Vegan
When it comes to sweet potatoes, American cuisine needs some imagination, and these irresistible burgers are here to help. Just throw a cooked sweet potato into your trusty food processor, along with chickpeas, scallions, and spices, and buzz it into orange tastiness.
Two complementary iterations of quinoa (whole cooked grains and flour) step in to balance the sweetness—and also to hold the burgers together—while upping the protein and calcium content. Green pea polka dots round it out in every way, making this taste and color fest even more fun and interesting.
• Be sure to use the moist, orange variety of sweet potato (not the drier, starchier white type).
• Regarding the quinoa flour: Don't panic. Just get out the inexpensive electric coffee grinder that you dedicated to spice grinding, wipe it out thoroughly, and add 6 tablespoons of whole quinoa. Buzz for less than 5 seconds, and you've got your ingredient—probably slightly more than the amount you'll need for the recipe.
• If you're using fresh peas, they'll need to be steamed or blanched for about 5 minutes. Frozen ones require only to be defrosted in a strainer— a brief encounter with room-temperature tap water, then a shake to dry. Either of these steps can be done ahead.
• Begin cooking the sweet potato well ahead of time, so it can cool before you assemble the batter. This is also a good use for leftover plain mashed sweet potatoes. You'll need 2 cups.
• Toasting cumin seeds is most easily done in a small, dry skillet over low heat. Shake the pan as you go and pay careful attention. It takes only a few minutes to toast them—and a blink of an eye beyond that to irreparably burn them. You can use the same pan (and same method) to toast the peanuts, if you wish.
• If you're cooking the burgers in batches, keep the finished ones warm on a baking sheet or an ovenproof plate in a 250°F oven while you make the rest.
• These freeze and reheat beautifully after they've been cooked.
Ingredients
Makes 10 or 11 burgers
Step 1
1. Combine the quinoa and 1/2 cup water in a very small saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and lower the heat to the slowest possible simmer, with a heat diffuser, if you have one, underneath. You'll have cooked quinoa in about 20 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
Step 2
2. Meanwhile, cut the sweet potato into rounds about 1 1/2 inches thick and steam over or cook in boiling water until fork-soft, about 15 minutes. Cool until comfortable to handle. Strip off and discard the peels and transfer to a food processor.
Step 3
3.添加鹰嘴豆、姜、蒜、葱花、3/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice to the sweet potato and process until reasonably blended. It doesn't need to be completely smooth.
Step 4
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then sprinkle in the cooked quinoa and the quinoa flour. Stir until all the quinoa disappears into the mixture. Gently fold in the green peas and peanuts, if using. Taste to see if it needs more salt or lemon juice and add a few big pinches of crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
Step 5
5.放置一个中型煎锅中火abo血型ut a minute, then add a scant 1/2 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the pan. Heat for a little longer, until the oil is hot enough to instantly sizzle a dot of the sweet potato mixture. Turn the heat to low.
Step 6
6. Use a nonstick-sprayed 1/3-cup measure to scoop-shape the batter as uniformly as possible. Carefully transfer as many burgers as will fit in a single layer to the hot, oiled pan, knocking the cup handle assertively against the side of the pan or using the back of a spoon to release the batter. Smooth the top surface with a dinner knife, so the burgers will crisp evenly, and push in the sides to help them keep their shape as they cook.
Step 7
7. Cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. (Longer cooking is OK—just not hotter. The sugar content of sweet potatoes causes them to burn easily at higher temperatures.) Use a small spatula with a thin blade to carefully loosen each burger and flip it over, adding more oil as needed and pushing the burgers back into shape if they slump or break.
Step 8
8. Cook on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely browned. Continue to cook in batches until all the batter has been used. Serve hot or warm.
Optional Enhancements
Step 9
Toasted peanuts on top * Steamed peas on top * Yogurt or Raita * Salsa Verde * A drizzle of pomegranate molasses
How would you rate Sweet Potato–Chickpea-Quinoa Burgers?
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Reviews (14)
Back to TopI added a yogurt sauce of Greek yogurt, cilantro and lemon juice which for me transformed the burger. I could have also made a cashew cream, it would work just as well.
dishoncooking
Boston, MA
7/6/2014
I love Mollie Katzen - I need to get her latest book. This is very similar to her Sweet Potato Koftas in Vegetable Heaven, which we like a lot. The quinoa is new, as is the peanuts (which I didn't use.) I think I prefer the koftas. I made the mistake of serving the burgers on buns. It was just too much. They weren't that difficult to make, doable on a weeknight if you have enough time. I strongly recommend microwaving the sweet potato. (Poke some holes with a fork, cook for about 3 minutes - easy, fast and no loss of flavor.)
