Sweet Potato and Quinoa Burgers

With the warmer weather having (finally) arrived, I expect you will see more and more BBQ-cooked meals on the menu at our place. For why mess up a pan and heat up the kitchen, when you can cook dinner on the BBQ outside instead!

And while I enjoy the ease and simplicity of throwing some steak or sausages on the BBQ, those dinners can get a little meat-heavy when repeated throughout the warmer months. Instead, it’s nice to change things up a little from time to time –  and these vegetarian sweet potato and quinoa burgers are just perfect for a meat-free BBQ meal.

Combining sweet potatoes, chickpeas and rice / quinoa, you can easily make these burgers in advance and keep them in the fridge until it is time to grill. Throw some extra vegetables on the BBQ too – and you will soon have yourself a tasty meal with very little fuss!


Print Recipe
 Sweet Potato and Quinoa Burgers
Course BBQ
Cuisine BBQ, Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course BBQ
Cuisine BBQ, Vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Steam sweet potato for 5 minutes or until tender. Mash, then set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Place cooked sweet potato, chickpeas, paprika and cumin in a large bowl, and mash until well combined. Stir through the rice / quinoa and egg, until well combined.
  3. Shape the mixture into 4 large patties, and place on a plate covered with baking paper. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm.
  4. Cook patties on the BBQ or a large frypan (sprayed lightly with oil) for 10 to 15 minutes (turning as required), or until golden brown. Serve with salad and toasted Turkish bread.
Recipe Notes

I served these patties with salad, but you could easily serve them 'burger-style' in a bread roll too.

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Spicy tofu bean burgers

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IMG_4549I do feel a little sorry for tofu.

For all too often it is thrown into the “boring basket”.

The “bland bucket”.

Or simply overlooked by those seeking a flavoursome and hearty meal.

But it really doesn’t have to be that way. No, I think this versatile ingredient – whilst a tad ‘neutral’ on the flavour side when served plain, can be rather wonderful when combined with other ingredients. And it is certainly a wonderful base when looking to create a vegetarian meal.

In this instance a simple block of tofu was turned into a batch of tasty burgers, when combined with beans,  herbs, garlic and hot sauce.

My food processor did all the hard work to mix the ingredients, and all I had to do was shape them into patties and pan-fry (although I suspect you could save some washing up and quite easily bake them too!)

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The tofu added a great texture, and soaked up the garlic / spicy flavours just beautifully.  Not to mention keeping a crunch on the outside too.

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On this particular occasion I served the patties with a little cucumber salad on the side. However I think they would also work well  as burgers on the BBQ, or perhaps served atop a big garden salad with a dollop of natural yoghurt.

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The choice is yours really.

Just perhaps don’t forget that you added a fair bit of chilli sauce if you freeze some for later and then try to feed them to your kids*

Spicy tofu bean burgers (makes 8)

  • 400 g can cannellini beans drained, rinsed
  • 200 g firm tofu drained
  • 2 slices wholegrain bread, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  •  1/4 cup parsley
  •  2 tbs hot sauce (or more or less to taste)
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 2 tbsp self-raising flour
  1. Process all ingredients in a food processor until well combined and smooth.
  2. Either shape into 8 patties, or divide into 8 portions and use egg-rings to shape the mixture in the frypan.
  3. Cook the patties in two batches in a little olive oil in a frypan over a medium heat Allow 2 to 3 each side, or cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towel before serving.

What about you? Are you a fan of tofu?

*This may, or may not have happened. Sorry Charlotte. #Parentingfail

Easy onion ‘relish’

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Last week, I had a hankering for a burger. So burgers for dinner it was. But wanting to jazz them up just a little, I decided to make an onion relish. An easy onion ‘relish’. IMG_4343 1 red onion, sliced thinly….then into a pan with a little butter and cooked until it was starting to soften (about 5 minutes). IMG_4345 Then, the magic relish ingredients… IMG_4344 1/2 a tablespoon of brown sugar, and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Added to the onions and cooked, on very low, for  a further 30 minutes. Going from this… IMG_4349 To this…. IMG_4350 Soft, sweet, caramelised onions…..that I had to stop myself from eating straight out of the pan. IMG_4351 For it was made for a reason….burger toppers! IMG_4353 Just delightful! And a reminder that why buy when you can whip up a batch at home!!! What about you? What is your favourite burger topper?

