Quinoa Cakes with Poached Eggs &Roasted Vegetables
Since my husband and I are vegetarians, I try really hard to figure out ways to incorporate enough protein into our diet. It is pretty easy to sneak protein into meals, and this meal is no exception. Since learning about quinoa, I have jumped on the quinoa bandwagon and am still riding it at full-speed. I love it, and don't miss meat while eating it. It is so hearty, filling, and healthy, it makes me happy to be eating it. I always make a large batch of quinoa, and keep some in the fridge to throw in sauces, smoothies, and whatever else. It is one of those foods that taste like whatever you flavor it with, so it can be easily disguised.
Quinoa cakes or patties are easy to make, and so delicious. I have tried them with different spices, cheeses, sauces, and I have yet to meet a combination I didn't like. I really love the spicy ones, but I think for this recipe with the poached egg, I like the egg to take front and center. Speaking of eggs, I had never poached an egg until about 2 months ago. For some reason I have always been intimidated by the seemingly difficult task of poaching an egg, but once I found a really basic explanation, I felt it was time I try it! The first couple eggs I overcooked, and then the next few eggs I under-cooked and they fell apart. This was not going the way I had hoped. After about 6 eggs, I felt like I had mastered it.....fast forward to my second time poaching eggs (for this recipe), I definitely did not master it. I messed up the first 3 eggs, and then finally figured out that I wasn't putting enough water in the pot, and the tops weren't cooking well enough, and once I added a little more water I was good to go!
Quinoa mixed with eggs, cheese, spices
Quinoa cakes
Flip!
Yum!
- 2 cups cooked quinoa at room temperature
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ tsp. coarse salt
- ⅓ cup minced fresh chives plus more for garnish
- 2 large shallots finely chopped
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup whole grain bread crumbs plus more if needed
- Olive oil for frying patties
- for serving Shaved Parmesan
- for serving 6 poached eggs (one for each patty)
- for serving Salt and pepper
-
1. Combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan, and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir to blend. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly incorporated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter.
-
2. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed. Top each patty with a bit of shaved Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Quinoa cakes with poached eggs and roasted vegetables
Recipe adapted from Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen
Love quinoa like I do? Check out these other great quinoa recipes!
Leave a Reply