Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • ½ cup dry Red Quinoa ((or preferred color))
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • ⅓ cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes, (drained )
  • 1 tablespoon oil from the marinated sun-dried tomato marinade
  • ⅓ cup sliced almonds, (toasted)
  • ¼ cup gluten-free bread crumbs ((see notes))
  • ¼ cup yellow onion, (roughly chopped)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, (finely grated)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, (minced)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • olive oil for the pan

Instruction

  • Cook quinoa. Pour the broth into a small pot, place it over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
  • Blend remaining ingredients. Add the basil, sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato oil, almonds, bread crumbs, onion, Parmesan, garlic, egg and salt, to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend until it's a fairly smooth consistency. Use a rubber spatula to transfer this to a large mixing bowl.
  • Combine everything together. Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl and mix until it's evenly incorporated into the sun-dried tomato mixture. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
  • Shape. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then about ⅓ cup each, shape the quinoa mixture into 6 "burgers." (If you have an ice cream scoop about the right size, it's the easiest way to shape them.) Gently use the palm of your hand to press each one into a nice round shape. Set aside.
  • Sauté. Generously coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once the pan is very hot, use a flat-bottomed, metal spatula to place the burgers into the pan, with a couple of inches between them. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches.) You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, the pan isn't hot enough. (In order for them to crisp nicely, wait for the sizzle.) Sauté for about 2 minutes, then carefully flip the burgers over and reduce the heat to medium-low, and sauté for another few minutes or so, until the bottom is golden brown and they hold together well. Place the cooked burgers on a plate and cover with foil until you're ready to serve.