Jul
Zucchini Quinoa Cakes with Tzatziki Sauce
If I was being honest I would tell you that it’s been 1 year and 28 days since I last posted here.
Then I would confess how during that time I’ve made countless amazing meals and selfishly not shared them with you.
At some point I would admit that despite all the excuses floating around in my head, my absence boils down to pure laziness.
But we’re not going to do that. We’re not going to talk about what I’ve been doing for the last year, or how I let my own insecurities get in the way of a good thing, or how I am often my own worst enemy, or how I constantly compare myself to others and in my own mind always fall short. Let’s just not go there, okay?
Instead lets talk about these patties. Let’s talk about zucchini, chick peas, scallions and Tzatziki. Oh my god Tzatziki! Do you know about this tangy yogurt based sauce? I love this stuff so much that I want to slather it on everything. Seriously, what’s not to love about a creamy sauce filled with crunchy bits of cuke, tangy dill and a hint of garlic? In the traditional sense Tzatziki is a Greek sauce used on Gyros and falafels, but in my world it’s become my go to sauce for everything from chicken to lentils. It’s also super easy to make and tastes best the next day when all the flavors have melded into an explosion of tastiness.
My first time making homemade Tzatziki was as an accompaniment for some chicken gyros, and I instantly fell in love. After that I became obsessed and devised as many ways as possible to consume this awesome sauce. This week in my quest to use up last week’s farmers market purchases I decided to make some zucchini quinoa patties. Of course, my mind immediately thought of Tzatziki as a topping. These little cakes of deliciousness would be great tucked inside a pita pocket and drizzled with sauce, but due to a grocery store fail we were out of pitas, and instead ate them on a bed of lettuce. The verdict? Tzatziki + zucchini + quinoa = yum.
Zucchini Quinoa Cakes with Tzatziki Sauce
Makes 10-12 cakes
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked & cooled quinoa
1 medium zucchini, grated
1 egg
3 scallions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped into small dice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
salt and pepper to taste
1. Make the Tzatziki sauce: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Next make the cakes: In a medium bowl mash the chick peas. Add the remaining ingredients except the olive oil and stir to combine.
3. Form the mixture into balls a little larger than a golf ball. Flatten into roughly two-inch round disks. You will end up with 10-12 cakes.
4. Place on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minuets. This step helps the cakes stay together when cooking.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast iron skillet, or non-stick pan, over medium high heat. Cook half the cakes for 5-6 minutes on one side until nicely browned on the bottom. Carefully flip the cakes and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Place on a towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining cakes.
6. Serve with a generous amount of Tzatziki sauce either over a bed of lettuce, of stuffed inside pita bread pockets.
8 Comments
Leave a comment
Subscribe by e-mail
Recent Posts
Tags
Archives
Tasty Reads
I can’t believe you never mentioned your blog to me!! Glad you’re back on it.
Thanks! It’s good to be back.
Thanks for the post! I love your recipes… and Tzatziki sauce, so you know I’ve got good taste. I’ll have to try making some homemade Tzatziki. Betsy
Thanks for visiting Betsy. I think you’ll like the homemade Tzatziki. It’s really easy to make and you can customize the flavor for your own taste with more or less garlic and dill.
Welcome back! Quinoa cakes look very delicious and tzatziki is our staple sauce. Totally love the combo.
p.s I have unsubscribed from the email as I am using Feedly to read all the new blog updates.
Thanks Angie! I am very excited to be back here and have some exciting recipes planned. By the way- I use Feedly too and it seems more and more people are switching from email to some sort of feedreader.
What a treat it was to get an email that Thinly Sliced Cucumber was active again!! The Zucchini Quinoa cakes look delicious – I love quinoa. Thank you, Amanda.
I am glad you’re excited, that’s what makes me want to continue posting recipes. Enjoy the zucchini cakes!