Quinoa Patties

5 from 711 votes

When you're looking for ways to use leftover quinoa, try these easy tasty vegetarian quinoa patties! Super simple to make and so good!

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Whether you’re looking for a way to use up leftover quinoa or just in search of a vegetarian protein option for dinner, these easy Quinoa Patties deliver! Pan-frying the patties makes them golden brown and crispy, perfect for adding your favorite sauce or stuffing into a burger bun. Lots of room for customization when making your quinoa patties, too!

Crispy quinoa patties on a round plate with fresh greens.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe At a Glance
  2. Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Quinoa Patties
  3. Popular substitutions & additions
  4. How to Make Quinoa Patties
  5. Tips for Making the Best Crispy Quinoa Patties
  6. What to Serve With Quinoa Cakes
  7. How to Store & Reheat Quinoa Patties
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Easy quinoa recipes:
  10. Quinoa Patties Recipe

One of my favorite staple pantry ingredients is quinoa. I cook 2 cups of quinoa at the beginning of the week and use it in all kinds of recipes. When I have some leftover, these quinoa patties are the perfect way to use them up! (For some more leftover quinoa recipes, try my Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats and Pizza Quinoa Bites.)

This recipe is very forgiving and versatile, so the exact measurements aren’t that important. But the good thing is the short list of ingredients are everyday items you may already have around.

Serve the quinoa patties with Avocado Crema for a delicious appetizer or side dish. It’s a winning combination that combines a cheesy, crispy quinoa cake with a fresh and light dip. And I guarantee you everyone will love them!

Recipe At a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Cheesy, savory
Skill Level: Easy

Standouts

  • A Delicious Vegetarian Protein: It’s not always easy to find vegetarian proteins the whole family will enjoy, but these pan-fried quinoa patties are the exception! With their cheesy flavor and crispy texture, they’re sure to be a hit.
  • Quick and Easy: These quinoa cakes are done in just 20 minutes! They’re perfect for those busy weeknights when you have to fit dinner between soccer practice and homework time.
  • Customizable: You can experiment with different cheeses, herbs, and toppings to make these crispy quinoa patties your own. The possibilities are endless!
  • Great for Meal Prep: If you meal prep the quinoa in advance, you can use it to make these quinoa patties during the week. But the quinoa patties themselves are also great for meal prep since they store well and are easy to reheat.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Quinoa Patties

Ingredients for recipe in individual bowls: spices, oil, shredded cheese, breadcrumbs, cooked quinoa, 2 eggs, and a red onion.
  • Cooked quinoa: Here’s how to cook quinoa.
  • Eggs: Eggs help hold the quinoa cakes together.
  • Seasonings: Oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper bring the flavor.
  • Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella has a neutral flavor that allows these quinoa patties to pair well with all kinds of sauces.
  • Red onion: Finely minced red onion doesn’t just add flavor, but also some moisture to the patty mixture.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: In addition to the eggs, panko helps bind the patties.
  • Avocado oil: Or another high smoke point oil you like to use for cooking. 
  • Try another cheese. Cheddar has a more assertive flavor, fontina or Parmesan would be delicious if you’re serving your crispy quinoa cakes with marinara, and smoked gouda is just all-around amazing. But feel free to use any other cheese you like!
  • Switch up the seasoning. You can make these quinoa patties Tex-Mex by using taco seasoning or chili powder, add za’atar, or swap the dried herbs for fresh—anything goes here!
  • Add spinach. Wilt some baby spinach in a skillet with olive oil and fold this into the quinoa mixture.
  • Make them gluten-free. Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to make these quinoa cakes gluten-free, or use oat flour or almond flour as a binder instead.

How to Make Quinoa Patties

If you don’t have the quinoa cooked ahead of time, you’ll need to factor in an extra 15 minutes for making this recipe.

Make the quinoa patties

  1. Combine the cooked quinoa and eggs in a medium bowl.
  2. Stir in the cheese and onions.
  3. Add the panko and stir.
  4. Let the mixture sit so the panko can absorb some of the moisture.
  5. Use wet hands to form the quinoa mixture into patties.
  6. Set the patties on a plate or tray.
6 image collage making recipe: 1- quinoa and eggs in a bowl, 2- after mixing with shredded cheese and chopped red onions added, 3- after mixing with breadcrumbs added, 4- after combined, 5- forming in to a ball, 6- shaping into a patty.

Pan fry the quinoa patties

  1. Cook the patties in a nonstick skillet with the avocado oil.
  2. Flip and cook the other side until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
2 image collage pan frying recipe.

Tips for Making the Best Crispy Quinoa Patties

  1. Finely mince or grate the onion. You don’t want big pieces of crunchy onions in your quinoa cakes! Grated or finely minced onion means the flavor will be more evenly distributed, too.
  2. Be sure to let the mixture sit a bit before forming patties. The panko will absorb some of the moisture, and your patties will hold together better.
  3. Adjust as needed. Once you form the patties, feel free to add more breadcrumbs, more cheese, or more water if you find the mixture is too dry.
  4. Add more oil to the pan if needed. I only needed 4 tablespoons, but if your patties are sticking (which can happen if your pan isn’t nonstick) or the pan seems dry, you can add some more.
Quinoa patties stacked up on a small plate to show crispy crust.

What to Serve With Quinoa Cakes

How to Store & Reheat Quinoa Patties

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the quinoa patties in the microwave, a 350ºF oven, or a nonstick skillet set over medium heat.

How long will quinoa patties last in the fridge?

These crispy quinoa patties will last for about 5 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze quinoa cakes?

Yes, you can freeze these quinoa cakes either before or after cooking them:

  • To freeze them prior to cooking, lay them on a flat baking dish in the freezer for at least 4 hours. When frozen, place them in an airtight bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook per instructions.
  • To freeze them after cooking, simply store them in an airtight bag after they’ve cooled. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bake these quinoa patties instead?

Yes! Place the quinoa patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the oil on top of the patties. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 15 minutes, until golden.

What can I do if the quinoa patty mixture is too wet?

If you started with quinoa that was on the soggy side, your quinoa patty mixture may be too moist to form into patties. Add more panko to absorb the excess moisture.

Can I use these quinoa patties for veggie burgers?

Yes! You can form larger, thicker patties and use them as veggie burgers. You’ll get 6 to 8 veggie burger patties from this recipe, depending on how big you make them.

A few quinoa patties on a small plate with a fork and bite taken, small plate of more nearby.

Make these quinoa patties for any occasion and any time of year. They’re addictively cheesy, delicious and perfect for a healthy snack or appetizer! And the great thing about them is you can make them ahead and freeze to have them ready to heat up whenever you need a quick protein option.

Easy quinoa recipes:

If you try this feel good Quinoa Patties recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

This Quinoa Patties recipe was originally published on April 1, 2019. The recipe has not been modified but the post has been updated with new step-by-step photos and more helpful information.

Quinoa Patties

When you're looking for ways to use leftover quinoa, try these easy tasty vegetarian quinoa patties! Super simple to make and so good!
5 from 711 votes
Servings 10 patties
Calories 127
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Combine quinoa, eggs, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese and onions.
  • Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. Use a ¼ cup measuring up to scoop, wet your hands with water and form them into patties. It should make about 10 patties
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place half of the quinoa patties on the heated pan and cook until the patties are golden color, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set aside and repeat with the remaining oil and remaining patties.

Notes

The nutrition label is for 1 patty. This recipe serves about 4 people.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze the patties before or after cooking them.
  • To freeze them prior to cooking, lay them on a flat baking dish in the freezer for at least 4 hours. When frozen, place them in an airtight bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook per instructions.
  • To freeze them after cooking, simply store them in an airtight bag after they’ve cooled. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • Instead of eggs, you can use a flax eggs. For each regular egg, use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water.
  • Any type of shredded cheese can be used in place of mozzarella.
  • If you prefer not to use breadcrumbs, you can use a gluten-free flour like almond flour or oat flour, or you can also use panko breadcrumbs.
Equipment:  I love using my Cuisinart Smart Stick mini blender for making dips. It’s quick and easy and gets me the perfect consistency, without any chunks of avocado and cilantro leftover.
Serving Size: One serving is 1-2 patties with the dip. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1patty, Calories: 127kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 151mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 89IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Appetizer, Entree

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I made these and froze my leftovers…when I was ready to make them, I forgot to take them out to thaw, as directed, so went ahead and just put them in the oven frozen; they still turned out perfectly! 20 minutes at 350 worked like a charm. Made a great meal in no time. 😋

    1. I haven’t tried that myself, but I have baked them in the oven. To do that, place the quinoa patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the oil on top of the patties. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 15 minutes, until golden.

      1. Awesome, I will do the oven method!
        Not too good with frying stuff plus I like to use least amount of oil. Getting older..both of us 55+🙄

  2. I am so happy I came across your recipe while searching for one to use up leftover quinoa. I modified it according to other things needing to be used up in my fridge. (monterey jack, feta, and parmesan cheeses, shredded carrot, chopped parsley, and chopped red bell pepper) Not only are they tasty, they are so pretty with the colorful veggies.

  3. I made the patties for a girl’s night dinner party and served with a sour cream dip. They were delicious and everyone asked for the recipe! I ended up using green onions, garlic, shredded zucchini, a 3 cheese blend, and almond flour. My son is gluten-free and he loved these, so I’ll be making them to send in his lunches. I just saw someone made waffles out of this, and I’ll be trying that next!

