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Homemade Quinoa Masala Burgers

I’m always concocting new veggie burger recipes at home, now that I don’t buy packaged or processed veggie burgers anymore because of the scary ingredients and additives they contain. These quinoa masala burgers I made last night turned out FABULOUS and are too EASY not to make ASAP.

The best part? You can make several ahead of time and either freeze or refrigerate them for later. They also make a perfect burger to bring over to a cook out. Just have the grill master plop them on the grill to reheat and you’ve got a delicious plant based protein packed meal.

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Food Babe’s Quinoa Masala Burgers
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ cup quinoa dry (cooked to package instructions)
  • 1 baked sweet potato with skin removed
  • 1 egg slightly beaten or 1 tbsp flax seed mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • a few springs of fresh cilantro diced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 inch piece of ginger minced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp curry powder
  • ¼ tsp mustard seed
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
  • melted coconut oil for brushing burgers
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix in a large bowl
  3. Form mixture into 8 patties
  4. Place patties on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper
  5. Brush top of burgers with a small amount of coconut oil
  6. Bake for 15 mins, then flip burgers and coat with coconut oil again
  7. Bake for another 15 mins or until golden brown
Notes
***Please buy all organic ingredients if possible***

 

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I’ve never tried the Trader Joe’s Masala Burgers before, but if you have, I’d love to know how these compare. I know one thing, the ingredients I used are definitely an upgrade! Using quinoa as a base vs. white potatoes and bread crumbs adds a complete protein to the mix. I like Tru Roots Sprouted Quinoa Trio – it’s a pantry staple I cannot live without!

My favorite way to consume these masala burgers are with a large salad and topped with pickles. YUM.

Enjoy!

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154 responses to “Homemade Quinoa Masala Burgers

  1. Hi! This recipe looks killer, but I’m not a fan of sweet burgers. I know that regular potato doesn’t have as much nutrition, but would that give a similar consistency?

    1. Hi Christa – I think a regular potato would probably work. You might like them with the sweet potato though. They are not really sweet – there is a hint but they have all of those great spices so there is a really unique flavor to them. So yummy.

    2. I used carrots since I didn’t have any sweet potatoes at home. I suspect that you could almost use any root vegetable 🙂

  2. I JUST finished feeding the whole famy these burgers. They were AMAZING! My kids and husband NEVER eat the same foods bc my husband likes spicy and HOT food. I added chopped jalepeno on his burgers just before baking. I did not omit the cayenne from the others and my 2 1/2 yr old and 4 1/2 ur gobbled them up! Excellent fusion of flavors. Not too sweet and not too spicy but super-flavorful!!
    Thanks for making my night!

  3. i made these today and they were great! i made a few changes though. i sauteed the onion with spices. upped the amount of spice too. i also added organic peas and chopped a bunch of og. spinach and steamed them along with the sweet potatoes. turned out really tasty. been making a variety of veggie burgers from scratch for years and these were a welcomed addition to the rotation. thanks a bunch for all your great work! i follow your efforts and really appreciate them.

    1. I have made these burgers for dinner tonight. I had a small nibble on one that broke as I was removing it from the baking tray. It is delicious! I had steamed my sweet potato rather than baking it, so I wonder if this made the ingredients a little wet. Consequently, due to the wetness, I had to bake them about 10 minutes longer. Next time I will bake the sweet potato rather than steam it prior to mixing the ingredients together. Thanks, Food Babe. I enjoy reading your website, and love your recipes! 🙂

  4. Having been online looking @ the serious consequences (environmental and social to name a couple) of the worldwide demand for quinoa exported from a tiny growing region, I am no longer buying quinoa. How about rice instead?

    1. If you’re referring to the article that was published regarding the popularity of quinoa driving up the prices so that the locals can’t even afford to eat the grain that they’re harvesting – that was debunked. Look into it. It’s perfectly safe to buy this product w/o hurting the villagers who are making their living from it.

