Sweet Potato and Chickpea Patties with Tahini Slaw

One thing that confuses me about vegetarians is that they refuse to eat meat but will eat soy products that taste like beef, chicken and other meats. I am always so confused when I go to the grocery store and I see tofurky, vegan chicken, or seitan that resembles steak. I eat chicken, turkey and fish but typically don't eat any other meat because of taste preferences and for health purposes.

I stopped eating red meat in high school because I didn't like the taste anymore. Literally one day after swim practice my mom made me a steak and I physically couldn't bring myself to eat it.  Ever since then I stopped eating red meat and haven't missed it at all. This is why when I see vegetarian and vegan products that mock actual meat, it doesn't make sense to me why vegetarians and vegans would crave that taste.

Maybe it's just me but when I want to eat a veggie burger, I want actual vegetables in it and it should taste like vegetables. Not some fake beef tasting "veggie burger". I decided to make a veggie patty that is filling like a regular burger, but doesn't taste like a burger at all.

Here is how I did it:

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Patties with Tahini Slaw 

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Patties
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1 can of chickpea (drained)
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 whole wheat flour plus 3 Tbs for dipping
- 1/4 cup egg white
- Salt and pepper

Tahini Slaw
- 1 1/2 cups cabbage
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 1 juice of a lemon
- 2 tbs chopped basil
- Salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your sweet potato, skin on in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Let the sweet potato cool completely. Peel the skin off the sweet potato and set to the side.

Heat a skillet with olive oil. Sauté onions, garlic, cumin, paprika and chili flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste and set to the side.

In a blender or food processor, add sweet potato, chickpea and onion mixture. Pulse the mixture until slightly chunky but also smooth. Spoon the filling out into a bowl. Add Panko, whole wheat flour and egg white and mix until everything is incorporated. Place the mixture in the fridge and let it sit for 30 minutes. 

Spray a baking pan with non stick spay. Spoon out 1/2 cup of the sweet potato and chickpea mixture and form it into a patty. Dip the mixture in some whole wheat flour that you set aside to keep its form. Place the patties on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Flip the patties half way through to get it crisp on both sides. 

For the slaw, mix cabbage with tahini paste, lemon juice, basil and salt and pepper. Let it set for 1-2 hours before serving. 

Once the patties are done and the slaw has set, put a patty on top of a bun or salad like I did and add the slaw on top. I sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds for some extra crunch and for presentation. 

These patties are great to serve as an alternative to your regular beef or turkey burger. If you don't like tahini you can always replace it with greek yogurt or if you prefer typical cole slaw, you can use mayonnaise (I can't stand mayo). I definitely recommend you add some type of slaw or salsa to pair with these patties to add an extra layer of flavor.

Enjoy!

Anne