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The very best Crispy Quinoa Burgers Topped with Sweet Potato Fries and Beer Caramelized Onions. Perfectly spiced vegetarian quinoa burgers, pan-cooked until extra crispy on the outside, yet soft and cheesy in the middle. Top each burger with beer caramelized onions and spicy gluten-free sweet potato fries. Yes, this burger is every bit as DELICIOUS as it sounds. It’s the ultimate quinoa burger that’s anything but boring. Perfect for your game day eats…and any other burger day in between.
Sandwiches of any kind are one of the foods I struggle with most when it comes to photography. It’s stupid, but because I struggle with them so much I always avoid sharing any kind of sandwich recipe. I literally cringe at the thought of photographing them. The fear of an ugly food photo stops me in my tracks.
I know, I know, stupid. But hey, look at me today! Here I am with my favorite quinoa burger. I can’t say I find these photos are Pinterest worthy, but it’s a burger, and it may never be gorgeous. The brothers said they looked good, Mom said they look good. So I’m trusting their opinions and sharing despite what I think.
Point is that these burgers have been a favorite since the very, very beginning of HBH. And with the Super Bowl on Sunday, I obviously had to share them…these really are the BEST quinoa burgers.
Yes, these burgers are EVERYTHING. And that’s not an exaggeration in the least, they just have so much going on. These are what we call the “epic” crispy quinoa burger. Crispy, cheesy burgers topped with melted Gruyere cheese, buttery beer caramelized onions, spicy-sweet potatoes fries, fresh herbs, and even a little avocado.
Everything about this recipe is SO GOOD. These are not your average quinoa burgers.
The burger details…
Here is what I will say, this is not my most “super simple” recipe. But nothing about making these burgers is hard. There are a handful of steps, and you do need to have a little time to make them. But you can do so much ahead of time, and trust me, the extra time in the kitchen is worth it.
Start with the burgers themselves in a large bowl. The mixture is made up of quinoa, white beans, bread crumbs, and egg. The key to creating the best quinoa burger? The combination of the spices and cheese in the burgers themselves. You have to give them flavor, so I use a touch of chipotle chili powder and plenty of sharp cheddar cheese.
Form the quinoa mix into patties and keep them covered in the fridge while you prepare the sweet potato fries.
Now for those sweet potato fries…
They’re simply the best thing to ever be put on top of a burger. Dramatic, but true.
I like to cut my fries super thin and skinny and then toss them with a mix of chili powder and smoky paprika. Roast in the oven until crisp on the outside, but still soft in the center. Fair warning, these fries are addicting. You might just double the recipe. Some for the top of the burger and some to snack on.
Just a thought…
Ah, and those beer caramelized onions…
Yes, you need these too, because you can never go wrong with caramelized onions. I know it seems like a bit much, but go with me on this.
Using beer to caramelize the onions not only adds additional flavor right into the onions but it also helps them to cook down and caramelize faster. If you love caramelized onions, you will love these onions even more. They’re truly so good, even onion haters enjoy them.
Once the onions are cooked, the fries are ready, and the burgers have been crisped in the skillet, it’s assembly time. Find your favorite buns, toast them up, then add a cheesy burger to each bun. Add the beer caramelized onions and sweet potatoes. At this point, you could be done. OR you can take the burger a step further with mashed avocado, a fried egg, and fresh herbs.
Do what you’d love most here, completely up to you as to how you finish these. Just be sure not to skip the onions or the fries. These are two key toppers that you really do NEED.
A few tips…
The burger patties themselves don’t need to be put in the fridge for chilling. I just recommend doing so while you make the fries for a nice texture. If you need to pan-fry these up right after forming, that works just as well.
You can make the burgers up to four or five days in advance and keep in the fridge. Or you can pop them in the freezer for up to four months. If you plan to freeze the burgers, I like to wrap in parchment paper for storage.
If you don’t enjoy cooking with beer, just caramelize the onions without the beer following these directions.
These make for a fun Monday dinner. Or plan to make them on Sunday for the Super Bowl. Either is great, but once you make these, my hope is that you’ll be making them on repeat throughout the year! They’re healthy(ish), easy(ish), and so very delicious.
Fingers crossed you all love them as much as we do!