      1. I think both of you may be overreacting a bit. There is much more nuance to the situation than simply “Don’t eat that- it’s bad for the environment and the locals that grow it,” and “That’s been debunked!” One Slate.com article does not a debunk make. Even that slate article focuses on the nuances and caveats; it does not proport to debunk the quinoa crisis myth. It says, “Hold on, we need to look more closely here. Here is the link http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/01/quinoa_bad_for_bolivian_and_peruvian_farmers_ignore_the_media_hand_wringing.html

        The TL;DR version is this- the rising popularity of quinoa all over the world is causing a period of adjustment. We’re still waiting for a domestic food company to begin producing quinoa here in the US (there are a few small producers here, but it’s a tiny fraction of a percentage of the global supply).
        As with any poor country trying to figure out how to lift its population out of general poverty, there must be a series of ups-and downs as ithey reach an equilibrium. How do you keep Quinoa affordable for the native population, but also balance the economic and agricultural impact of soaring export demand?
        And then throw into the mix our fun little American tendancy to export our terrible dietary lifestyle to countries already struggling with malnutrition (white bread, noodles…) Well… It might look grim to conscienscouly continue to eat quinoa. However, To stop altogether using a product that is just getting on its feet industrially in Peru and Bolivia, may well be knocking the legs out from under the very thing that could help these countries develop.
        I will continue to purchase quinoa, but I’ll be keeping my eye on how all of this goes. It’s only a matter of time before an American company secures the investment money to begin production here at home, and when that happens… well, I may just move out west and become part og the gold rush 😉

      1. I agree. Rice was just an occasional food.

        But since I found out about Quinoa last April, I eat it for breakfast, lunch and or dinner – Just depends on what you put in it.

        I especially love ground been (grass-fed) and jalapenos & spices.
        And then I love it with fruit… lol

        So very much better than any rice I’ve eaten.

  5. Just made these and they are delicious! Thanks for all you do and the yummy recipes! 5*****

  6. I’ve been vegetarian for 3-1/2 years now, but I’m not a cook and really don’t care to. I’ve been eating mostly the products listed above. I’m also pursuing disability (living with a very understanding friend) and I don’t have an income at this time. So, I can’t even afford to go out and buy most of the ingredients for the recipes even if I did want to cook. I’d like to become vegan, but again, I can’t afford to. What other options do I have?

    1. Hi Andrea. Hope it’s ok if I jump in with a reply here. So sorry to hear that you are facing some challenges. My experience has been that meat and dairy are usually the most expensive things to buy at the grocery! Going vegan is a great way to SAVE MONEY! I make these burgers often but I simplify the recipe. Buying the quinoa in the bulk section of the grocery store makes it very affordable. Don’t be fooled by its tiny size….it swells to 3-4 times its size once cooked, and is a complete protein! If I was going to make this recipe on a super-tight budget, I’d use quinoa, sweet potato, egg or flax seed, half an onion, salt and pepper,and then I’d pick one other herb or spice, from the ingredient list, that appeals to you. I always use 1/2 an onion and I cut way back on the spices (omitting a few) when I make this recipe. Last night, i made them and cut the coconut oil by 1/2, only brushing one side. When you are on a budget, buy whatever fruits and veggies are on sale and eat them in a very simple way! Let the taste of the foods you are eating shine through. Lots of herbs and spices not needed. The bulk section is your best friend for affordable beans and grains 🙂 good luck!

  7. Hi Vani! Love your website and all the great information you are sharing with the world. My husband, daughter and myself ate pretty well, but we are now taking a closer look at the ingredient labels and are switching over to eating organic! Last night I made your Quinoa Masala Burgers and they were a big HIT! Yummy and full of flavor. Thanks for all your great work and the recipes you share 🙂

  8. I made these for Memorial Day and they are absolutely delicious. HOWEVER, they in no way could be put on the grill or stacked like the picture. They totally fell apart, and had to be scooped with a spoon onto our plates or buns. Couldn’t even use a spatula to remove them from the baking sheet. I followed the instructions exactly and don’t know what I did wrong, UNLESS the sweet potato was too large. The consistency before baking was extremely “juicy.” Could it have been the potato? I’d love to make them again and freeze for a quick burger, but that would be impossible. Thanks for any advice you can give.
    By the way, I loved your blog on Machu Picchu. I’ve stood right where you were, and it was one of the 2 most awesome moments in my travel life.

    1. Hi Jody – so sorry they fell apart on you. I just made them this week and mine stayed together really well. I think it could be the potato. Maybe you could make a little extra quinoa and if they seem too “wet” when you are making the patties add a little more. Hope you will try them again!

