Looking for a fun and healthy side or snack? These vegan Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes are a delicious way to pack in lots of nutrients and are incredibly easy to make! Make up a batch of these patties in advance for a quick ready-made option throughout the week! {Gluten-free & vegan}
Table of Contents
Sweet Potato Quinoa Patties
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.
Why We Love This Quinoa Cake 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
- 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.
How to Make Quinoa Patties – Step by Step Instructions
- 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.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
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.
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!
Recipe FAQs
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.
Be sure to pack the sweet potato and quinoa mixture together tightly using your hands. If they’re having trouble sticking together, you may need to add a bit of additional sweet potato to the mixture to act as a binding agent.
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 these Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes up!
- Dipped in ketchup or this roasted garlic spread, BBQ Sauce, or Avocado Creme
- With some of these Salmon Patties with Crackers
- 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.
- Switch up the grains: Use regular or whole-grain couscous instead of quinoa.
What Readers Are Saying
“Love it! Had one as a snack and going to give it to my daughter for dinner. Perfect consistency for BLW!” – Laura
“Quick and easy, hopefully my little one will love them :)” – Julia
More Kid-Friendly Recipes
- Sweet Potato Fritters
- Healthy Cauliflower Tots
- Easy Zucchini Fritters
- Chicken Avocado Poppers
- Sweet Potato Lentil Tater Tots
- Spinach Zucchini Frittata Fingers
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes Recipe
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
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook the sweet potato in the oven for 50-60 minutes or in the microwave for 5-10 minutes, until soft.
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I usually like to do steps 2 and 3 in advance to save time later on.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the sweet potato with a fork. Mix in the quinoa, parsley, onion powder, pepper and salt (if using).
- 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 about an inch apart. Brush the top of each patty with half the olive oil.
- 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.
- Store in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in April 2019 and was updated in September 2021 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Looking for more healthy Baby-Led Weaning recipes, tips and meal ideas?
Get a copy of Healthy Baby Foodie!
My 13 month loves these! He’ll eat a whole batch in one sitting. Super easy to prep ahead of time.
Awesome! So happy your little guy has been loving them! It’s so convenient to have those make-ahead options on hand :)
Just made these. They are so delicious, I almost didn’t want to share with my baby :) my 10 month old baby girl picks them up and bites it, and loves it. Thank you for the recipe
Can I reheat this in oven straight from frozen?
Yes, you should be able to reheat these in the oven from frozen!
Do I have to cook them in oven first and then put it in freezer or I can put straight formed patties in freezer and cook them in oven when ready from frozen?
I typically cook them first and then freeze them, although I’m sure you could cook them from frozen too. Let me know how it goes if you try cooking them from frozen!
Can I replace onion powder with normal onions? Will I still be able to freeze them
I think that would work! Freezing the patties shouldn’t be a problem with the fresh onion vs. the onion powder. Let me know how it works out if you decide to try it!
These are so fantastic! Quick and easy! I made them while my little one napped and he ate them for lunch when he woke up and he loves them!!!
Amazing ingredients! I am very impressed with how they turned out! So glad I made a double batch so I can freeze some!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Yay!! So happy your little one enjoyed the recipe! Definitely handy to keep some of these in the freezer for quick and easy meals! Thanks so much for returning to leave a review! :)
Can these be pan seared?
I haven’t tried it myself but I can’t see why not! If you really pack together the mixture and flip them carefully, you should be good! Keep me posted on how they turn out if you decide to try it!
I made these but they fell apart even after cooking. They tasted great but was hoping they would stay together so my little one could pick them up. Any idea what I did wrong or any tips to help them stay together? Thank you! :)
Hmm sorry to hear that they fell apart on you! The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the proportions of sweet potato and quinoa might have been slightly off? Enough sweet potato is needed in order to help bind it all together since quinoa is naturally pretty crumbly, so you could try increasing the sweet potato slightly next time. And also be sure to pack the cakes tightly with your hands before baking. Hope you have better luck next time!
Mine fell apart as well and I followed the recipe to the T. Any idea what to do with the mixture since it’s hard for my little one to pick up? What do you suggest I mix it in? Etc.
Sorry to hear they fell apart for you! You could always mix in some extra cooked mashed sweet potato to help bind it back together. My little guy loves to just eat the sweet potato and quinoa mixture by the handful or feed it to himself on a spoon.
I just made them using stuff up in the fridge I used quinoa from the cupboard, sweet potato, spring onion and I had some mixed seeds. Delicious
So glad you enjoyed the quinoa cakes! Love your modifications!
Delicous! My 19 month old daughter loves them. Easy to make.
*Delicious…swear I can spell. Have pity on me, i’m a sleep deprived mother of a 19 month old.
Hahaha no worries, I totally get it! And that’s fantastic! So happy you guys enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the feedback and hope you’re able to get some rest :)
I made these using Cous Cous .. ( I swore I had Quinoa when I went to make these) .. it worked also!! These are very tasty and addictive! I plan on getting Quinoa and making them the correct way as well :D
Love how you subbed in the couscous! I’ve done that so many times, where I go to make a recipe, think I have all of the ingredients…and NOPE! I’m so happy that they worked out for you! I appreciate you stopping by to comment :)