Tasty Quinoa, Butternut Squash And Pecan Patties

These quinoa patties are a real treat.

I love quinoa, I really do, but I’m not a big fan of quinoa burgers, I find them a little bit dull and fragile. Well, these burgers are something else, they are still wholesome but pack tons of flavor and hold their shape quite well. CRISPY on the outside, TENDER and DELICIOUS on the inside.

I like to shape them into small patties and add them to salads or veggie bowls. Though if you want to shape them into nice-looking burgers, they taste great on a whole wheat bun with some hummus, caramelized onions, tomatoes and spinach. I’m starting to get a bit hungry just writing that!

These are also freezer friendly and super easy to make, great if you like meal prepping.

If you can’t find canned butternut squash puree (pumpkin puree should be just as delish) in your country, you can make your own. Just cut the butternut squash in half, brush it with olive oil and bake it at 350 °F / 180 °C until the skin is bubbly and the flesh is tender (about 40 minutes). Remove the skin, place the flesh in a big bowl and use an immersion hand blender to make a smooth purée (a food processor should also work). Got leftovers? Try making my fluffy chocolate muffins, trust me, you won’t regret it, they taste like a little piece of chocolate heaven.

Want to try these tasty quinoa patties? If you do, let us know what you think, leave a comment or tag us on Instagram @mondaydreamsblog. We love hearing from you!

Tasty Quinoa, Butternut Squash And Pecan Patties

Simple, wholesome, delicious quinoa patties that also happen to be vegan and GF! These little burgers are bursting with amazing flavor.

Servings 15 small patties

Ingredients

⅔ cups uncooked quinoa
½ cup pecans
1 Tbsp ground flax + 2 ½ Tbsp of water
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 big garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground ginger
¾ cup butternut squash puree - can sub pumpkin
½ cup oat flour, GF if necessary
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

To cook the quinoa, rinse well, add it to a small saucepan and cover it with lots of water. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes; until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F / 180 °C. Place pecans on a baking sheet (no oil) and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.
In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a small bowl mix ground flax with water, set aside.
Heat olive oil in a medium pan and sauté the onions and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chili flakes, paprika and ground ginger and keep stirring for another minute. Set aside.
When the pecans are ready, transfer them to a food processor (or blender) and blend until you reach a coarse flour consistency, a few small pecan pieces are ok.
Combine all ingredients (including flaxseed mixture, ground pecans and sauteed onions) in a big bowl and stir well. The mixture should be sticky but not too wet. If it is too wet (not moldable), add more oat flour. If it is too dry, add more butternut squash puree.
Form the patties. If it's sticky, wet your hands, it really helps.
Grease a baking sheet with a little olive oil.
Place the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flip them over and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, until golden and crispy.
Serve with hummus and enjoy!