I’m completely smitten with these hearty vegan sweet potato burgers. I enjoyed one with sliced avocado for breakfast and three for dinner — luckily the recipe yields 12–14 patties because they’re irresistible.
I’ve made sweet potato burgers for a while, and this is the version I’ve finally written down. A food processor makes the steps quick and easy: chop the vegetables, blend the chickpeas, and grind the almonds. If you don’t have one, you can mince and chop by hand and mash the chickpeas with a fork, but be prepared for a little extra elbow work — the recipe uses two cans of chickpeas (nearly four cups).
I’ve always loved burgers, though I’ve never eaten a traditional red meat burger. Growing up I enjoyed my nana’s turkey burgers and later tried salmon burgers. My first veggie burger experience was with frozen patties — my mom would buy Dr. Praeger’s frozen veggie burgers at Costco and heat them in the microwave for an easy meal. I preferred frying them briefly in a skillet to crisp the edges.
Now I usually make veggie burgers from scratch. It’s rewarding and surprisingly simple with a food processor. The variety you can create is what makes homemade patties so fun — swap herbs and beans to change the flavor: cilantro or parsley, black beans or chickpeas, beets or sweet potato. These sweet potato burgers pair beautifully with a bright green tahini sauce, but they are delicious on their own or crumbled over a salad.
My favorite way to enjoy a veggie burger is without bread to let the patty’s flavor shine. They also work wonderfully crumbled over greens or tucked into a mini pita with shredded cabbage, romaine, and a generous dollop of green tahini sauce made with fresh herbs. However you serve them, these patties are versatile and satisfying.
How do you like your veggie burgers?
Sweet Potato Burgers with Green Tahini
Jenné Claiborne
35 minutes
35 minutes
1 hour 10 minutes
12 patties
Ingredients
Burgers
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 cans chickpeas
- 1 cup packed cilantro or parsley (or half and half)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup almonds
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 3 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 large (or 2 small) sweet potatoes — about 1½ cups steamed or baked, peeled and mashed
- ¾ cup quick-cooking oats
Green Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup packed fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, parsley, or a mix)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Burgers
- Pulse the red bell pepper and red onion in a food processor until chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chickpeas and the cilantro or parsley to the food processor and blend until the chickpeas reach a thick, mealy texture. Add this to the mixing bowl.
- Place the garlic, almonds, and spices in the food processor and blend until the almonds are crumbly. Add to the mixing bowl.
- Mash the sweet potato with a fork or blend it in the food processor until smooth. Add it to the bowl along with the oats and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust salt and spices if needed.
- Chill the burger mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 3/4 cup of batter and form a tight patty with your hands. Place on the baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between patties. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool at least 15 minutes before removing from the sheet.
- Serve the patties with green tahini on bread, lettuce, or enjoy them on their own. Bon appétit!
Green Tahini Sauce
- Combine tahini, water, lemon juice, herbs, and sea salt in a blender. Blend until smooth, then slowly add the olive oil while blending to finish a silky sauce.