      1. Thanks Krista – I made them again last night (couldn’t wait), cut the sweet potato in half and they were perfect. Absolutely delicious!

  9. Hello,
    Please, where can I find garam masala? Does anyone know if Sprouts carries it?
    Thank you,
    Caroline.

  10. Oh, there is something else I forgot to ask: after baking the sweet potato, do I mash it with the other ingredients and spices in a bowl?

    1. Hi Caroline – You can find Garam Masala in most regular grocery stores with the other spices. Yes, mash the potato in with the other ingredients. You are going to love these!

  11. OMG I just made these and they are DELICIOUS. Thanks for sharing your recipe. One thing though – mine fell apart when I flipped them, so I can’t imagine them going on a grill. Any helpful hints? I followed the recipe exactly…Thanks again for the delicious recipe!!!! xoxo NicB

  12. Hi,
    First Food Babe, thanks for you efforts in getting the word out about eating organic and staying away from GMO foods. Really appreciate your site.
    I am presently on a raw diet (natural healing of cancer no chemo or radiation). I eat all organic and non-gmo. I do not cook food, but do use a dehydrator. Has anyone tried the recipe using a dehydrator?

    Thanks,
    John

  13. These burgers are delicious! I made them when I first went vegan and they made my transition so much easier. If you are having trouble keeping the burgers together make sure you are doing the binder right: the flaxseed should be ground before water is added, and then leave the mixture in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or as far in advance as you know you are going to be making the recipe. Leaving them overnight works best for me.

    1. Always use organic, unrefined coconut oil – these are so good, you are going to love them. The spices make them perfect.

    2. I made them with unrefined raw coconut oil too and were incredible!! You can barely taste the flavor of the coconut separately, but somehow, they blend in so well altogether!

  14. Your recipes never fail me. These are awesome and have amazing flavor! Having them for lunch this week in an Ezekiel wrap with sliced cucumber, tomato, baby spinach, and avocado. Thank you!!! =)

  15. Tried my first home made veggie burgers and it came out AMAZING!! I did tweak the recipe a bit and left out the curry powder (since I didn’t want it to taste like curry) and mustard seeds (didn’t have any). Instead, I sauteed the diced onions first with garlic and added some extra cumin and coriander to the garam masala spice. Then left them aside to cool down. The burgers came out incredible!! I can’t wait to try a couple more of the recipes and excited to get some additional equipment to try the chick-fil-a one too! Thanks, it’s been fun making these!

  16. I’ve had the Trader Joe’s veggie Masala burgers many times and they are delicious. I will definitely try making these though to compare!

  17. These look amazing and I will definitely be trying them soon! Meanwhile, I’m curious to know if Food Babe has ever visited ReBar restaurant in Victoria, BC, Canada. They’re a vegan restaurant with a cult-like following and they make an almond burger that is to die for. I’d love to see a recreation of their almond burger online. (They don’t share it in their recipe book, unfortunately!) Any almond burger recipes coming down the pipeline from Food Babe?

  18. These sound great, and I can’t wait to try. However, wondering if you can suggest any frozen veggie burgers out there?

  19. Made these last night for dinner & just ate the leftovers for lunch!
    I love these, thank you & so does my 5 year old son. so happy

    xo Mary Perkins

  20. I love these veggie burgers and have made them several times. I actually made them today and a few crumbles fell on the floor after they were baked…to my surprise my cat likes them too:)

  21. I made these this week and they were great. Delicious with Cilantro and I made a Greek yogurt/Dijon sauce. Thanks Vani!

  22. I just made these and added more veggies (zucchini, bell peppers and mint). It was out of this world delicious. Thank you!

  23. I was not impressed with these burgers. The spices tasted too raw. If I try them again, I would saute the spices in some butter or oil before incorporating them into the burger.

    1. Spices tasted raw? A masala is a combo of toasted spices but one has to be careful not to toast longer than needed. You can also buy a masala blend but if you look at an Indian cookbook, there are many different masalas that you can make and you can store them in your freezer because you’re not going to use the whole batch at one time. I would say to give it another go because I think this recipe is wonderful!

