Quinoa Patties in Cloud-White Cauliflower and Jerusalem Artichoke Sauce

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As part of my body-composition challenge, we hold a vegan cooking workshop.

Usually, we pick dishes that are especially high in protein and low in calories, like tofu patties, protein bars, or Indian food. This time, with Passover coming up, we decided to make something a little more festive—and beautifully white.

I wanted a dish that would work for everyone's Passover table, including people who don't eat legumes during the holiday. I pictured something elegant and white, with plenty of rich, creamy, comforting sauce and deep, subtle flavors.

This isn't a turn-up-the-volume kind of dish like tofu chraime (a North African dish with spicy tomato sauce). It's quieter than that. The flavors are layered, revealing themselves a little at a time.

It's an especially beautiful dish, and a lovely way to welcome spring—and Passover, the spring holiday.

A Few Notes on These Quinoa Patties

• The patties start with white quinoa, cooked in plenty of water.

My main reason for choosing quinoa was Passover, including for Ashkenazi Jews (Jews with Central and Eastern European roots) who avoid legumes during the holiday. Its mild flavor was another big plus.

You can substitute red quinoa, buckwheat, rice, millet, or another grain you like. Cooked legumes work, too.

• To bind the quinoa into patties, I used buckwheat flour. It gets sticky when mixed with water—almost like wheat flour—which makes it a great binder.

You can swap in another flour, such as potato flour, rice flour, or matzo meal.

• Whole-sesame tahini is another key ingredient: it helps hold the patties together and adds fat.

You can replace it with the same amount of unsweetened almond butter.

• The sauce is made from cooked cauliflower blended until very smooth with almond milk. Please don't ask me what to use instead of cauliflower, because I honestly have no idea. 🙂
• For deep, distinctive flavor, I used nutmeg, Jerusalem artichoke (also called a sunchoke), thyme, and plenty of garlic. I think they're a wonderful match for the creamy cauliflower and give the dish an interesting character.
• You can replace the thyme with another aromatic herb, such as oregano, rosemary, or za'atar.
• I baked the patties, but you can also give them a quick pan-fry in a skillet.
• I like to serve this with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and a little light coconut milk. Those finishing touches make the whole thing sing.

Your call.

Quinoa Patties: Nutrition per Serving

One serving of patties with sauce, out of 5 total servings, weighs 416 g (14.7 oz) and contains:

• 315 calories
• 13 g protein
• 32 g carbohydrates
• 15 g fat

Another quinoa patty recipe to try

Quinoa Patties in Creamy Cauliflower and Jerusalem Artichoke Sauce

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Yield 5 servings

Calories 315 kcal

Ingredients

For the Patties

• 1.5 cups white quinoa 250 g (8.8 oz)
• 4 tablespoons buckwheat flour 36 g (1.3 oz)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 bunch thyme, leaves chopped
• 4 tablespoons whole-sesame tahini 60 g (2.1 oz)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the Sauce

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 whole Jerusalem artichoke, about 10 cm (4 inches) long, grated
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 1 handful thyme leaves

For Serving

• juice of half a lemon
• 3 tablespoons light coconut milk, 6% fat
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Place the quinoa in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat for about half an hour, until the quinoa is tender and its little curly tails appear.

2. In another large pot, cook the cauliflower in water for about half an hour, until tender.

Make the Patties

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a deep bowl. Add the tahini, flour, 1 crushed garlic clove, a small handful of chopped thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until everything comes together into a sticky mixture.

3. With wet hands, shape the mixture into patties about the size of a ping-pong ball.

4. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 10–15 minutes, until browned.

Make the Sauce

1. In a wide pot large enough to hold both the sauce and the patties, sauté half a chopped onion with a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and a little thyme for 1–2 minutes, until you can smell the nutmeg and thyme.

2. Add 7 crushed garlic cloves and the grated Jerusalem artichoke. Cook over low heat until browned.

   Keep a close eye on the garlic—you don't want it to burn.

3. Separate the cauliflower into florets, reserving 4–5 small, pretty florets for serving.

4. In a food processor, blend the cooked cauliflower with 1/2–1 cup almond milk until smooth and creamy.

5. If the mixture is too thick, add more almond milk until it reaches the consistency you like.

6. Add the cauliflower cream to the pot, stir, and bring to a gentle simmer.

7. Remove from the heat and nestle the patties into the sauce.

8. Don't stir. Just let the patties rest and soak up the sauce.

9. Before serving, squeeze lemon juice over the top. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons light coconut milk and the olive oil, then finish with thyme leaves, freshly ground black pepper, and the reserved cauliflower florets.

Recipe Video