  4. Mine turned out a little flimsy and hard to mold then they didn’t fry well 🙁 they were kinda soggy and didn’t come off the pan as a crispy morsel. They were kind of falling apart. Help! What am I doing wrong?? What should I add more of? I left two on for longer to test it out but the outer layer just burnt to the pan and middle was still soggy and falling apart :(( what should I do next time?

    1. So sorry these didn’t come out as expected! You can try adding a little more water to the mixture and letting that absorb so the patties are easier to form. You can also try popping the formed patties in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before frying to help firm them up. Hope this helps.

  5. Turned out to be great as waffles, I just cut the amount of panko in half and ended up with a very thick batter to make leftover quinoa waffles for lunch today. The sauce filled up the little waffle indentations and I serve it all with spicy beef sausage and a salad on the side.

  6. Didn’t make the sauce so I can only rate the patties. Great texture, a little lacking on flavor but sauce could make up for that. I went ahead and cooked the onion and garlic because I can’t stand raw onion and I was taking no chances putting it in the patties raw. After I added additional dry seasonings (garlic, onion, paprika, parsley and parmesan cheese) the flavor was more to my liking. I will definitely keep this recipe around for future use. I think they would also be great in nugget form for a meat free nugget for kids. Next time I think ill add some additional (cooked) veggies such as shredded carrot/zucchini/spinach (squeezed to remove extra liquid). Cant wait to try the dip next time. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    1. The raw onions and garlic do add the additional flavor to the patties while it’s cooking, when you cook them first it does take some of the flavor away. So glad you enjoyed it though!

  7. These were delicious! I put a Mediterranean spin on them by using feta instead of mozzarella and adding some z’aatar seasoning, then put them atop a Greek salad…yum!! I used an ice cream scoop to create equal portions and it turned out making 9 patties. Thinking of other spice variations…maybe even apple and cinnamon and eating for breakfast! I’ll make extra next time for freezing. Thanks for an easy and tasty recipe!

    1. Oh I love both those variation ideas!! The apple cinnamon sound so good and is so creative – thanks for the great suggestions!

  8. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have been trying to use up everything in my fridge so I altered it a bit! Substituted almond flour, havarti cheese and scallions. My quinoa is cooked and vegetable broth so that also added complexities to the flavor!
    For the dip I used sour cream, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper with chopped green onions. Absolutely delicious and what a great way to use up ingredients/leftovers!

  9. These are our new favourite meal! Healthy and delicious! I made them for shared morning tea and they were so popular.

  10. These were really easy to make, and absolutely DELICIOUS! I’ll be making them again soon. Thanks so much for posting the recipe!

  11. I made them exactly as directed and they were delicious and the texture was delightfully crunchy. These will be in our repertoire as we both gave them a thumbs up.

  12. UNBELIEVABLE!
    Just made them for lunch. Basted them with oil and placed them in a small oiled dish in the air fryer for 10 minutes. Super easy, super tasty. Definitely going to make these over and over again. Thank you!!!

  13. I despise cilantro- yea I have the gene…
    Do you think dill would pare well with avocado, or should I use parsley that I know interchanges with cilantro in most recipes? Thanks

  14. I am surprised this recipe calls for canola oil, which is horrible for one’s health. I may try making it, but I will use a different oil, such as EVOO, coconut or avocado. Please research canola (rape seed oil) and edit recipes. Blessings and thanks.

    1. Thank you for pointing that out! I am constantly updating my recipes, as I re-test them and learn new information. I have made the switch to avocado oil and am in the process of making sure my older recipes reflect that too. Let me know what you think if you make it!

    1. Thank you! To freeze them prior to cooking, lay them on a flat baking dish in the freezer for at least 4 hours. When frozen, place them in an airtight bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook per instructions. To freeze them after cooking, simply store them in an airtight bag after they’ve cooled. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through.

  15. You need a print version for your recipe’s! I printed one recipe and it was 10 pages because of all the ads!

    1. If you scroll to the recipe card, there’s a printer icon. When you click on it, I have it formatted in a way to print on 1-2 pages maximum with no images, no large font or anything that takes up too much ink. Can you try that? It should work fine.

  16. Made without the cheese or bread crumbs, but family loved them. Will definitely make again! Thanks!

  17. I do not like quinoa in any way shape or form. I’ve tried it for years in several different recipes and just hated the texture. These patties taste AMAZING! Thankyou for the recipe

  18. I don’t often leave reviews, so the fact that I’m leaving one means this was truly extra special. I loved the ease of it but the crunch and savouriness still would’ve been worth it with extra work. Looking forward to playing with substitutes as time goes on because I know this is becoming a very quick staple!