If you make these crispy quinoa burgers topped with sweet potato fries and beer caramelized onions, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Quinoa Burgers Topped with Sweet Potato Fries and Beer Caramelized Onions
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 969 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Quinoa Burgers
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup cannellini beans mashed
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- 6 burger buns, toasted
- fried eggs, mashed avocado, and herbs, for serving (optional)
Sweet Potato Fries
- 4 sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for cooking
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
Beer caramelized onions
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup beer, such as pumpkin, lager, or pilsner
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, mashed beans, Panko, egg, garlic, chili powder, cheese, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Form the mix into 5-6 equal burgers. Place on a plate, cover, and transfer to the fridge. 2. To make the fries. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, chili powder, paprika, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Spread the fries in an even layer. Do not overcrowd the pan, if needed, divide the fries between 2 baking sheets Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip and bake for 15-20 minutes more. You want the sweet potatoes to be tender, yet crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the onions. Melt the butter and onions together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. At this point, you want to slowly add the beer, 1/4 cup at a time, until the beer cooks into the onions. Continue to cook another 8-10 minutes until you've used all of the beer and the onions are deeply caramelized. Remove the onions from the skillet to a plate.5. Cook the burgers in the same skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the burgers and cook until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking add the Gruyere cheese, cover, and cook 2-3 minutes, until the cheese has melted. 6. To assemble, place each burger on a bun, top with caramelized onions and sweet potatoes. If desired, add a fried egg, mashed avocado, and fresh herbs. ENJOY.
Notes
To Make Ahead: the burgers can be formed and kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cook as directed.
Freezing: the burgers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 4 months. To cook, thaw on the counter for 1-2 hours, then cook as directed.
Baking Instead of Pan Cooking: you can bake the burgers on an oiled baking sheet at 425˚ for 20 minutes, flip and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, until crisped. Note that you will not get as crispy of a burger this way.
This post was originally published on January 27, 2020
In the video, it looks like you used black beans, but the recipe calls for cannellini beans. Would either work?
HI there! Either black or white beans work well with this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Love ! LOVE! Made withOUT the fries, the cheese, onions, nor egg on top- the burgers alone have a fantastic flavor,,,
Thank you so much Janie!
Hello Tieghan,
I love this recipe! I just have one question, can I freeze the burger patties for later? If so, how long do they last? Thanks! Have a lovely day!
Hello Tieghan,
I love this burger recipe! i just have one question, can I freeze the quinoa burger patties for later? If so, how long do they last? Thanks! Have a lovely day 🙂
HI! Yes, you can freeze the burger patties, that works great. They freeze well for 3-4 months. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Hello…just tried it on my vegetarian kids and my self…they never tasted meat..I still remember the taste…bless your hands dear…all the way from costa rica..we luv it…epic in every way…didn’t make the fries and onions..just the hamburger in a bun…added some sauteed onions to the mix and voila…epic ..
So happy you loved this David! Thank you so much!
Great veggie burgers!!! I just exchanged the cannellini beans for adzuki beans and the Chipotle powder for smoked paprika (I didn’t have these ingredients) and they turned out great. I also baked them in the oven. Yummy and very, very sturdy, which is not that usual for most veggie burger recipes I try. Thanks!
I am glad you liked these Sabrina! Thank you so much!
Oh my gosh, I found this recipe off a Buzzfeed article on the best veggie burger recipes. I made it tonight, and WOW. Seriously amazing. I skipped the sweet potato fries and egg but did everything else the same. So delicious. I will be checking out more of your recipes!
I am so glad you loved this Janice! Thank you so much!
This recipe seems really tasty and I will try it at home. I am a regular reader of your blog.
I am so glad you liked this! Thank you!
I first made these epic crispy quinoa burgers a few years ago and since then I was instantly hooked on HBH! You do a great job with all that you do! Here’s to your continued success!
This is so sweet Jen! Thank you so much!
Could I substitute the beer with something else? Preferably something without alcohol (even though I know the alcohol disappears anyway when cooking).
Sure!! I would use a sparkling water or buttermilk. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
These look amazing! I love quinoa and caramelized onions!! Can these burger patties be frozen and then cooked later? Thanks!
Yes, you can freeze the patties, then thaw and cook. that will be great! You can also cook from frozen, but I would cook them over low heat for a longer time. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I feel it interesting, your post gave me a new perspective! I have read many other articles about the same topic, but your article convinced me! I hope you continue to have high quality articles like this to share with veryone!
Thank you!
I was in the process of making this recipe for dinner and I missed picking up the gruyere cheese at the store. : (
It isn’t listed in the ingredients, though since the recipe name has it in it, I should’ve known! I’ll improvise and just use another cheese I have around. I can’t wait to have these for dinner! You have the greatest recipes, photography and blog! I always stop what I’m doing when your e-mail comes in and go right to it and read it! Thanks for all you do Tieghan!
I am so sorry about that Suzy! I hope you still love this recipe! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Does it handle freezing??
Yes, these burgers freeze great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
These look delicious! I’m actually in the process of making these now and I made too much. Can I refrigerate the uncooked patties or freeze them?
Yes! That will work great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