Simple and quick gluten free quinoa cakes are topped with fresh tomato, feta cheese, and a crispy egg to make a complete meal on a plate.
The combination of creamy and crispy, bright fresh vegetables, and tangy feta cheese make these protein packed quinoa cakes a summer go to when I am not turning on the oven.
ahhh august, sultry sweaty august.
you give me peaches, tomatoes, peppers, you give me green beans, and corn, and tomatillos. the bounty is embarrassing. and yet someone at the farmers market complained because there was no kale. this is not the time of year when I miss kale. this is the time of year when I eat vine ripened tomatoes with every meal, peppers from a friends garden, add generous amounts of fresh herbs to everything I can.
I was going to make a quinoa bowl but then sadness and over cooked quinoa (it’s this last batch I bought, I can’t seem to get it fluffy). What to do with mushy quinoa? Make cakes! Savory creamy cakes. Sadness be gone because after a string of so so recipes this combination works. Maybe next time a little bit of lemon…
possible quinoa cake variations and some notes
if your quinoa is not mushy your cakes may not hold together quite as well
I used butter for the frying because I’m convinced (though I’ve never tested it) that eggs stick less in cast iron when you use butter rather than oil. You can use ghee instead for a higher smoking point. I like this with a crispy egg for texture and contrast but as always you can make your eggs however you want
as always the herbs can be switched (basil instead of parsley, flat leaf instead of curly)
you could also use a different sort of pepper or regular onion instead of green
I added no salt between the salt used to cook the quinoa, the mayo, the butter, and the feta it wasn’t needed.
garbanzo bean flour is a staple in our house have it on hand for socca if nothing else
quinoa cakes with fresh veggies and feta cheese topped with a crisp egg is a quick high protein cast iron meal. makes about five 1/4 cup cakes but can easily be double. the quinoa cakes also make a nice side with grilled chicken and cucumber salad.
cast iron quinoa cakes with crispy egg and feta
Equipment
- cast iron
Ingredients
for the quinoa cakes
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- about 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh red pepper I used an unknown variety that was mostly sweet with just a little heat
- 1 tablespoon or about one whole scallion) green onion minced
- black pepper to taste
- butter for frying
to top the cakes- per two cake serving
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
- 1 tablespoon (or to tastcrumbled feta cheese
- a few springs of the parsley and pieces of scallion
Instructions
- to make the cakes combine quinoa, garbanzo bean flour, mayo, and herbs and veggies of choice and stir until well combined
- preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add enough butter to coat the pan
- using a measuring up or scoop plop quarter cup sized balls of the quinoa mixture into the pan, then, using a spoon or spatula form into cakes and cook until deep golden brown and crispy on both sides (about five minutes per side)
- remove the cakes and up the heat on the burner to medium high
- when the pan is just smoking add another small dab of butter and the egg (or eggs if cooking for two or morthe egg with sputter and bubble, after just a few seconds turn off the heat and assemble your cakes and topping while the egg crisps
- take two or three quinoa cakes and top them with the feta and tomato when you are ready to eat quickly flip the egg (if neccessary to cook all the whitand then top the cakes with the egg, garnish with reserved green onion and parsley and eat
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