🥦🌱 Vegan Broccoli & Quinoa Cakes
Crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with broccoli, quinoa, herbs, and savory seasonings. These easy vegan cakes make a great lunch, appetizer, side dish, or meal-prep option.
Makes: 10–12 cakes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: ~40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
- 2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
- ½ cup cooked or canned chickpeas, mashed
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 5 tbsp water
- ½ cup breadcrumbs or panko
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil, for cooking
👩🍳 Instructions
- Make the flax egg: Mix the ground flaxseed with 5 tbsp water. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Cook the broccoli: Steam the broccoli for 3–4 minutes, just until tender but still bright green. Let it cool, then squeeze or pat it dry to remove excess moisture.
- Make the mixture: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, broccoli, mashed chickpeas, onion, garlic, nutritional yeast, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, seasonings, parsley, and the flax mixture.
- Mix: Stir thoroughly until the mixture holds together when pressed. If it feels too wet, add another 1–2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
- Shape: Form the mixture into 10–12 patties, about ½–¾ inch thick.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cakes for 15 minutes. This makes them much easier to cook without falling apart.