MaggieGreen
Los Angeles
4/16/2014
i enjoy just how this recipe looks i eaten it before with my children most of us enjoyed this we could have a household gathering again and cook this recipe again soon that is one tasty recipe you need to check it out i guarantee you whatever you will require to this its very tasty
sarah12jones212212312
2/3/2014
These were really satisfying the first time around. I think I would have been less enchanted had I left out the peanuts so I wouldn't consider them optional. In place of quinoa flour I just toasted plain, old AP flour, which worked out fine. Other reviewers suggested roasting the sweet potato so I took their advice and roasted a bunch ¿ whole, in a greased pan covered with foil to keep them from drying out. Someone also suggested adding chopped cilantro, which is what I'll do for round 2.
wendybooher
Granada, Spain
12/28/2013
We thought these burgers were so-so. I followed the recipe exactly, except that I ground 1/3 of the peanuts with the other ingredients instead of putting them all in whole. The mixture was a bit dry, but just a tablespoon or two of water fixed that. The sweet potato may have been a little small. I added a topping of Greek yogurt and Major Grey Chutney. With the topping, they were wonderful. It gave the burger some extra punch. As another reviewer mentioned, roasting the sweet potatoes would have given the burgers more flavor.
jsd2b
Tyrone, PA
11/6/2013
Made these last night, as my wife and I are always open to new and interesting vegetarian main courses. Like many vegetarian dishes there was more work involved than the resulting quality of the finished product. Didn't have quinoa flour, and rather than involving myself in yet ANOTHER step by grinding quinoa, used plain AP flour instead. I think the flavor would have been enhanced by roasting the sweet potatoes rather than steaming them. Threw together a quick yogurt sauce with garlic, ginger, fresh mint and cilantro as an accompaniment to the cakes. Would probably not make them again. They weren't bad, but not enough bang for the buck, prep-wise.
choirboy
10/18/2013
Loved this recipe! Since I had in my pantry, I substituted TruNut powdered peanut butter for the quinoa flour and the peanuts. Worked out well. Like others have said, many steps, but delicious!
leda_in_decatur
Decatur, Ga.
10/15/2013
Loved the recipe. It requires a lot of steps, but it was well worth the wait. As a couple with an almost-vegetarian diet, my husband and I are always looking for new vegetarian recipes that will please our taste buds, and we loved the way this tasted. The blend of sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, and peas gave a nice blend of flavors and also a relatively healthy main dish that provide us with a nice blend of vegetables and protein. I will likely make this again, but likely only for special occasions and definitely not during the normal work week!
kmrgirl
Durham, NC
10/13/2013
haven't made them yet but am concerned that quinoa is not rinse before cooking
ezadorah
Pasadena, CA
10/11/2013
Rave reviews from the family for this wonderful recipe! Don't scrimp on the ginger or garlic. Because I don't have a separate coffee grinder (mine's built into my coffeemaker), I used almond flour as a substitution for the quinoa flour. I think any nutty-type flour would work. It's not so much for the flavor but for the texture. As others described, the patties formed and cooked beautifully. This one has been added to our regular rotation of menu items. Highly recommended!
PNW_Cook
Seattle area
10/10/2013
Go, Mollie! These were delicious, and, despite the long list of pantry-staple ingredients, easy to make.
RavingFoodie
Ithaca, NY
10/10/2013
These veggie burgers were well worth the effort. The processing requires scraping down the sides and re-distributing the mixture in the bowl several times. I was a bit leery about the lemon juice, but 2 tablespoons were just right. Adding half a cup of peanuts gave them a nice crunch. The slow cooking in the skillet was a bit tedious, next time I would rather bake the patties in the oven. I served them with the lemony yogurt dip from "Ancient Grains for Modern Meals". We like the Middle Eastern flavor and the crunchy texture of the burgers, and I will definitely make them again.
karinhh
Bar Harbor, ME
10/9/2013
haven't tried this recipe yet but wonder if they could be baked instead of fried - if so at what temp and for how long
aruhlman
hamden, ct
10/9/2013
We enjoyed these. Easy enough to make, formed a firm patty very nicely. My kids wished there were fewer peanuts in the recipe while my husband and I liked them. I'd add cilantro next time.
cathleencagle
10/8/2013