  19. Oh, these were so yummy, fast, and easy! Used a combination of white and red quinoa cooked in broth (NOT-CHICK’N), parm for cheese, finely diced onion and red bell pepper, and crushed oregano. Served with a drizzle of basil pesto sauce and a side of lightly steamed baby spinach. This is going to be one of those recipes for weeknights when we’re short on time and ideas. Can definitely see taking it in lots of different directions. Thanks for sharing!

  20. These were AMAZING!!! Added some shredded carrot and ground turkey and I can’t wait to make them again.

  21. My husband and I loved these! I added lemon juice to the dip. Next time I’m going to add jalapeño to the patties to give them a bit of kick. Definitely a do-over. Thank you for the recipe!

  22. Turned out great! I used extra garlic because we love garlic, and they were scrumptious. Made them a little bigger and served them for dinner.

      1. Yummy! A perfect base to personalize it with other veggies and seasonings!! I did add nutritional yeast too. Always try to squeeze it in when possible. Thank you!

  23. Perfect! Had to use a bit of feta and parmesan, because there was no mozarella at home and they turned out wonderful! 🙂

  24. Hi! Thanks for the recipe! I’ve been making these for quite some time and love them! I was wondering if you can provide the nutritional info with the dip?

    1. You’re so welcome! I’m glad to hear it. The nutrition value (333kcal) is for 1-2 patties with the dip.

      1. Thank you for sharing this recipe! These are delicious and I didn’t feel the least bit guilty while eating them. I can’t wait to cook the rest of batter tomorrow.

      2. I kept the recipe from several months ago and tonight I am making them for the 2nd time. With so many recipes out there, getting into my rotation is a huge compliment. These are very good. I especially appreciate the commentary on versatility and variations. Tonight I am cooking the quinoa broth with a touch of thai curry paste and some lemon zest (because I do not have any lemon grass) This is such a wonderfully delicious vegetarian option. Thanks!

  25. Made them tonight. Fabulous! I added a bit of diced tomato to the patty and lemon juice to the dip

  26. Hi! Does the nutrition label include the Avocado Yogurt dip? Also what are you using to measure out the patties so they are about the same size? Thank you.

    1. Yes! The nutrition value is for 1-2 patties with the dip – there may be some dip leftover though. I estimate the size for the patties.

  27. Hi! If I want to make half today and half tomorrow, do you recommend cooking them all at once? Or leaving some of the “batter” raw, placing in the fridge and cooking that tomorrow?

    1. I recommend leaving some of the batter raw and cooking it the next day! Lay the patties on a flat baking dish and store them in an airtight bag. The next day, cook per instructions!

  28. Can you make these in the air fryer instead of frying in oil? I want to make them but I use my air fryer instead of frying things in oil

    1. I haven’t tried that yet, but I definitely think it’ll work! You may have to experiment with the timing though. Let me know if you give it a go!

  29. Does the cilantro go in the dip or in the patties or both? You say to add the cilantro to the patties in step 1, but the only measurement for cilantro is down in the ingredient list for the dipping sauce, unless I’ve missed it somewhere else. Just a little confused. Thanks, I’m going to make these tonight

    1. Sorry for the late reply but the cilantro was meant only for the sauce. It definitely doesn’t hurt to add it to the quinoa patties. And originally I threw some in the patties, but decided to minimize the ingredient list. I hope you enjoyed them!!

  30. A 5 star recipe! We enjoyed this as a quinoa burger alternative and it was delicious. Just wondering how well these would work out on the bbq.

  31. Yum! I just made these without the cheese and they still held together and are delicious. Thanks so much for this recipe.

  32. I love these!!! I replaced the mozzarella with cheddar cheese but didn’t taste it much. Do you think the patties would stay together if I added more cheese? Or perhaps a different type? I’m not a huge fan of mozzarella.

  33. yummy!! saw someone share this recipe on instastories and found your full recipe and had to try as had quinoa left over. used sweet potato and carrot as had these to use up and it tasted amazing. Quinoa goes lovely and crispy when fried!! definitely making these agin.

    1. Yay! I’m so glad you tried the recipe and added leftover veggies to it! It’s one of my favorite cleaning out the fridge recipes. Thank you so much for sharing!!

  34. Made these today for iftar to break our fast with and they were a hit! I added shredded zucchini because I had those on hand. Love how versatile this recipe is; I can see how other ingredients can be incorporated into the recipe. Next time I’ll be making more to freeze for later use!

    1. I made this today, and Patties came out absolutely delicious, the best part of it was that I just used leftovers, also it was super easy to follow the recipe. I used ‘latino chesse’ instead of mozzarella and worked amazing.
      Thank you so much, your recipes nailed it!! ?
      Saludos desde Barcelona!