Quinoa Patties with Sweet Corn and Herbs
These quinoa patties with sweet corn and herbs are crisp on the outside, tender inside, and ready in about 30 minutes. You boil quinoa, fold it together with sweet corn, onion, fresh parsley and nutritional yeast, bind everything with a little breadcrumb, then pan-fry small patties until golden. They make a satisfying meatless main or a fun finger food, and they work with either an egg or a flax egg, so you can keep them vegetarian or take them fully vegan.
I became the number one fan of quinoa patties the first time I cooked with quinoa, when I made my Quinoa Patties with Feta Cheese and Olives. They were among the best veggie patties I have ever made and ate, and they got shared like crazy on Pinterest. That convinced me to cook more with quinoa, so I started exploring new versions. I got the idea to mix it with sweet corn and fresh herbs, and that is how this recipe was born.
A closer look at the ingredients
The base is one cup of boiled quinoa. Rinse it before cooking to wash off the natural saponin coating that can taste bitter, then cook it and let it cool a little so it is not steaming hot when you mix. Sweet corn brings little bursts of sweetness against the savory quinoa, and a whole bunch of chopped fresh parsley keeps everything bright. The diced onion adds depth, while four tablespoons of nutritional yeast give a cheesy, umami note without any dairy.
For binding you have two options. One egg works, or use a flax egg made from two tablespoons of ground flax seeds (psyllium husks also work) mixed with three tablespoons of water. The breadcrumbs are there to soak up excess moisture and bring the mixture to a paste-like consistency, so think of them as an adjustable ingredient rather than a fixed amount.
Why these patties hold together
Patties fall apart when the mixture is too wet or has nothing to set as it cooks. That is why two things matter here. First, the egg or flax egg acts as the binder: the flax version needs five minutes of resting in water so it turns gel-like before you add it, which is what gives it that egg-like holding power. Second, the breadcrumbs absorb the liquid the corn and quinoa release, so you add them gradually until the mixture stops being watery and starts holding a shape. Get those two right and the patties stay intact in the pan.
Tips for getting them right
- Add breadcrumbs slowly. Start with three tablespoons, wait a moment for them to absorb the water, then add more only if the mixture is still loose. Rushing this is the main reason patties turn out either too dry or too soft.
- If you use the flax egg, give it the full five minutes to thicken. A runny flax mix will not bind properly.
- Keep the patties small, about one tablespoon of mixture each, so they cook through evenly in the two minutes per side.
- Use a non-stick pan with just a little oil and do not crowd it, so each patty gets real contact with the hot surface and develops a golden crust.
- Drain the canned corn well before adding it, otherwise the extra liquid will throw off the breadcrumb balance.
What to serve with quinoa patties
These are flexible enough to pair with almost anything. I love them next to a creamy salad like this cauliflower creamy salad, or with a batch of homemade sweet potato fries for a more indulgent plate. They also slot neatly into a wider patty spread: if you want options, try my healthy vegan falafel alongside them. And if you are cooking quinoa more often these days, my collection of vegan quinoa recipes has plenty more ideas to rotate through.
Storing and making ahead
Cooked patties keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days, which makes them a great meal-prep option for quick lunches. Reheat them in a dry non-stick pan or the oven rather than the microwave so they get their crisp edge back. You can also freeze them: let them cool fully, freeze in a single layer first so they do not stick together, then transfer to a container or bag. If you enjoy this style of cooking, you might also like my sweet zucchini fritters or the veggie burger guide for getting any patty just right.
If you make these quinoa patties, I would love to know whether you went with the egg or the flax version, and how golden you got that crust. Leave a star rating and drop a comment below with any herbs or tweaks you tried.
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Quinoa Patties with Sweet Corn and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa boiled
- 1 onion diced
- 1 can sweet corn
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
- 1 egg or 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds (or psyllium husks)+ 3 Tbsps water
- 4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbsps breadcrumbs
- salt and ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the ground flax and water in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add all ingredients except breadcrumbs, in a large bowl. Mix well.
- It may be a little watery, so add breadcrumbs. Start by adding 3 Tbsps and wait a little so they absorb the excess water. Add more until all liquid is absorbed and the composition has a paste-like consistency.
- Grease a non-stick pan with some oil and add the patties. 1Tbsp per patty. Fry 2 minutes on each side.
Frequently Asked Questions
They can be. The recipe gives you a choice of binder: one egg keeps them vegetarian, or you can swap in a flax egg (2 tablespoons ground flax seeds or psyllium husks plus 3 tablespoons water) to make them fully vegan. Every other ingredient, including the nutritional yeast, is plant-based, so the flax version is completely vegan.
Usually the mixture was too wet or the binder did not set. Add the breadcrumbs gradually until the mix holds a paste-like consistency, and drain the canned corn well first. If you use a flax egg, let it rest in water for the full 5 minutes so it turns gel-like before mixing, since a runny flax egg will not bind.
Yes, it helps. Quinoa has a natural saponin coating that can taste bitter or soapy, so rinsing it under cold water before cooking gives you a cleaner, sweeter flavor in the finished patties. After boiling, let it cool a little before mixing so it is not steaming hot.
