Chickpea Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

As you may know (or perhaps you don’t), I don’t eat beef. It’s actually a little weird to think about since growing up I was in love with cheeseburger happy meals from McDonald’s. My dad loved a good burger too, topped high with condiments and every fixin’ in the refrigerator. Burgers were essential year round in our house, yet during my high school years I converted to turkey burgers, and then throughout college veggie burgers filled my plate.

Now there is no question that the tastes and textures between the three of them are completely different—juicy beef burgers, moist turkey burgers, and unbelievable flavored hearty vegetarian burgers. I actually prefer the satisfying flavor from veggies burgers — beans, fresh herbs, spices, and a delicious texture just can’t be surpassed.

Yesterday I was craving one of those veggie burgers made with good-for-you ingredients. Since I’m an Alexia Tastemaker, and have the honor of developing delicious recipes using Alexia products, I wanted to incorporate their new sweet potato rolls.  I knew they would be perfect with my veggie burgers, especially since they have sweet potatoes in them. Yum!

These burgers come together by pureeing chickpeas, a little garlic and onion, fresh herbs, spices, and sweet potatoes. Then the bean and sweet potato puree is mixed with cooked quinoa and formed into 8 patties. I placed them on parchment paper and stuck them in the fridge to help bind them a bit before cooking; however, do note that at this point the burgers are completely vegan and gluten-free!

If you aren’t sure how to properly cook quinoa, check out this tutorial on how to cook perfect, fluffy quinoa.

Now if you’d like a crispy exterior and a better binded burger, I suggest dipping them in a bit of egg and bread crumbs before frying (noted in the directions).

Again, these burgers are paired with the sweet potatoes rolls (not vegan or GF). However, they are definitely a new favorite of mine; I enjoyed their crisp exterior and soft interior. They’d be incredible with a cinnamon honey butter for breakfast.

There isn’t anything more comforting than these veggie burgers. Somehow they make me feel as though I’m back in California, eating things made with wholesome ingredients and soaking up the sunshine. In reality, I’m in Minnesota shivering my buns off and wearing mittens everywhere I go.

Oh well. I’ll savor the memories between every bite.

Enjoy these delicious, healthy burgers! They’ll satisfy you with flavor.

*Disclaimer: I am being compensated for my partnership with Alexia Foods as an Alexia Tastemaker.  All my opinions and recipes using their products are my own. I am sharing this giveaway on behalf of Alexia Foods.

Chickpea Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce + {a giveaway}

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

ServesServes 8 burgers

A vegetarian burger made from chickpeas, sweet potatoes, herbs, spices, and quinoa. Healthy and delicious! Also can be vegan and/or gluten-free if desired!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium to large sweet potato
• 1 -15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, if desired
• 1 egg, slightly beaten, if desired
• olive oil, canola oil, or cooking spray for frying
• Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado -- for serving
• Alexia Sweet Potato Rolls
• For spiced yogurt sauce:
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft and onions are soft. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat.
• Poke sweet potato several times with a fork and place in microwave for about 3-4 minutes or until it is soft and cooked thoroughly. Do not overcook or the sweet potato will harden.
• Place onion mixture, beans, cooked sweet potato, cilantro, parsley, salt, cumin, and chili powder and pulse until slightly chunky but smooth. 
• Add mixture to bowl and combine with cooked quinoa. Season with salt and pepper again to taste and adjust seasonings as desired. 
• Divide into 8 patties (about 1/2 cup each) and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet or large plate; refrigerate for 30 minutes to help bind together.
• Heat skillet again over medium-high heat. Spray pan with canola or olive oil cooking spray. If desired, dip patties in beaten egg then in bread crumbs, and place in skillet about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. If keeping vegan, omit the egg and simply brush with a bit of oil and dip in breadcrumbs then fry accordingly. Serve with buns of your choice and desired toppings.
• To make yogurt sauce: In medium bowl combine yogurt, honey, dijon mustard, and hot sauce until smooth. Keep yogurt sauce in fridge until ready to serve. Spoon on top of burgers for a spicy, yet cooling effect.

Recipe Notes

To keep vegan, do not use an egg. Simply fry in oil. The burgers may fall apart more easily. Also, do not use yogurt topping. Instead use soy plain yogurt and agave nectar to make sauce.

To keep gluten-free, do not use bread crumbs, or use GF bread crumbs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1burgerCalories: 176calCarbohydrates: 31.3gProtein: 8.1gFat: 2.9gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 2.1g