Ready in about an hour, these Bloody Mary chickpea and quinoa veggie burgers are the perfect vegan main for the cookout. They are made with simple ingredients, like chickpeas, quinoa, chili powder, sunflower seeds, shallots, garlic, and sun dried tomatoes. These quinoa burgers only require some stovetop cooking to come together. Filled with zesty tomato-y Bloody Mary flavours, nourishing beans and whole grains, plus a kick from a homemade horseradish burger sauce, this really is the best quinoa burger recipe.
I have even more veggie burger inspiration in my cookbook. For a more traditional vegan veggie burger, I recommend my tempeh burgers with millet & rice or my 10-ingredient vegan black bean burgers.
These flavourful chickpea and quinoa veggie burgers were my first epic grilling attempt of the season. I’m so pleased with how they turned out! I know there are purists who prefer to call them “patties” but I’m staying with burgers 😊
These quinoa burgers have the zesty, zippy, and tomato-y qualities of a Bloody Mary, which is kind of fun! I included some spice, horseradish, a special sauce, fresh lemon, and celery slaw for crunch. I also utilize tomatoes by way of paste AND chopped up sun dried tomatoes. This burger has some intense flavour that stands alone. Aside from set-up time, these took about 25 minutes for me to throw together, which is nice with those jam-packed summer days coming up.
To keep quinoa burgers from falling apart, pack them nice and tight and let them firm up in the fridge for a bit before grilling.
Perfect sides for your quinoa veggie burgers:
- Vegan Potato Salad with Dill Pickle Dressing
- Creamy Mayo-Free Mustard Slaw
- Summer Salad with Arugula, Corn & Spicy Cashew Dressing
- Summer Fruit Salad with Orange & Mint Dressing
Hope you love these unusual and fun quinoa burgers!
Bloody Mary Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
Bloody Mary Veggie Burgers
- ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained
- ¾ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, fine dice (approximately ½ cup diced shallot)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (NOT the ones cured in oil) chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon finely grated red beetroot (optional–for colour!)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- hot sauce, to taste
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons oat flour (certified GF if necessary)
Slaw
- 1 rib celery, finely sliced
- 4 kale leaves, tough stems removed & finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
Burger Sauce
- 1 part ketchup
- 1 part vegan mayonnaise
- prepared horseradish to taste
- squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Notes
- I did a grill set-up to cook mine, but you could certainly pan-fry them as well (. I tried baking them and the results were not great. Better to pan fry in oil or “sear” on oiled foil on the grill to keep it together.
- Also, the grated beet really is just for colour. You could totally skip it if beets aren’t your thing.
Instructions
- Place the quinoa in a small saucepan. Cover the quinoa with ⅔ cup filtered water. Turn the heat onto medium high and bring quinoa to a boil. Simmer until all water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- While quinoa is cooking, in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork. There should still be some slightly larger pieces of chickpea. Set aside.
- Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor or the dry container of a Vitamix (or similar). It should look like almond meal with a few whole seeds remaining. Transfer ground sunflower seeds to the bowl with the chickpeas. Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl as well.
- Rinse out the saucepan, and return it to the heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it heat up. Add the shallots to the pan and saute until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder to the pan. Stir and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the shallot mixture from the heat and add it to the bowl with the chickpeas and quinoa.
- To the chickpea mixture, add the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, grated beetroot, lemon zest, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir mixture with a spatula thoroughly to combine, or use the back of the tines of a fork to “rake” the mixture together. Sprinkle the oat flour over to of the mixture. With your hands, bring the burger mixture together one more time.
- Divide the burger mixture into either 4 or 6 patties, carefully but firmly patting them together with your hands. Set a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Lay the formed burgers on the lined baking sheet as you finish them. Cover the burgers with plastic wrap and let them set up in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the celery, kale, lemon juice, olive oil, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Make the burger sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mayonnaise, horseradish, and lemon juice. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Preheat your grill to medium high. Lay a sheet of foil over the grates and grease the foil with either a spray oil or brushed-on olive oil. Place the burgers directly onto the foil and bring the lid down. Cook the burgers on one side for 8-10 minutes. Open the grill back up, very carefully flip the burgers over, and then close the lid again. Cook the burgers for another 8-10 minutes, or until you see some light charring.
- Serve the bloody mary veggie burgers hot on toasted buns or in crisp butter lettuce leaves with the slaw and burger sauce. Enjoy!
These are amazing! My whole family loved them including my picky 11 year old. I made these almost as stated with the exception of the sun-dried tomatoes. I realize the directions specifically stated not to use oil packed ones but this is all I had and I really wanted to make these burgers without going to the store. I washed the sun dried tomatoes then patted dry. My burgers were perfect. They didn’t fall apart when cooking and they tasted delicious! Thank you for never failing to elevate my dinners, I Cannot wait for your the next cookbook!
