Sweet Potato Quinoa Latkes
During the winter holidays, I put a savory spin on potato pancakes (aka latkes) in this flourless recipe, which instead relies on cooked quinoa and one super produce pick: sweet potatoes. The orange spud is packed with beta-carotene, a plant pigment that gets converted into vitamin A, which helps boost immunity and maintain healthy vision. Plus, on the flavor front, it provides sweet creaminess to just about any recipe.
Quinoa is another welcome addition because it’s rich in protein and contains magnesium, a mineral shown to be helpful in managing migraines. Let’s just say this is a pancake with perks.
Feel free to use the herbs you love the most (I adore these latkes with lots of fresh chopped dill) and add the topping of your choice; my family likes light sour cream, Greek yogurt, or natural applesauce. Pick your fave, scoop it on, and dig in. And there’s no need to enjoy these just around Hanukkah (latkes are a classic holiday food)—I make them year-round for the family. They disappear faster than I can whip them up.
This recipe is in my new book, Joy Bauer’s Superfood! To learn more, click here.
Want more quinoa? Try my Triple Veggie Quinoa and Quinoa-Yogurt Parfait!
Sweet Potato Quinoa Latkes
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups grated sweet potato, about 1 to 2 sweet potatoes, grated on the largest hole and drained of excess moistures
- 1 small or ½ large zucchini, grated on the largest hole (about 1 cup), well-drained of excess moisture
- 8 egg whites, or 1 cup liquid egg whites
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped*
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling on top
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Toppers
- Yogurt, light sour cream, natural applesauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, sweet potato, zucchini, egg whites, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper to make a batter.
- Liberally coat a large skillet with nonstick oil spray and warm over medium-low to medium heat. Spoon out very scant ¼-cup scoops of batter onto the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Be sure to mist the pancake tops with oil spray between flips to prevent sticking and lightly sprinkle on additional salt over the tops of each (skip the extra salt if you’re watching your sodium intake).
- Gently flatten the pancakes with a spatula or the back of spoon on each side as they cook. Serve with yogurt, light sour cream, natural applesauce, or any other preferred topping.
