Columnist Seiran Sinjari is starting the new year off with delectable recipe for Spiced Broccoli Patties with Garlic Tahini Mayo. Her recipe column All About the Veg! is all about highlighting the versatility of fruits and vegetables by shining a spotlight on a different one in each of her articles.
Vegan Spiced Broccoli Patties with Garlic Tahini Mayo
First All About the Veg column of the year and weโre really focusing on the veg this week! Itโs veganuary and many of us are trying to get in as many nourishing veggies as possible, but letโs also try to find new, fun and delicious ways to prepare them.
Broccoli is in season which means they taste good and they are also affordable. Thatโs actually two of many great things when youโre cooking with seasonal produce. A little tip now that weโre at the beginning of the year, check whatโs in season for each month before going grocery shopping. This will of course vary depending on where in the world youโre based but if you do a google search for your area youโll get lots of useful information when it comes to seasonal veggie shopping.
Back to the broccoli. Fun fact about broccoli, it has way more vitamin C than lemons, so whenever you feel like you need some extra vitamin C, have some broccoli with a squeeze of lemon! Broccoli is also high in fiber and other nutrients, plus it actually has more protein than many other vegetables.
You can steam, char or sautรฉ it and even have it raw. I love raw broccoli, especially the stem, finley sliced in salads or just dipping it into hummus. The stem is crispy and a little peppery in flavor when raw. But today weโre cooking the broccoli, two ways actually. First weโre quickly blanching it and then turning it into oven baked patties.
These broccoli patties are packed with flavors and theyโre crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth creamy inside. They donโt really need any sauce or dip as they hold so much flavor on their own but if youโre extra when it comes to food (I know I am), Iโm also sharing a super simple recipe for a vegan garlic tahini mayo.
Before we get to the recipe, here are a few tips for selecting broccoli at the grocery store. Look for vibrant florets with firm stems and dark green buds. Avoid broccoli with buds that begin to turn yellow or limp. You can of course also go for frozen broccoli, maybe not for this recipe, but they are great to keep on hand for quick meals.
What you’ll need
For Broccoli patties:
- broccoli florets
- potatoes
- olive oil
- yellow onion
- ground coriander
- ground cumin
- sweet paprika powder
- Aleppo chili or other mild chili flakes (more or less to taste)
- salt & pepper to taste
- tomato paste
- coriander or parsley
- pitted olives
- all purpose flour
- cornstarch
- panko bread crumbs
- roasted sesame seeds
- oil for spraying
For Garlic Tahini Mayo:
- tahini
- vegan mayonnaise
- water
- lemon juice
- garlic clove
- salt
Serve with (optional):
- pickles of choice
- red onion slices
- fresh herbs (such as, parsley, coriander and mint)
How to make these Vegan Spiced Broccoli Patties with Garlic Tahini Mayo
Step one: make the Broccoli patties
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F.
- Cut broccoli into chunky florets, including stems.
- Peel potatoes, place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Remove potatoes from boiling water and let cool, now blanch the broccoli in the water for 1-2 minutes until vibrant green.
- Drain broccoli well in a colander and let cool. Squeeze out any liquid from the florets with your hands.
- Place broccoli in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not mushy. Place in a large bowl. Rice potatoes with a potato ricer or roughly mash them with a fork or potato masher, add to the bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add onions and all seasoning, stir well. Fry until the onion has softened, add tomato paste and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl along with coriander, olives, flour and cornstarch. Mix well, the mixture is going to be pretty sticky but if itโs too wet add some more flour and cornstarch.
- Add panko crumbs and sesame seeds to a plate and mix well.
- Form small patties with your hands, and carefully cover them with the crumbs. Place them on a large oven sheet lined with parchment paper. When youโve placed them on the sheet you can shape them again as they will be very soft.
- Spray the top of the patties with olive oil or other cooking oil.
- Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully flip them with a spatule, spray them and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- When you remove them from the oven they will feel pretty soft but let them cool and they will hold their shape. First let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate and let cool for another 5-10 minutes.
Step Two: Make the Garlic Tahini Mayo
- Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until creamy, add more water if itโs too thick. Serve with the broccoli patties and other condiments.
Vegan Spiced Broccoli Patties with Garlic Tahini Mayo
Ingredients
For Broccoli patties:
- 200 g broccoli florets
- 300 g potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion - finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo chili or other mild chili flakes - more or less to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 small bunch coriander or parsley - finely chopped
- 50 g pitted olives - roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 40 g panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- oil for spraying
For Garlic Tahini Mayo:
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp water
- ยฝ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove - minced
- salt to taste
Serve with (optional):
- pickles of choice
- red onion slices
- fresh herbs - such as, parsley, coriander and mint
Instructions
Broccoli patties:
- Preheat the oven to 200 C / 390 F.
- Cut broccoli into chunky florets, including stems.
- Peel potatoes, place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Remove potatoes from boiling water and let cool, now blanch the broccoli in the water for 1-2 minutes until vibrant green.
- Drain broccoli well in a colander and let cool. Squeeze out any liquid from the florets with your hands.
- Place broccoli in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not mushy. Place in a large bowl. Rice potatoes with a potato ricer or roughly mash them with a fork or potato masher, add to the bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add onions and all seasoning, stir well. Fry until the onion has softened, add tomato paste and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl along with coriander, olives, flour and cornstarch. Mix well, the mixture is going to be pretty sticky but if itโs too wet add some more flour and cornstarch.
- Add panko crumbs and sesame seeds to a plate and mix well.ย
- Form small patties with your hands, and carefully cover them with the crumbs. Place them on a large oven sheet lined with parchment paper. When youโve placed them on the sheet you can shape them again as they will be very soft.
- Spray the top of the patties with olive oil or other cooking oil.
- Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully flip them with a spatule, spray them and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- When you remove them from the oven they will feel pretty soft but let them cool and they will hold their shape. First let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate and let cool for another 5-10 minutes.ย
Garlic Tahini Mayo:
- Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until creamy, add more water if itโs too thick. Serve with the broccoli patties and other condiments.
Recipe, text, and photography by Seiran Sinjari.