These sweet potato quinoa cakes are super healthy, and make the perfect meal or side dish! It's made with flavorful quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, and arugula, and pairs perfectly with an easy 2-ingredient dip.
Is it just me, or does food always taste better when its in the shape of a patty?
I mean, you could just have a regular quinoa salad with sweet potatoes and arugula, OR you could have a roasted sweet potato, quinoa and arugula nicely seared on a pan in the shape of little cakes. Plus a dipping sauce.
Personally, I like the second idea better.
Another great thing about these is that they work for multiple occasions. It could be an appetizer, side dish, lunch, or dinner!
Although the sweet potatoes and quinoa do take some time to cook, the prep time is fairly short and easy to prepare.
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes
I used to dislike quinoa due to its lack of taste, but after making this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Casserole and Lemon Honey Quinoa Salad, I learned that quinoa can taste incredible if you just give it enough flavor.
I consider this recipe to have 4 different components, each bringing their own level of flavor: sweet potatoes, quinoa, the cakes, and the dip.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
I always roast my sweet potatoes. It just brings another level of flavor. And using simple spices like salt, pepper, garlic herb seasoning, and cinnamon can make a world of difference.
In this recipe, I roast the sweet potatoes in halves, facedown. You rub in some olive oil and the seasonings listed and bake! High heat like 425 should do the trick.
When they come out of the oven, you only need the inside of the sweet potato, not the skin, but you don't have to waste it! Sweet potato skin is actually delicious to eat on its own when roasted.
If you want to speed up the cooking process and give it even more flavor, you can dice the sweet potatoes and roast them in smaller pieces. Since they're smaller, they cook faster and hold on to more seasonings.
Quinoa
I'm sure you've heard this already, but it's so true and so important: cook your quinoa in broth.
Water has zero flavor and does NOT help with quinoa's blandness. If you're out of broth, you can try using water plus different seasonings such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc. It will be better than just water, but I still recommend broth.
The Cakes
Once the sweet potatoes are out of the oven, they are mashed and combined with other ingredients for better flavor and texture.
Eggs: full of protein and nutrients, eggs help to bind the patties. They firm up when cooked and keep the cakes from falling apart.
Flaxseed meal: if you've been following my blog for some time, you know that this is one of my favorite ingredients ever. It's super healthy, providing healthy fats, protein, fiber, and omega-3s, but it also acts as a binder!
Cornstarch: The last of the binders, just to make sure nothing falls apart.
Arugula/Spinach: I still can't decide which one I like better in this recipe! They both work beautifully, adding some greens and freshness to the cakes.
Parmesan: adds a slight cheesiness and sharp flavor that enhances the rest. It's the perfect companion to sweet potatoes.
Seasonings: You don't have to use all of them, but they add another level of flavor and are so delicious. These include salt, garlic herb seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, and dried oregano.
And of course, we add back in the cooked quinoa. Mix it all together, and they're ready to cook!
Dip
This dip is essentially just a creamy ketchup, but it's much healthier than ketchup. It's so simple, made with only 2 ingredients: greek yogurt and ketchup.
Greek yogurt is high in protein and super creamy (with no fat!). It adds more volume to the ketchup, so you can eat more of it for less sugar and sodium.
Try to buy a ketchup with minimal ingredients, and low in sugar and salt. There's actually a very wide range between the sugar content of ketchup brands, so it's important to check.
I really hope you like this recipe! If you decide to make it, be sure to post a picture and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram--I'd love to see it!💕
More recipes you might love:
Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
Roasted Vegetable Lemon Quinoa Salad
Healthy Sweet Potato Mushroom Pasta
Healthy Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes
Ingredients
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Cakes
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less, by preference
- 1 teaspoon garlic herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional but recommended
- ½ teaspoon onion powder optional but recommended
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups finely chopped arugula or spinach lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
Dip
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt nonfat
- ¼ cup ketchup low sugar
Instructions
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a sheet pan with foil. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Place faceup on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub in the seasonings. Place facedown and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are very soft and fork-tender.
Quinoa
- In a medium pot, boil the broth. Add the quinoa and cook according to package directions (about 15 minutes).
Cakes
- When the potatoes are done, peel off the skin and transfer the insides to a large bowl. Mash with a fork and add seasonings and parmesan. Add more salt if needed. Mix and fully combine with the eggs, then add the rest of the ingredients except oil (arugula/spinach, flaxseed meal, cornstarch). Form into patties (the size of 2 tablespoons).
- Heat a large nonstick pan to medium heat with the olive oil. When hot, place the patties with enough space between them. You will probably need to do this in batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Dip
- In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt and ketchup. Serve with the quinoa patties.
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