The original plan for today’s post was to share this triple layer carrot cake. I was hoping for a birthday miracle – maybe just this once it would work on the first try? Yea right. Three trials later, I don’t want anything to do with cake. (Let’s be real, that probably won’t last more than a day.) Vegan and gluten-free cake creation is not for the faint of heart, I tell you.
Enter Birthday Burgers. This might have to become a yearly tradition! I think I like this meal better than cake anyway. You’ve probably heard of those BB skin creams and potions that are everywhere these days. Well, I like to think of this as a BB meal. There’s no sugar crash – just a boost of energy for hours, a kick in your step, a glow to the skin. Total BB meal. Nourish that skin from the inside out. Wrapped in curly lettuce and topped with a cilantro-lime-tahini sauce and homemade salsa, it’s just about the most balancing meal I could’ve hoped for to kick off turning 31. It’s going to be a great year.
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Moroccan Yam Veggie Burgers with Cilantro Lime Tahini Sauce
Yield
6-8 patties
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A flavourful Moroccan-style veggie burger served with a tangy and fresh cilantro-lime tahini sauce. You can make these burgers soy-free by using coconut aminos and they are naturally gluten-free when using certified gluten-free rolled oats/oat flour. Burger recipe is inspired by Ryan's Moroccan Yam veggie burgers from the Whitewater Cooks Cookbook.
Ingredients
FOR THE BURGERS:
- 1.5 cups grated yam (I used a sweet potato in a pinch)
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 small piece of fresh ginger (1 cm cube), peeled
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup rolled oats, ground into a flour (use gluten-free if necessary)
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or low-sodium tamari
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
FOR THE CILANTRO-LIME TAHINI SAUCE (makes 1/2 cup):
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- 2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- FOR THE BURGERS: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Peel the yam. Using the regular-sized grate hole, grate the yam until you have 1 1/2 lightly packed cups. I used the grater attachment disc in my food processor to save time (it takes less than 20 seconds). Place into large bowl.
- Remove grater attachment from food processor, and add the regular "s" blade. Mince the garlic, cilantro, and ginger until finely chopped.
- Add drained chickpeas and process again until finely chopped, but leave some texture. Scoop this mixture into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flax and water mixture.
- Grind the oats into a flour using a blender or a food processor. Or you can use 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon pre-ground oat flour. Stir this into the mixture along with the flax mixture.
- Now stir in the oil, aminos/tamari, salt/pepper, and spices until thoroughly combined. Adjust to taste if desired.
- Shape 6-8 patties, packing the mixture firmly together. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully flip, and bake for another 18-23 minutes until golden and firm. Cool on pan.
- FOR THE CILANTRO SAUCE: Mince garlic in a food processor, followed by the cilantro. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.
- Serve the patties with a generous dollop of sauce and optional homemade salsa (from OSG cookbook, p.95) with a bun or lettuce wrap.
Tip:
Note: I was missing a bit of crunch in these burgers, so next time I think I will add 1/4 cup sunflower seeds into the mix.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Don’t forget – today is the last day to enter the #osgcookbook Vitamix Contest. Keep those pictures coming!
Looks great…Work on those trials I like cake. Kale cake???? hmmm have a good day…
Will you please make a green monster cake, if you have not, yet.
Happy Birthday!!!!!
These look divine! I think they’d also be great on a kale salad with a smoky dressing — and I think that’s going to have to happen at my house this weekend!! So we will celebrate “with” you!!
These look fantastic! Love all the spices you used. They all pair so well with the sweetness of yams! :)
Mmm..glad to hear that sweet potatoes work, as I don’t know that I can get yams in the UK. Anyone care to elaborate on the differences?
True yams are not sold in the US, either. Anything labeled “yam” in the grocery is actually a variety of sweet potato. In different parts of the US, they are labeled differently. Some people think of Yams as being the very dark fleshed ones, and Sweet Potatoes as being lighter fleshed. Angela – what’s your differentiation?
Happy Birthday! This will probably be one of the most memorable years to date with the little on the way!! :)
So creative to transform yams into a burger. I like the idea of adding in some seeds for crunch. Will definitely give these a go.
Have a great long weekend!
Happy Birthday, Angela!
I love veggie burger recipes and this one sounds fabulous! I’ll be trying it soon!
Mmmm. Love the bold flavor of cilantro! That sauces looks like it would be amazing on just about anything!
These look delicious! And perfect timing as I was just thinking about what do cook this evening with my sweet potato.
Happy birthday! Loving the birthday burger idea -even if it wasn’t quite as planned :) a x
That sauce…. delicious. Happiest of birthdays!
Happy Birthday! Looking forward to seeing how the carrot cake turns out, but these will do for now :)
Happy birthday Angela!
Happy birthday! It is going to be a great year! These look so yummy and I am making them soon – maybe next week. Thank you so much for another glowing recipe. I wish you well with the cake making but I understand it is challenging to make Vegan baked goods.
Wow! I love the combination of these spices. I can’t wait to try these.
Also, I have posted a lot of pictures for the contest as I have been cooking from your book almost everyday since it came out. Good luck to everyone! What a great way to motivate people to eat healthy!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Angela! 1,000 thank yous would not be enough. Your dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm for food and life have helped me so much. Your blog is a gift. Your cookbook is a revelation. Happy birthday today! (P.S. We are the same age… I think … 31… which makes you even more of a role model to me.)
Thanks for your sweet words Celeste!
Happy Birthday Angela!! Hope you have a wonderful day filled with lots of love!
These burgers look fabulous – I am looking forward to trying them (I love cooking with coriander and cumin!!). Looking forward to your carrot cake recipe as well! Have a great day – enjoy every minute of it!!
Happy Birthday! I want that sauce…
Happy birthday! I was planning on making veggie burgers for the long weekend and thinking I would do some kind of chickpea thing…are you reading my mind?! These look AMAZING!!
I really hate cilantro, is there an alternative?
for the sauce you could probably use flat leafed parsley and or chives
Happy birthday!! :)
I’ve never had tahini with burgers before. What a great idea! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love all of the flavors and ingredients you used. Looks delicious!
This looks absolutely delicious! I am definitely going to have to try this one out.
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