The recipe is written for pan-frying about 2 minutes per side, which gives the best golden crust. If you prefer to bake, shape the patties, place them on a lined tray, brush lightly with oil, and bake at a moderate oven temperature, flipping once, until both sides are firm and golden. They will be a touch softer than the fried version.
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, so they are great for meal prep. To freeze, cool them fully and freeze in a single layer first so they do not stick, then transfer to a container or bag. Reheat in a dry pan or the oven to bring back the crisp edges.
They work as a light main or a side. Pair them with a fresh salad, sweet potato fries, or other veggie patties for a spread, and add a dip or sauce on the side. Drained, well-seasoned patties also make a good cold lunch the next day.
CAN I USE SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN BREADCRUMBS AS I DONT EAT BREAD
You can try oats – blend them roughly before using.
Made these in the oven the other day and they turned out absolutely amazing. I plan on doing them again tomorrow. So good!!!
Happy to hear you liked the recipe! 😀
Sunt vegetariana si inebunita dupa chiftele(ca si tine). Am incercat majoritatea retetelor de chiftele de pe site-ul tau: chiftele de naut, de linte, dar reteta asta le intrece pe toate. Eu le fac mereu la cuptor ca nu mananc prajit si au iesit f f foarte bune. Le-am facut vegane(cu cartof) si s-a legat foarte bine compozitia. Multumesc pentru retele, sunt pe aceeasi lungime de unda cu preferintele mele. Parca le scrii pt mine :).
Ma bucur mult sa aud asta! 😀 Asa am inceput si eu sa fac la chiftelute, folosesc cartofi in loc de ou. Se leaga f ok. O sa re-editez retetele sa mentionez asta, ca le-am testat deja in varianta vegana.
in sfarsit am reusit sa fac chiftelutele. in pacate nu stiu de ce nu s-au legat deloc… le-am pus la cuptor, dar rezultatul a fost foarte gustos. stii care ar pute fi fost motivul pentru care nu s-au legat? am pus faina de in.
Ai urmat reteta intocmai? E imposibil sa nu se lege, am refacut reteta de o gramada de ori 🙂 Sa inteleg ca ai facut varianta vegana cu “ou” din faina de in. Nu trebuia sa pui doar faina de in ci trebuia sa adaugi si cateva linguri de apa in ea (asa cum am scris in reteta) ca sa se formeze gelatina. Asa ai facut?
Ah acum am vazut ca pentru reteta asta nu am varianta vegana trecuta. Nici nu am incercat reteta fara ou. La cele la care am incercat si fara ou am specificat. Daca urmezi reteta intocmai nu ai cum sa dai gres 🙂 Sper sa iti iasa data viitoare.
am stat cu reteta in fata :). am pus doua linguri de faina de in cu apa si s-a facut o pasta. quinoa am lasat-o vreo 15-20 min. la fiert. e drept nu am pus patrunjel, ci morcov ras, dar nu cred ca asta a fost problema. oricum ce a iesit, era destul de tare, nu am avut nevoie de mult pesmet sa ingros, dar nu s-a legat… nu stiu poate data viitoare o sa fie mai bine 🙂
Adelina, in primul rand reteta nu contine faina de in asa ca nu poti spune ca ai urmat reteta intocmai 🙂 Am facut si retete vegane si am cateva pe site cu ou din in, dar la asta chiar nu am incercat varianta fara ou si nu pot sa iti spun cum ar iesi in varianta vegana. Imi pare rau ca nu a iesit cum trebuie. In cazul in care consumi oua, incearca reteta asa cum e ea. Nu o sa ai probleme sa se usuce sau sa nu se inchege. Promit ca voi testa si o varianta vegana si daca iese ceva bun, te anunt 🙂
de aia si intrebasem inainte dc se poate inlocui oul :(. asta e. poate in timp va iesi. mersi
AA..acum am vazut ca ai mai lasat un comentariu in care ma intrebai de varianta vegana. Singurul substitut pt ou sarat e cel cu in intradevar. Raspunsul meu a fost cu “cred ca” pt ca nu am incercat chiftelute vegane cu quinoa. La cele de linte si naut am incercat cu in si se leaga bine. Poate exista o alta varianta de substitut vegan pt chiftelutele de quinoa. Ma voi intetesa 🙂 Scuze, a fost greseala mea 🙂
I really enjoy quinoa and this looks like a great recipe to use the left-overs. Love the fact that you finish them in the oven so you do not have to keep an eye on them frying!
Thank you! Glad you like it! 🙂 There are two ways to cook them: frying and baking. I tried both and they turn out just as good.
Se pot inlocui (scoate) ouale din reteta? Incerc sa renunt la oua, dar reteta mi se pare foarte interesanta si as vrea sa o incerc.
Fara ou nu am incercat reteta, insa reteta de Chiftelute de naut e fara ou si mi-a iesit tare buna. Cred ca ai putea sa adaugi un “ou” facut din faina de in si apa. Amesteci 2 linguri de faina de in cu putina apa si lasi sa se faca gelatina. Apoi adaugi amestecul in compozitia de chiftelute. Ar trebui sa mearga, leaga ff bine. Sa imi spui cum ti-au iesit!