up very nicely in the oven and I served them with a side of roasted vegetables. Thank you!
These are Amazing! Being a fan of your fav veggie burger, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the but I love them! The kale adds a beautiful crunch ;) Served both yesterday for the labor day holiday and all the family was blown away! Another success!
I made these tonight in an attempt to get my 12 month old some green leafs and quinoa that he could pick up himself… He’s not keen on me feeding him with a spoon and when I give him a spoon it’s a hot mess! Anyway he crushed two patties! Loved every bite. The best part was that my husband also loved them! Thanks for the great recipes and for inspiring heathy eating :)
Made these yesterday evening, not the best time to do a new recipe as I messed up the quantities a few times but got there in the end! I also substituted the Kale for Spinach as I prefer it. Overall the taste was good but I think I’d add in more sweet potato. I had a couple this morning with some slow roasted cherry tomatoes and it was a pretty delicious breakfast with a nice green smoothie.
My husband and I enjoyed these very much!
I really cannot wait to try these! Usually when I make things like this, they crumble apart… so I am crossing my fingers that I can manage LOL
Thx for sharing. xx Bianca
thefriendlyfig.com/
These look so delicious, and would be fantastic to also take to school as leftovers.
I have a mildly annoying question – I am actually allergic to quinoa (Tragic – I know!!) – do you think millet would be an okay replacement? Or any other grain you can recommend?
thank you so much! Can’t wait to try this on the weekend
Millet will impact the flavour, so you might need to adjust other ingredients to taste, but I’d imagine it would work as a binder quite nicely. Let me know if you try it out!
Hey Angela – I just wanted to let you know that I tried them with millet and they were AMAZING. Even my non-veg friends were asking for the recipe!
I didn’t adjust for any flavourings – except maybe adding in a bit more salt (and cayenne because I like a kick). The flavour of millet was extremely mild once mixed in with everything, so didn’t seem to matter too much – although I imagine quinoa would have a nuttier flavour.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Love these!! Thinking I need to make another batch very soon! I baked them, let them cool and individually wrapped them to freeze. I was able to reheat the frozen ones and they were just as great!
I used Southern style quinoa, and the cakes ended up tasting kind of Italian. Yum!!!
These are delicious! My son (21mo) and husband loved them and they aren’t easy to impress. I fried them in a bit of butter to reheat and they were amazing.
These are so delicious! Mine did not stick together as well as I had hoped but I think I messed up my flax egg. Regardless they are absolutely delicious and make a tasty and quick lunch throughout the week. I would throw one on top of lettuce and be good to go :)
In general, I love OSG recipes but I must say that this one was a flop. As other reviewers have mentioned, the raw onion/garlic flavor completely overpowers the dish, which is otherwise fairly bland and dry despite the many great ingredients. At least it’s a nutritional powerhouse.
I served them with the roasted red pepper and almond sauce from the original recipe and found that it was the thing that saved the dish.
I made this last week after my daughter ran out of her veggie burgers for lunch. This was a great change for her. It came out just the way I expected. My daughter gave me thumbs up. Thank you!
These were sooooo good I actually wake up in the middle of the night thinking of them. And no, I’m not pregnant! I particular enjoyed them right from the fridge with fresh greens, avocado and quinoa. Will be making more very soon.
Hi. I love the taste of the vegan burgers my daughters have shared with me from Oh She Glows: tasty satisfying, filling. My question: as a woman with insulin dependent diabetes (for 50 years!) it is essential for me to know the carb count of everything that I eat. Is there a Nutrition facts list for any of these wonderful recipes? Any info would be terrific. I want to be more vegetarian, but cannot consume more than 20-30 carbs per meal. Thank you so much!
Harriet
These were great. I froze some, but I’m yet to try them from the freezer. I’m sure though they will be fine. I added chickpea flour instead of GF all purpose….by mistake, I was in a hurry and quickly grabbed the bag, not realizing until I was putting the bag back. It worked and it tasted good.
Can you explain more about “runny” tahini? Is that just using to oil?
Hi Emily,
The tahini just shouldn’t be too thick. It should be quite thin.
These are so good and so worth the time to make. Yes, I ate them cold out of the fridge for breakfast and they were still yummy! Thank you! I am saving this recipe!
I made these this evening and they went over well with everyone (including picky 3 yr old eater). I substituted sunflower seed butter for the tahini since my kiddo is allergic to sesame, and they were great. Thought I’d post just in case there are others wondering what to use in place of tahini.