  24. THANK YOU! I have been looking for an alternative. Our 6 year old decided “no more animals” a few months ago and I have not been able to find a veggie burger without “KILLER” ingredients. Can’t wait to try these. We’ll let you know what her taste buds say 🙂

  25. Thanks for the recipe, these are in the oven as we speak! I had all of the ingredients in my house already which is always a plus! I am going to serve for lunch with baked kale chips and topped with a little bit of curried yogurt sauce I made with organic greek yogurt, maple syrup, curry powder, and raisins. Can’t wait to try it!

  26. Made this for lunch and the patties came out great! We enjoyed them very much and I’ll be making this again!

    1. Yes – I made my own garam masala. There are a lot of different types of masala but this one I had in the freezer. Cannot remember which one I made but all I know is that it was heaven with these quinoa burgers. So very delicious.

  27. I made these last night. They were so so good that I could eat them all. The only issue I had was that they fell apart when I tried to flip them after first 15 mins of baking. My guess is that the potato was more than required. Has anyone weighed the potato (pre-baked)? How many oz is it? Other ingredients are perfectly measured. The potato are in varying sizes. So it’s hard to guess what size potato to use. Nevertheless, the taste is awesome.

    Oh, just one more question. I have toasted flax seeds, will they work for this recipe. Thank you FoodBabe!

  28. I made these quinoa burgers last night and we all loved it. My husband wanted me to pack some, so that he can share with his colleagues but we landed up eating all. Next time I’ll share with others. Very healthy. I have tried trader joes masala burgers before, and if say that quinoa burgers taste better and very healthy than masala burgers from trader joes. I’ll never buy them again. I’ll make these at home instead.

  29. I am going to make these quinoa patties, love the ingredients listed. But I am wondering what size/weight sweet potato? Did you mash or cube the sweet potato? Thanks, Kathy

  30. I could not find garam masala at the grocery store. When I got home i looked up the spice so I could make it at home, but I don’t have the spices. I want to make these burgers tonight and I’m wondering how necessary are these spices?

  31. I just made these with my leftover quinoa and they were fantastic. My six-year old gave me a thumbs-up!

  32. What is the nutritional values for these burgers? I’m making these tonight and was wondering the calories as I usually document what I eat…. was just curious…. can’t wait for this evening….you have changed my life…. . Love you guys!!

  33. Is garam masala a spice??? My bf got some Indian stuff but it ‘a summer sauce.

    1. Yes & is a Spice Blend.
      You can purchase or you can make your own.
      One recipe (Easy….) is at Allspice.com
      There is at least one other recipe -but I’ve forgotten where it is located.

      I just searched & found these 2.

    2. Yes & GM is a Spice Blend.
      or you can make your own

      One recipe is at Allspice.com
      I found another one while searching online but can’t remember where it is located.

  34. Hello,
    You say you can prepare and freeze ahead of time. Should they be cooked prior to freezing or can you freeze the mixture in patty form for cooking later?
    Thanks,
    Colleen

    1. I would probably cook in a skillet and then freeze. When you want one later, I would reheat in a 400 degree oven until warmed through. I do that with a chipotle sweet potato and black bean burger recipe and it works well.

  35. I am always looking for new ways to make ‘burgers’ – The problem with this one – I Do NOT like sweet potatoes. Yes, they are good for you. But not if I don’t like.

    So how do they taste. Will the spices remove the sweet potato taste.

    Thanks.

  36. QUESTION????????????????????????????????

    I do not like sweet potatoes, or pumpkins… so I was wondering if the patty still tastes like sweet potatoes -with all the spices….

    I realize that SP are good for you…. & that is the only reason I am considering making these – but not if they taste like SP.

    1. You could try adding a little cumin or cayenne to the mix – I tend to find that I only enjoy sweet potatoes if they are balanced with a smoky, spicy flavor. Or try and find a white sweet potato (yam), as they are less sweet and a touch drier.

  37. Hi, I don’t use curry powder, what do you recommend instead? I keep all other Indian spices in my pantry.
    Looking forward to making these next week!

  38. I will definitely be trying these. We like various freezer section veggie burgers, but the cost and ingredients lists are barriers. I will probably move this towards a Mexican spice blend, even on the first try. I will get back to you on that.

  39. These are fantastic!! I am not a fan of sweet potatoes but these are really amazing! Hubby like them too. the sweet potato is not overpowering. This is also the first time we tried quinoa. Will defiantly make these again! Thank-you!

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