From the first day I decided to live a “plant based life” (almost a decade ago), I have loved Veggie Burgers. They were an easily available “go-to” back before I could cook & they were an easy option in the early days of my transition.

They have been a backbone & a back-up for me through my entire plantastic journey!

But lately, I haven’t been as thrilled with the boxed burgers as I once was.

I’ve been finding that many of them are flat on flavor and that they don’t always tout the most tempting texture.

For years, I searched for a store-bought “star” because I was intimidated by the idea of making my own. But now that I have, I don’t know why I’ve waited so long! (They’re a snap & so full of flavor!)

These Sweet Potato Patties are simple and straightforward once you have pre-cooked all of your ingredients.

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-You simply mix everything together in a bowl, plop & pat them on a cookie sheet & then bake.

One of the ways I cut down on my total time in the kitchen is by prepping with my Instant Pot. I cook all the ingredients a day in advance and then I simply store everything in the fridge until I bake them in the oven the next day. 

***Crunchy Veggie Papa loves to pack these Patties and my Sensational Summer Salad as his mid-day meal, so I’ve been making them weekly and I have their preparation practically down to a science! (He mixes them together. Which I’ve now tried, and I too find the combo to be totally tasty!)***

-So if you’re looking for a pre-prepped dinner, a pal for your pasta salad and / or a perfectly packable lunch, these Southwestern Sweet Potato Patties would be perfect!

Here’s what you need to make your own Southwestern Sweet Potato Patties

Ingredients

Two Large Sweet Potatoes – Cooked

2 Cups of Brown Rice – Cooked

1 Cup of Black Beans  – Cooked, Rinsed & Drained (Can be substituted with a 14 oz can)

¼ Cup White Onion – Diced

2 ½ Teaspoons Cumin

2 Cups Almond Flour (I like to buy mine in bulk at Costco)

1 Heaping Teaspoon of Smoked Paprika

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Sprinkle of Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to: 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Cook time: 40-50 minutes

Yield: 13 generously sized Patties

Step 1: Cook your Sweet Potatoes, Black Beans & Brown Rice.

-Personally, I like to make everything in my Instant Pot. I love that I don’t have to use the stove & that you can set everything up and walk away.

(But you can bake your Sweet Potatoes and / or boil your Rice & Black Beans, and it will all work out the same. 🙂 )

-Here is the link to my blog about how to make Instant Pot Black Beans.

–Instant Pot Brown Rice: Add Two Cups of dry Brown Rice and Two and a half Cups of Filtered Water to your Instant Pot. Sprinkle in One Teaspoon of Sea Salt. Close the lid, make sure the steam valve is set to seal & manually set the timer to 15 minutes on High Pressure. When the timer beeps, allow the pressure to diffuse naturally. Then fluff with a fork and your Rice is ready! 

**It is important that you wait for the pressure to diffuse on its own**

**Makes 5 cups of Cooked Brown Rice

–Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes: Place the Steaming Rack in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Add just enough water that it fills to the top of the Rack, (about a Cup and a half). Place two, Large, washed Sweet Potatoes (or three medium) on the Steamer Rack in the Instant Pot and close the lid. Make sure the steam valve is set to seal. Manually set the timer to 15 minutes on High Pressure. Once the timer beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally & your Sweet Potatoes have been steamed. 

Step 2: After everything has been cooked, and you’re ready to bake your Patties, preheat your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit, do your non-stick sorcery to a cookie sheet & set it aside.

**I’ve used both parchment paper and a light layer of coconut oil with wonderful results.

Step 3: Mash your Black Beans to create a “paste like” texture. (Honestly, I’ve done this both with a fork by mashing them again the side of the bowl and with my hands.)

**It is alright if you have quite a few not mashed. It will still work with whole beans.

Step 4: Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until everything is evenly mixed.

**Be sure to taste, and then add Sea Salt and extra Spices as you see fit.

*But be careful not to eat too much of this mixture. It will be delicious and you will be tempted to eat an entire bowl of it before you bake it. But you don’t want to get too carried away, as you’ll wind up with less parties. I may be speaking from experience- having accidentally eaten an  entire bowl of it myself a time or two. 😉

Step 5: Plop generously loaded Tablespoon sized scoops onto a cookie sheet and then pat them down to the shape of a “patty.”

**Honestly, I usually just use my hands.

**The thinner you make them, the faster they will cook.

Step 6: Bake for 40-50 minutes or until desired dryness / texture is achieved. The longer you cook them, the dryer they will be.

Step 7: Remove from oven and allow Patties to cool before attempting to remove them from the cookie sheet.

**Patties may fall apart if moved too soon.

Step 8: Eat & Enjoy!

-Store up to a week in an airtight container, or freeze for future use.

Mama’s Magic Tips & Tricks

-Patties are enjoyable cool from the container, but for best results when wanting to “reheat,” skip the microwave & reheat in a skillet (with or without oil) over medium heat.

Some ideas for serving:

-Alongside a Salad, Some Black Beans or Some Steamed Veggies

-On a Gluten Free Bun, stacked to the sky with tasty toppings like Guacamole or sliced Avocados

-Sprinkled into my Sensational Summer Salad (like Crunchy Veggie Papa likes for lunch.)

-Served with Spaghetti & topped with tasty Tomato Sauce (Sweet Potatoes and Tomato sauce are a match made in heaven!)

Pairs perfectly with:

–Crunchy Veggie Papa’s Pico de Gallo

In need of an Instant Pot for your own kitchen?

-Check out the model I use, the ” 6 Quart, 7-in-1, Instant Poton Amazon.com by clicking Here or on the picture below.

I hope you enjoy my Southwestern Sweet Potato Patties as much as I do!

*My favorite thing about them is that they’re both sweet & savory.

(And that the last time I made them, a friend I had over thought they were cookies in my fridge! haha!)

*When you make them, please don’t forget to tag me, @crunchyveggiemama, so I can see how you serve them up!

I find myself making these weekly and I am always looking for new ways to serve them.

-What do you believe would pair perfectly?

I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

-And If you, or anyone you know, would want to whip these up, it would be fantastic if you could share this with them on social media!

That would be so sweet! (As sweet as a Sweet Potato! ;))

Thank you!!

Until Next Time…

Peace, Love and (Sweet) Potatoes,

~Stephanie