Of course, when I made the quinoa cakes and poached eggs recipe, I ended up with a few leftover patties… That was the perfect opportunity to test their “reheatability” factor! But what to make of them?
- Serve them with a warm tomato sauce? No… not in the mood for that….
- Creamy mushroom sauce? Nah… Not feeling that either, although that was a good option, for another time maybe…
I really was craving something fresh, something crisp, something zesty and creamy… some kind of a yogurt sauce, perhaps?
Something like TZATZIKI sauce!!! Voilà, now that’s EXACTLY what I wanted on top of my patty. Plus, it would be the perfect occasion to try Cathy’s recipe. (That one did not disappoint, by the way!)
Alright, so that was decided. But what to serve it with?
- Veggies? Nah... too ordinary
- Green salad? Boring…
None of this was working for me… Then I thought HAMBURGER! Why not just throw that patty in one of those cute little thin multi-grain hamburger breads. Now THAT sounded like a plan to me!
I must admit that I was highly skeptical, though. I could visualize it in my mind and it sure LOOKED good, but I half expected this to not TASTE so good.
Boy, was I wrong!
That quinoa cake is the ultimate vegetarian burger pattie, if you ask me! Despite its simplicity, this hamburger was SO tasty and chewy, incredibly satisying, yet super light and refreshing.
This was one meal I deeply appreciated and I would’ve gladly gone for seconds (especially I still have another patty that is just waiting to be reheated and, of course, I also have some of that Tzatziki sauce left in the fridge) but, you know, gotta keep those calories in check!
And speaking of reheating, the cakes passed the test with flying colors! I simply put the cake in a non-stick pan over low heat, covered, and left it there about 5 minutes per side. Worked per-fect-ly!
Oh, and the Tzatziki sauce? Definitely worth eating with a spoon! Thanks Cathy for that amazing recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Slightly adapted from: lolfoodie
- ½ large English cucumber
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cups 0% fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ tsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, freshly-grated
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds by halving it lengthwise and running a spoon down the middle to scoop out the seeds. Slice in half lengthwise again, then dice into ¼ inch cubes.
- Place the chopped cucumber in a fine sieve and sprinkle with salt. Top with paper towels and add some weight, such as a large can, or small saucepan over top. Place in the refrigerator to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, preferably longer if you can, about 30 minutes.
- Combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, parsley, and mint in a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Remove cucumbers from the fridge and wipe off as much remaining moisture as you can, using additional paper towels.
- Add the chopped cucumber to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to fully develop.
This article was featured on Women’s Health Magazine – June 17, 2011
I just love those little buns they are the perfect size and curb your carb craving!
Looks great! I love those buns too. I usually like making all my own bread and buns but I just cant help myself with those, I love them more than regular buns. I really need to try to make my own at some point.
If you do, make sure to post the recipe!
I might be tempted to give them a try! 
These are delicious. Had them for dinner last night and they went over well with everyone! Next time I will make the buns into garlic toast before forming the burgers. Love these buns too… Can’t believe I’ve never even known about them! Thank you for sharing <3
Thanks for the great feedback Tara! I’m super happy that this recipe worked for you and yours!
Aren’t those buns the best? I like them way better than regular hamburger buns!
That really looks wonderful! I bet it did hit the spot!
these look so good! I have yet to try quinoa so these might be my first attempt.
And a great choice for a first attempt it is! My daughter doesn’t like quinoa at all, yet she really liked the patties. They are quite tasty, and chewy!
I don’t know which I like better, the sound of that faux burger with tatziki (always a fave around here!) or your scrumptious photos. Great bokeh… thanks!
Wow, just stumbled upon your blog, and I’m in HEAVEN!! I’ve been trying to keep my calories in check, but things are getting borrrriiinnnnggg. This is just what I needed! I’m definitely going to try these! I have some black quinoa laying around, and I think it would be perfect for this! I’ll definitely be lurking around here….
Love it!
Lurke all you want, Natalie, it is a true pleasure for me to have you here! I makes me extremely happy when people find my recipes inspiring. I sure hope that you will find one or two that will help take the boooorrrrriiiiiing out of your healthy eating. I’d be happy to get your feedback if you try any of them, too! It’s always nice to find out what people think!
My daughter is the same. She can not stand quinoa. Put it in a burger and she can not get enough of it.
Vegetarian Times has a recipe for a quinoa burger so I planned on making one this week. I may have to reconsider and go with yours. It looks great!
Oh, you won’t regret your decision, trust me! Do try the tzatziki also, I tell you, they’re a match made in heaven!
I love your taste in food. You always make my mouth water. What kind of bread is that? It looks interesting. I just had a Hummus, jocoque and Tzatziki sandwich the other day at a lovely local cafe here in Tepoztlan, Mexico. It was delicious too. Looking forward to more healthy and interesting recipes from you.
Thanks Michelle! The bread is called thin or skinny hamburger buns and you should be able to find them at your local supermarket. Look for the whole wheat or multi grain varieties!
Thanks for this recipe! I made them tonight and they were fabulous! I made my own buns this morning, as I was feeling ambitious. My boyfriend said they remind him of a falafel. And we are both excited to use them for brunch tomorrow with a poached egg before our hike! So great to be able to please both a vegetarian palate and a carnivorous one in the same meal!
Alright!!!! That’s awesome! So glad the recipe worked for you and thank you so much for the great feedback, Nicole!
I’m excited to try these! I planned on making felafels for dinner one night this week, but I’m gonna swap out the felafels for these patties and use pita bread for the bun. Sounds so yum!
Hope you like ‘em, Lindsey! Love the idea of using pita breads, too!