Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

Name: Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 cup mashed sweet potato (from about 1 large sweet potato); 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1/2 cup dry quinoa); 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (can use flat-leaf or curly); 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional); 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1-2 teaspoons olive oil

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Looking for a fun and healthy side or snack? These Vegan Quinoa Patties are a delicious way to pack in lots of nutrients and are incredibly easy to make! Make up a batch in advance for a quick ready-made option throughout the week! {gluten-free & vegan}

Vegan quinoa patties in turquoise cups with one leaning against the side

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Every week, I make it my personal mission to whip up a new fun snack or side recipe for our little guys to test out. In case you don’t know, they’re my official recipe taste testers for the blog (along with my husband, of course).

By making new recipes on a weekly basis, it keeps things fresh and exciting, exposes them to different textures and flavours, and also provides me with new recipes to share with all of you!

It’s a win-win for everyone.

The latest recipe that got the thumbs up were these Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes.

These cute little patties are so simple, yet so flavourful and they make for a great fun side or snack for the whole family!

For other kid-friendly quinoa recipes, be sure to check out my Veggie Quinoa Muffins and Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites.

Stack of four quinoa cakes on a white surface with chopped parsley

Why we love this recipe

Great for little hands: Whether you’re looking for an easy way to serve up quinoa for baby-led weaning or a fun finger food for toddlers, this quinoa patty recipe will be right up your alley. As a bonus, it’s soft enough to serve to babies with few or no teeth, so it’s a great starter food!
Minimal ingredients: This recipe only has a few simple ingredients so it’s pretty easy to whip together, especially if you cook the sweet potato and quinoa in advance.
Make-ahead option: If you’ve been following along with me, you know that I always enjoy recipes that can be made in advance. Who doesn’t want to open the fridge or freezer and find food that’s already been made? These little patties are perfect for storing in the fridge or freezer when you need something quick and healthy to serve up as a snack or side.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for the quinoa cakes recipe on marble background with labels

Sweet potato: Acts as a glue to help bind the patties together so that no egg is required. Cook the sweet potato in the oven, on the stove top or in the microwave before incorporating in with the rest of the ingredients.
Quinoa: Adds a nice texture to the patties and a dose of nutrients. You can also use regular or whole-grain couscous as an alternative.
Fresh parsley: To add some colour and additional flavour. You can use flat-leaf or curly parsley; just be sure to chop it finely. You can also sub in cilantro if desired.
Onion powder: Used to flavour up the patties. You can also sub in garlic powder or finely chopped yellow or green onion if preferred.
Olive oil: Used to brush on top of the patties to help them crisp up a bit in the oven. I like to use olive oil, but you can sub in another oil if you wish.

Step by Step Instructions

Cooked sweet potato in a bowl on a marble background

Cooked quinoa in a pot on a marble background

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2 – Cook the sweet potato in the oven for 50-60 minutes or in the microwave for 5-10 minutes, until soft.
Step 3 – Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I usually like to do steps 2 and 3 in advance to save time later on.
Step 4 – In a medium-sized bowl, mash the sweet potato with a fork. Mix in the quinoa, parsley, onion powder, pepper and salt (if using).
Step 5 – Using your hands, form the mixture into 12 mini patties, packing the mixture so that it all sticks together. Place the patties on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top of each patty with half the olive oil.
Step 6 – Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and brush with remaining olive oil. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. The patties will firm up during this time.

Recipe Tips

You can cook the quinoa and sweet potato up to three days ahead of time and simply assemble the patties when ready to eat. The only part about this recipe that takes a little time is cooking the quinoa and sweet potato, so if you do this part in advance, it will save you some time in the long run.
You can either bake the sweet potato in the oven for about 50-60 minutes at 375 degrees F, or if you want the shorter method, you can pop it in the microwave for 5-7 minutes or until it’s nice and soft.
For the quinoa, you’ll simply want to rinse it and then bring it to a boil in some water or broth and allow to simmer for about 12-15 minutes, or until nice and fluffy. By doing this prep work, those patties be all ready to assemble when that time comes around!
If the sweet potato quinoa mixture isn’t adhering together or feels a bit too dry and crumbly after mixing, add a bit more sweet potato to the mixture.
Make sure that you pack the mixture together with your hands tightly so that the patties don’t fall apart when flipping. Also be very careful when flipping since the patties are delicate. I like to use a thin spatula to get right under them and flip. If some of the quinoa crumbles, simply pack it back into the patty.

Overhead shot of quinoa cakes in a meal prep container with turquoise polka dot cups and a napkin

Recipe FAQs

Can you make these patties ahead of time?

Yes, these patties are great to make in advance to store in the fridge or freezer. They reheat really well and make a quick and easy option when meal or snack time rolls around.

How to store

You can store these patties in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days. Alternatively, you can freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months.

How to reheat

There are a couple of ways to reheat these little cakes. You can heat them up in the oven by baking them for about 10-15 minutes at 350F or until heated through. If you’re really in a time crunch, you can microwave them for about a minute or so. Either way gets the job done!

Are this quinoa cakes recipe healthy?

Yes, these patties are packed with nutrients! Let’s break it down a little bit further:
Quinoa: is classified as a ‘complete protein’ since it contains all your essential amino acids. It also happens to be naturally gluten-free and a good source of dietary fibre, iron, vitamin E, calcium, and potassium
Sweet potatoes: provide 400% of your daily vitamin A requirement. They are also a good source of vitamin C, fibre and potassium. Can you really go wrong with these super nutritious ingredients?

Serving Suggestions

What I love about recipes like these is that they’re so versatile. You can really serve them up at any meal or even as a snack!

Here are some fun ways to serve them up!

Dipped in ketchup or this roasted garlic spread, BBQ Sauce, or Avocado Creme
Along with these Turkey Sausage Spinach Egg Muffins
With Turkey Apple Meatloaf Muffins
With Almond Coconut Chicken Tenders

Recipe Variations

These patties are great as is, but feel free to switch up the ingredients and flavours to give them a different twist.

Add veggies: Add finely chopped kale, peas, corn, finely chopped regular or green onion.
Add cheese: Try adding some grated parmesan cheese.
Add different herbs: Try fresh finely chopped cilantro.

Stack of three quinoa sweet potato cakes with a bite taken out of the top patty

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