Quinoa Cauliflower Cakes w/ Tahini Sauce (Egg-Free, Gluten-Free)

Made from cauliflower and quinoa, these Quinoa Cauliflower Cakes are nutrient-dense and brimming with fresh and vibrant Mediterranean flavor.

How to Make These Baked Quinoa Cauliflower Cakes

Toast the Sourdough

Toast our Bread SRSLY sourdough so that when we later pulse it, it turns into perfect gluten-free breadcrumbs. These are full of tangy sourdough flavor!

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F, slice the bread, and bake for 12 minutes until lightly toasted. 

Make the Flax Egg

This plant-based recipe is made with a flax egg rather than a real one! To make a flax egg, stir ground flaxseed with warm water until it thickens and congeals. This acts as a binder while adding a healthy dose of omega-3s and fiber. 

Use Cauliflower Rice (Raw or Frozen)

If using frozen cauliflower rice, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Make sure it cools down completely before forming your dough balls so that it lets out moisture. 

If using raw riced cauliflower (or you've made it on your own with a food processor), go right ahead to the next step. 

Blend the Dough

Add the cauliflower rice, cooked quinoa, garlic powder, sea salt, za’atar, oregano, flax egg, and toasted sourdough cubes to a large food processor. Pulse until a slightly sticky, uniform dough forms. It's that easy!

Fold in Add-Ins & Form Into Cakes

Fold in chopped fresh parsley and olives until evenly distributed throughout the dough. 

Use a large cookie scoop to scoop out dough, rolling them into balls and gently pressing down to form patties. Then bake in the oven until golden.

Make the Tahini Sauce

This tahini sauce is easy to make. It doesn't require soaked cashews, like most cashew sauce recipes. Simply blend cashews, tahini, lemon juice, garlic clove, and olive oil, adding water if needed. 

Egg-Free, Plant Based, & Gluten-Free

We're able to make flavorful, well-structured quinoa patties without any gluten or eggs. This is the perfect nutritious appetizer or side dish for parties, especially when planning for vegan or gluten-free guests. 

We use Bread SRSLY's gluten-free sourdough as our breadcrumb. You can use any gluten-free bread or breadcrumb as a substitute, but we love how much flavor it adds to this recipe. 

Packing in Nutrition

• Quinoa is a complex carb with a good amount of fiber and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals like zinc and folate
• Cauliflower rice delivers high volume without as much added carbohydrate as quinoa alone.
• Ground flaxseed supplies soluble and insoluble fiber, which are good for digestion and keeping you feel full.
• Bread SRSLY Gluten-Free Seeded Sourdough is fermented which makes it easier to digest, slows the rate of absorption into the bloodstream, and is a source of prebiotics. 

Recipe created by Katie Matthews @farelyrooted

Makes 12 cakes | Prep time: 25 min, if quinoa is pre-cooked | Cook time: 35 min 

NUTRITION INFORMATION 

Per 3 cakes and 2 tablespoons of tahini sauce

Calories: 376
Protein: 9g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fat: 27g
Fiber: 7g

INGREDIENTS

Quinoa Cakes

• 2 half-inch slices Bread SRSLY Gluten-Free Seeded Sourdough, cut into 1” cubes
• 2 cups cauliflower rice, frozen or fresh
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 3 TB ground flax
• 4 TB warm water
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 TB za'atar seasoning
• 1 TB oregano
• 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup olive tapenade of choice, or diced kalamata olives

Lemon Tahini Dipping Sauce

• ¼ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup tahini
• Juice of 3 large lemons
• 1 large clove garlic
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread gluten-free sourdough cubes on a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. Increase oven temperature to 375.
4. Meanwhile, stir flax seed and warm water in a small bowl, and set aside to thicken. This will be your flax egg.
5. If cauliflower rice is frozen, heat with 1 TB olive oil in a saucepan at medium heat until warm.
6. To the bowl of a large food processor, add cauliflower rice, quinoa, garlic powder, sea salt, za’atar, oregano, flax egg, and cooled sourdough cubes, and pulse until a slightly sticky dough comes together.
7. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl and stir in fresh parsley and olives, until evenly distributed.
8. Using a large cookie scoop (about ⅓ cup), scoop out even amounts of the mixture, rolling into balls and flattening softly with your palm if perfect shapes are preferred! 
9. Spread cakes evenly on lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes on 1 side, then flipping each cake and baking for another 15 minutes, until both sides are slightly browned and crispy.
10. While the cakes are baking, make the sauce. Add all sauce ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth, adding water or more olive oil for a thinner consistency. Pour into a serving bowl and chill until ready to eat.
11. Once cakes are done baking, serve on a bed of greens or with your favorite side. Serve warm, with sauce for dipping on the side or drizzled over the cakes.
12. To reheat and crisp up leftover cakes, bake at 350 for 10 minutes or in a lightly oiled pan at medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side.