Spinach Feta Burgers

 

What’s a spinach burger? I don’t really know… but if there’s such a thing, this is it. I actually was inspired by a restaurant dish - it was a “spinach burger” with quinoa and roasted tomatoes and feta and OMG it was glorious! That restaurant closed, and I don’t even remember the name of it! But shortly after eating that dish, I created this “spinach burger” and was pleased!

This spinach burger (that now stays stocked in my freezer) comes in handy on so many occasions:

  1. When I don’t have enough time to MAKE a big salad

  2. When I don’t have enough time to CHEW a big salad (#momlife)

  3. When my tummy needs cooked veggies, rather than raw veggies

  4. When I don’t have any leftover cooked veggies in the fridge

I pop one of these out of the freezer, microwave it and have it with literally ANYTHING. I top it with leftover meat and starches (I think the best combos were a leftover salmon and quinoa dish and leftover sheet pan sausage and sweet potatoes), or I just start pulling things out of the pantry and fridge (white beans, tomatoes, tzatziki sauce, and pita bread for instance!). I’m a condiment person so bring on the salsas, yogurt dips, and hummus’s to make your concoction come to life!

They’re not the easiest to make, but man… I’m always glad they’re there.

Spinach Feta Burgers

Spinach Feta Burgers
Yield: 10-12
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Ingredients

  • 3, 32 ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 Tablespoons flax
  • 1 cup feta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Also preheat a griddle over medium high heat.
  3. Squeeze all the liquid out of each bag of spinach by pouring the spinach onto a clean dishtowel and wringing in out over the kitchen sink - A LOT of liquid will come out.  Do this 1 bag at a time and transfer the spinach to a large mixing bowl.  Break up the large chunks of spinach with your fingers. 
  4. In a food processor, pulse the oats until they become a very course powder.  Add them to the spinach.  In the same food processor, add the onion and pulse until finely chopped.  Add the onion to the spinach and oats. 
  5. Add the remaining ingredients to the large bowl of spinach.  
  6. Mix the ingredients together until combined.  I find the best way to do this is by first using a spatula and stirring with almost a chopping or cutting motion, and then I use my hands. 
  7. Patty the spinach into large patties about 1 inch thick (using about a scant 1 cup each), and place onto the preheated griddle for about 3 minutes on each side to brown.  This recipe should make 10-12 burgers.  After each burger has cooked on both sides, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes to ensure the egg is cooked through and the cheese is melted. 
  8. Serve warm or allow the burgers to cool on a wire rack, then freeze them on the rack, then place them into a freezer-safe zip lock bag. 
  9. To reheat, microwave for 1-2 minutes. 
 
Salads and SidesElizabeth Elam