So, I have a small obsession with vegan burgers.  I often get asked if I crave meat or miss it. That’s a big fat no.  Not only because I’ve watched the documentaries and seen the heartache animals have faced, but I love all of the foods I’m eating so much more!  I’m healthier and happier.

There are many vegan burgers you can purchase in stores, that are super easy and quick to make.  My absolute favorite is Boca.  They make yummy burgers, but their chik’n patties are my favorite.  Funny story, when I made these Sweet Potato burgers, my fiance asked me why I was going through all of this trouble when I had two boxes of Boca patties in my freezer.  Haha, yes I could have gone the easy route.  However, I love cooking almost as much as I love eating. Almost.

Sweet Potatoes are one of my favorite foods on earth. They are so tasty!  I went out to eat at a restaurant in Boston and had a vegan burger that was made with sweet potatoes.  I loved it so much, I knew I had to try and makes some of my own!

These are made with chickpeas, and bbq sauce.  They are so, so yummy!

Cook your sweet potato whole (with skin on) by roasting it at 400 degrees until super soft. It’ll take between 30-50 minutes. Steaming or boiling is not recommended, as too much water will get in the potatoes. Let it cool some before peeling off the skin and mash it completely with a fork.

 

Drain and rinse your chickpeas and pat dry. Add them to a large bowl and mash completely with a fork to where no visible whole chickpeas remain. Add the cooled potato to the chickpeas.

 

Add the barbecue sauce, cornmeal, salt and paprika to the mix and stir until combined and thick. Taste and add any more salt if needed or spice. Note: the batter will be moist and soft, not stiff like you might expect, but they will be completely firm by the end of baking. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to firm up some.

 

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Form the mixture into patties using a ½ cup measuring cup. You will get 5 burgers this way. If you want them more slider size, use a ¼ cup. The mixture should be fairly easy to form into patties with your hands. Flatten them to about ¾ inch.

Bake for 30 minutes on the first side. It will take this long to cook before you will be able to flip them. Remove and you must flip them carefully using a metal spatula. Using a spatula should make it fairly easy to slide it underneath the burgers. They should have started to form a cooked bottom. It they are sticking too much, cook them a few minutes longer until they come up better. After flipped, cook 10-15 more minutes until they have a nice golden brown top. The longer you cook them, the crispier the exterior will be. Let them cool 10 minutes to firm up some before eating.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 15oz can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
1  sweet potato
½ cup + 2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce
salt + pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup coarse medium-grind cornmeal, not corn flour

Instructions

Cook your sweet potato whole (with skin on) by roasting it at 400 degrees until super soft. It’ll take between 30-50 minutes. Steaming or boiling is not recommended, as too much water will get in the potatoes. Let it cool some before peeling off the skin and mash it completely with a fork. Measure out 1 cup fully filled (no gaps) mashed sweet potato.

Drain and rinse your chickpeas and pat dry. Add them to a large bowl and mash completely with a fork to where no visible whole chickpeas remain. Add the cooled potato to the chickpeas.
Add the barbecue sauce, cornmeal, salt and paprika to the mix and stir until combined and thick. Taste and add any more salt if needed or spice. Note: the batter will be moist and soft, not stiff like you might expect, but they will be completely firm by the end of baking. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to firm up some.
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Form the mixture into patties using a ½ cup measuring cup. You will get 5 burgers this way. If you want them more slider size, use a ¼ cup. The mixture should be fairly easy to form into patties with your hands. Flatten them to about ¾ inch.
Bake for 30 minutes on the first side. It will take this long to cook before you will be able to flip them. Remove and you must flip them carefully using a metal spatula. Using a spatula should make it fairly easy to slide it underneath the burgers. They should have started to form a cooked bottom. It they are sticking too much, cook them a few minutes longer until they come up better. After flipped, cook 10-15 more minutes until they have a nice golden brown top. The longer you cook them, the crispier the exterior will be. Let them cool 10 minutes to firm up some before eating.
Layer your burgers with avocado,tomatoes, extra barbecue sauce, lettuce or any toppings you desire! (I used veganaise and Spinach leaves on mine!)