Made these last night – LOVE – doubling the slaw
And as good or better with the slaw as a green base for lunch topped by burger and the sauce.
Thanks!! These will now be in my rotation of favorite recipes
Can you freeze the uncooked burger patties
Hi Liz,
You can freeze uncooked veggie burgers! Just thaw them at room temperature for a few hours before you plan to cook.
-L
Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry horseradish this time of year (where I shopped for this recipe). Would I be out of my mind to try to sub tomato paste and horseradish with cocktail sauce? Also, could only find toasted sunflower seeds….LMK if I should make another grocery trip! I definitely want them to turn out!!
I think the cocktail sauce is a great sub! And toasted sunflower seeds would be just fine.
-L
I made these for my family and they loved them. They were delicious. I had forgotten how filling quinoa could be. I need to remember to incorporate it into more recipes. I did not make the slaw to save time and I did not add the beetroot. Thanks so much for sharing and creating such flavorful and healthy, vegan recipes.
These look great! Has anyone tried freezing them?
I loved these irresistible burgers and their sauce and salad. This is the second recipe I have made of yours and my suspicion is confirmed. You are a textural genius–the flavor was sensational as well, but it is the textural perfection (so much variety, so satisfying) and the creativity in both flavor and texture that propelled this recipe to greatness.
These look amazing, can’t wait to try! Veggie Mary Jo’s!
Literally the BEST veggie burgers ever!! My go-to that I’ve been eating daily over a salad and can’t get enough. I tried mixing in three eggs to boost protein for my hubby and turned out great! Thanks for yet another perfect recipe.
These are absolute perfection! I have been moving my family toward a more plant-based diet (reluctantly). My husband is especially wary of any type of veggie burger. I made these for lunch, and he actually had seconds! Thank you for such a great recipe.
Hi there! I’m having trouble finding sundries tomatoes that aren’t packed in oil – would it still work with the oil packed ones and just be less healthy or totally wouldn’t work?
It would still work! Just blot the excess oil off of the sundried tomatoes before proceeding with the recipe :)
-L
Great burger. Held together so well on bbq. Will be my new go to recipe!!
Thanks for the recipe! Tried today. Its so yummy :)
Greetings from Russia! :)
I made these last night and they are amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
oh my gosh Laura. These are so perfect for summer!!
This might be the prettiest veggie burger I’ve ever seen! There’s nothing like biting into a hearty veggie burger on a summer day. I’m a sucker for sundried tomatoes in anything!
I already have go-to favorites for veggie burger recipes, but these I’m going to have to try!! They look absolutely delicious! Also, I love your gardening talk; makes me feel like I’m not the only youngish gardening granny around. :)
Yes but that burger sauce! Stupid easy but it sounds so delicious! Awesome burgers, Laura. I always want to bake patties (I mean burgers) but they are never quite as satisfying. Going to try the searing on oiled foil method. At night I sit on the porch and watch my garden grow with a cup of peppermnit tea, I’m probably ready for retirement but it’s my total happy place. Enjoy your patio this weekend x
It’s awesome that these are named Bloody Mary veggie burgers because they look BLOODY delicious. I love the bursting red from the tomatoes and how they pop in the patties!
Actually more like “HOLY MOLY” because these look out of this world good *insert heart-eyed emoji*. And in case I haven’t told you before, I want to know that your food photographs are of that kind that really make me go ‘DAMN :O’ and let me tell you that there are not all too many food blogs that do that do to me. So keep it all coming :)
These look delicious! And yes to burgers over patties ;) Also, I’m loving the new site design. Sasha
These sound incredible (!!!) love your bloody mary vibes in these burgers (patties shmatties). And YAY for that new stellar patio. Hugs crush on your porch + patio happening over here. And totally giggled at your 75 year old lady comment. ;)
Thanks Jessie! Patties schmatties for real :D
xo L
I would take these over a bloody mary in a heartbeat. Yum.
I think I might have to agree with you (unless I’m nursing a hangover lol) ;)
-L
This burger-patty has an amazing color and seems so crunchy-outside and tender-inside :D
It totally has that crunchy/tender thing goin’ on! ;)
xo L
So much flavour packed into one burger!!! These look insanely delicious!
Thanks Katrina!
xo L
GIRL you just made my favorite drink into a damn fine looking burger, kudos! Summer should be filled with deck dinners and cuddling with that cute pup of yours! xo
Thanks Abby! Bloody Marys are one of my faves too. Cleo says hi and agrees about those pup cuddles ;)
xo L
These look like the perfect summer burgers! I love the way you took a classic drink and transformed it into a grillable burger. Just genius, girl ;) <3
I feel like this is the only time I’ll ever be able to turn a drink into a viable burger recipe, so might as well take advantage :)
xo L
The name of this burger caught my eye immediately, and I’m so glad it did. It sounds/looks fantastic! Bookmarking it to try this summer :)
Thanks so much, Gabriella!
-L