Thai Quinoa Burgers

Thai Quinoa Burgers
My family and I love all Thai flavors – peanut, cilantro, lime, lemongrass, curry paste -- and we also love burgers, so I came up with a Thai-inspired burger recipe. I usually keep this one pretty mild in terms of spice, but if you want to add some heat you can always use chopped Thai chilies!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Allergens: Peanuts, Soy, Wheat
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup quinoa rinsed
- 2/3 cup vegetable broth
- 1 package tofu (extra firm, cut into 1/2-inch slabs)
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/2 cup scallion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup carrot (coarsely grated)
- 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup red Thai curry paste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons lime zest (finely grated)
- 2 teaspoons lemongrass (finely grated)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 flax eggs*
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
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Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in 1-quart saucepan and bring to boil over high heat.
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Reduce heat to low, then cover and cook until broth is completely absorbed into quinoa (about 12 minutes).
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Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 minutes, then transfer to large bowl.
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Meanwhile, layer paper towels on large rimmed baking sheet, arranging tofu slabs about 1 inch apart, and top with another double layer of paper towels.
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Place another baking sheet on top of tofu and weigh down with cans for about 10 minutes to press out excess moisture.
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Crumble tofu into pea-size pieces and add cooked quinoa.
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Mix in panko, scallion, carrot, peanuts, curry paste, cilantro, lime zest, and lemongrass.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Stir in flax eggs. (*To make flax egg, mix well 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and 2 1/2 tablespoons water and let it sit for 10 minutes.)
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Chill mixture for at least 30 minutes.
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Portion burger mixture into 8 balls, then form into 3-1/2-inch patties with moistened hands.
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Heat canola oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat.
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Add burgers to pan, reducing heat to medium-low, and cook until browned on one side (about 3-4 minutes).
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Gently flip with thin spatula and cook until browned and heated through (about 3-4 minutes).