Author Notes
The other night, I has a sudden craving for some sweet potato and a burger at the same time. I had sweet potatoes, but no meat, and a massive red cabbage in my fridge. Sweet Potato burger it was! But with no beans or breadcrumbs (well only enough for a burger bun) to thicken the mixture, it was time to get inventive. My trusty pumpkin seeds that get thrown over many of my meals, are so handy that I thought grounds seeds might resemble breadcrumbs to add to the mixture. The patty remains quite soft, but it kind of adds to the enjoyment of eating as it oozes out of the bun like a healthy, veggie Sloppie Joe. As most burger recipes use flour or bread to thicken, this would be a good gluten-free choice, once you use gluten-free buns.
Plus, with the beta-carotene of the sweet potato and numerous nutrients of the pumpkin seeds, this is a pretty healthy burger!
I made a purple coleslaw to top it off, but a regular salad garnish works just as well. —AmyLynam
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Ingredients
- For the Purple Slaw
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80 grams
Red Cabbage, shredded
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2
Sticks of Celery
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4 teaspoons
Buttermilk
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4 teaspoons
Cream Cheese
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2 teaspoons
Lime Juice
- For the Burgers
-
1
Sweet Potato
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6 tablespoons
Pumpkin Seeds
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1
Egg Yolk
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1 teaspoon
Ground Coriander
-
1 teaspoon
Smoked Paprika
-
half
A Red Chilli, diced
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2
Burger Buns, I used wholemeal baps, or you could use gluten free depending on your dietary requirements
-
Red Onion, Lettuce, Ketchup, Mayo, Salsa, or everything to dress the bun
Directions
-
First of all, prick the sweet potato a few times with a fork. Bake in an oven at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes. This could be done in advance, as it will need to cool before making the patty mixture.
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Next, on to the coleslaw. Shred or thinly slice the red cabbage and celery however you like it. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, lime juice and cream cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper before mixing through the vegetables. The longer you leave the slaw, the more vibrant the shade of purple becomes, which is really nice against the orange of the burger!
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Now onto the star of the show, the burger! Grind the pumpkin seeds to a breadcrumb texture in a pestle and mortar. They can be quite slippy and slidey so this requires a bit of patience! Perhaps a food processor would work, if you're making a larger quantity. Scrape the sweet potato from its skins into a bowl, and mash to a smooth consistency. Add the seeds, egg, chilli and spices and mix until well-combined.
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Heat some oil in a large frying pan (I used sunflower oil). Once hot, dollop the patty mixture into two round shapes. Pat down to burger-thickness, and allow the base to crisp and get some stability. After 2-3 minutes, carefully turn over with a spatula. Do this slowly, as the soft mixture has a tendency to split. Fry on the other side for a further 2-3 minutes until crisp and brown. Drain any excess oil on a piece of kitchen paper.
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Meanwhile, toast your burger buns under the grill. Dress with whatever takes your fancy- I think salsa works particularly well with the Mexican flavours of the lime coleslaw and sweet burger. Chipotle past mixed with creme fraiche is another idea, and if you're not vegetarian, bacon tastes great here, like it does on anything! Add the patty to the artful composition, and enjoy.
P.S. Things could get messy- falling toppings ahoy!
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