Black Bean, Quinoa, and Sweet Potato Spicy Croquettes (WFPBGF)*

All Recipes

Dinner Lunch

Prep Notes

You may wish to make the Pumpkin Seed Chipotle (Cream found under Sauces) ahead of making these Croquettes

Yields

8-11 Croquettes

Ingredients

1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

1-1/4 teasp cumin seeds (not ground cumin)

3/4 to 1 cup diced onion

1/2 Tbsp (roughly) finely chopped serrano chile (about 1 chile), or jalapeno or red chile, or a few pinches of crushed red pepper (optional)

2 medium to large cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 teasp dried oregano

1/8 teasp ground allspice

1/4 (lightly rounded) teasp + 1/2 teasp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (packed) skinned, mashed, cooked orange--fleshed sweet potato (see note)

1 (14-ounces, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1-1/2 cups cooled, cooked quinoa (see note)

1 Tbsp ground white chia seeds (see note)

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (first zest the limes; see below)

1/2 to 1 teasp lime zest

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 to 1 Tbsp organic extra-virgin olive oil, for panfrying)

Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream for serving

Directions

In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute or two, stirring. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, chopped chile, garlic, oregano, allspice, 1/4 teasp of the salt, and the pepper to taste, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until onion is very soft (be sure to lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown, so it doesn't burn and develop a bitter taste). Once the onion is soft, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the olive oil and Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream, and mix well. At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture until ready to fry (refrigerating for at least 30 minutes will make it firmer and easier to shape). Take scoops of the mixture and form into small patties with your hands. These are not firm patties; they will be soft and more delicate, so simply shape in relatively neat patties, repeating until you have used all of the mixture. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of oil. Add the patties, flatten gently on the pan, and fry for 6 to 9 minutes on each side, until golden and a crust has developed, flipping them over only once or twice (the second side will cook quicker than the first), working in batches, if necessary. Serve with a generous drizzle of Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream.

Print Recipe