Salmon burger salad

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Some meals, like this one, just happen. No real planning, just a vague look in the fridge and freezer at dinner time, and the inspiration suddenly arrives. We had picked up these burgers during a Costco shop a while back. Not the best from a natural ingredients perspective, but an option to have on hand during those busy periods. IMG_3938IMG_3939 So while the burgers were in the oven baking, I threw together their salad bed. IMG_3940 Spinach, tomato, carrot and avocado, topped with the salmon burger, and drizzled with a little garlic aioli. IMG_3943 Not at all bad for a random mid-week meal! What about you? Come up with any random meal combos lately?

Easy burger, speedy dinner

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Let me share with you my latest “easy” dinner. A far cry from the homemade meals I lean towards, but a tasty (and more importantly a speedy) dinner, for those evenings when you just want to get dinner on the table. Stat. Take 1 packet of these burgers… IMG_0172 And grill for a couple minutes each side. Pop in between a sandwich thin, load it up with cheese and caramelised onion relish… IMG_8968 Couple with a side salad… IMG_8966 And you are done. Literally from thought to plate within 10 minutes. IMG_8970 The added bonus being that the veggie burgers are pretty damn tasty! IMG_8967 Dinner is served! What about you? Any speedy meals you have been loving lately?

Burger time

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IMG_7079 This tasty little dinner came, again, courtesy of Jamie Oliver’s 15 Minute Meals cookbook. IMG_7067 And really was very simple to put together. IMG_7068 Burgers – made with lean mince, beer and seeded mustard. IMG_7069 On the side – a cabbage, carrot, pear and rocket salad – dressed simply with red wine vinegar and olive oil. IMG_7078 We served the burgers on wholemeal rolls that we had toasted… IMG_7080 Along with tomato, cheese, pickles (my favourite!), tomato sauce and a natural yoghurt (that was jazzed up with a splash of worcestershire sauce). IMG_7081 All together now…. IMG_7083 Delish! What about you? Do you like you make your own burgers?

Mango chutney chicken burgers

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Let me share with you possible one of the easiest chicken burger recipes you will find. Just four ingredients – but big on taste. IMG_4903 Minced chicken, minced garlic, mango chutney and a sprinkle of flaxseed. Combined in a bowl, and shaped into patties. IMG_4904 Grilled on the BBQ for 10 minutes or so, and they are DONE! IMG_4905 I omitted the bun, and served these burgers with a side salad instead. IMG_4908 And finished them with a slice of avocado, cheese and grilled pineapple – IMG_4909 Just in keeping with the tropical theme! IMG_4910 It doesn’t get much easier than that! IMG_4911 What about you? Tried any good burger flavours recently?

Semi-dried tomato chicken burgers

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Wow – what a day. I felt like I barely stopped from the moment I got up, with a busy work schedule keeping me on my toes all day. Thankfully,  we had a quick and easy dinner planned for this evening. burger3 Sun-dried tomato and chicken burgers! The burgers themselves were super easy to make, thanks to the not so secret ingredient… IMG_2328 Semi-dried cherry tomatoes (oops I just realised these should have been sun-dried tomatoes!) IMG_2331 I picked up this variety a little while ago from our local supermarket, more out of curiosity than anything else. And, I figured they would be the perfect flavour enhancer for our burgers this evening. Combined with chicken mince, garlic, flaxmeal and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, shaped into 4 patties and set aside in the fridge for half an hour or so to firm slightly. IMG_2333 As to cooking the burgers, my trusty George Foreman grill was the perfect solution (given it is a bit chilly to stand outside cooking them on the BBQ), with a slice of mozzarella added to each patty during the last few minutes of cooking. IMG_2350 I served the burgers on a couple slices of GF bread that I had toasted lightly… IMG_2345 And finished them with some other delicious burger ingredients including avocado, tomato and cos lettuce. burgercollage And my favourite? IMG_2343 Fresh basil. IMG_2356 As far as mid week meals go, this one was a winner – fast, easy and healthier than their chain store counterparts. IMG_2355 And not to mention being packed with flavour. burg4 But then again – the chicken + semi-dried + basil combination rarely fails to disappoint lol. Sundried tomato and chicken burgers (makes 4)

  • 400g chicken mince
  • 60g sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tbs flaxmeal
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, and stir until just combined.
  2. Shape into 4 patties, and place on a plate lined with baking paper.  Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 1/2 hour to firm slightly.
  3. Heat non-stick pan or grill, and spray lightly with oil. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes each side, or until cooked through.

What about you? Do you have a favourite burger variety?