Ottolenghi’s Sweet Potato and Lentil Croquettes

This post about sweet potato and lentil croquettes has been updated from the original published Feb 2019. Great recipe!

I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to veggie burgers, but I was wrong. I was wrong because I’d never tried Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet Potato and Lentil Croquettes. Not only were they flavorful, the technique used to make them is novel, and one I’ll use again.

Enjoy the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

If dropping Ottolenghi’s name wasn’t enough to catch your attention, let me also mention these croquettes are flavored with feta cheese, mint and cinnamon for a taste of the Eastern Mediterranean. The recipe makes 6 burger sized croquettes (or fritters if you prefer).

However, the way they’re formed means you can make them any size. These guys are also good candidates for batch cooking because they can be frozen until needed.

The recipe comes from Ottolenghi’s column in The Guardian and is written using metric terms.

Don’t worry, I’ve translated them to US standards. The exact measurements aren’t as important as getting the ratios correct. Naturally, there’s plenty of room to change the proportions to suit your own tastes and what you have on hand.

Fair warning, you’ll need to plan ahead because these yummies need some time to chill before cooking. Don’t let the ingredient list intimidate you. It’s mostly seasonings.

Ottolenghi’s Sweet Potato and Lentil Croquettes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Main, Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 6 servings

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes roasted, cooled and the flesh removed (somewhere around 4 cups mashed. The exact amount isn’t important as long as your sweet potato/lentil ratio is around 2:1)
• 2 cups cooked lentils OR 1 cup dried green or brown lentils
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1-2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used a rounded measure)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (I used a rounded measure)
• Generous handful parsley, roughly chopped
• 5-6 mint leaves, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 ½ ounces 100 g crumbled feta cheese (I broke the pieces off a block)
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

• Cook the sweet potatoes using whatever method you like (Mine were so large I pricked them all over with a fork then microwaved them on high for 6 minutes, then at 2 minute intervals until they were soft)
• When cool enough to handle, cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh. You won’t need the skins. Give the sweet potatoes a rough mash in your largest mixing bowl.
• While the sweet potatoes are cooking, heat a little oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a large sauce pan. Sauté the onions until they have softened and start to change colors. Reduce the heat to low, add the cooked lentils, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Add enough water to keep things from sticking and simmer for 15 minutes or so. The lentils should be very soft. (If using dried lentils, rinse and pick through them before adding to the sauce pan along with the other ingredients. Cover them with about an inch of water and cook for 30 minutes or until very soft)
• Remove the bay leaves and drain any excess liquid from the lentils, then add them to the sweet potatoes. Add the cinnamon, paprika, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Give the whole thing a mix. It’s easiest to use your hands.
• Add the feta chunks and combine. Don’t worry if your mix isn’t uniform.
• Prepare a tray or plate that will fit into your freezer by lining it with baking parchment.
• Divide the mix into 6 balls and arrange on the tray. Pat them into a uniform patty about an inch (2.5 cm) thick. If the mix is too loose, freeze for 30 minutes before forming into patties.

  Freeze for at least 2 hours. At this point you can package the croquettes to use in the future.
• Up to a day before cooking, set up a standard breading station with beaten eggs, flour and breadcrumbs. Take the patties from the freezer and roll them first in flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs.

  Let the croquettes stand at room temperature for at least an hour.

  It is very important that the croquettes are allowed to thaw before frying. Otherwise the breading will burn before the insides are warmed through.

  They can rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours before frying.
• When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Then, add about an inch (2.5cm) of vegetable oil in a frying pan large enough to fit two croquettes.

  Heat the oil to 350°F/180°C (use a thermometer).

  Fry the croquettes two at a time until golden brown on both sides, about 3 – 4 minutes. Transfer the browned croquettes to a baking tray and bake for 8 – 10 minutes until cooked through.
• Serve hot.

Like this recipe?Be sure to Pin It for later!

Cooking Notes for Sweet Potato and Lentil Croquettes

The method for cooking these seemed very convoluted to me, but I followed it because it was the first time trying the recipe. Now that I’ve completed a batch, I would do things differently next time. Here are my thoughts:

• It’s worthwhile to freeze the sweet potato and lentil croquettes, even if just for a couple hours. They are super easy to bread, and they hold their shape nicely.
• If you let the croquettes thaw completely before frying you shouldn’t have to finish them in the oven, just drain on some paper towels before serving.
• This is one of those recipes where it doesn’t take much more time to make a double batch to feed the freezer. It’s definitely worth the effort!

More Ottolenghi recipes to try: