Vegan Recipes - Entrees

Black Bean Millet Patties

This one from my first cookbook, The Everyday Vegan, is a nice way to use millet. Cooked millet becomes sticky when cooled, so it is a great base for patties. These are very flavorful, and when paired with a salad and topped with a sauce as suggested below, round out a lovely meal.

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil (for sauté)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons cumin
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• couple pinches crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons tahini
• 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons mild miso (e.g., brown rice miso)
• 3 cups *cooked millet
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans (canned ok)
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and chopped
• 3-4 Tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup coarse flour (e.g. Kamut flour) or other flour, for coating
• bread crumbs or flour (optional, if needed to bind the mixture a little)
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil (or more, if desired, for frying patties)
*Note: You can substitute other cooked grains for all or some of the millet, such as brown rice. The ability of the patties to "bind" will depend somewhat on the grain. So, you may need to add extra tahini and/or some breadcrumbs or flour to help the patties come together (as noted in the directions below).

In a skillet, heat the 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard seeds, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until very fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add onions and stir. Reduce the heat a little and cook for another 3-4 minutes until onions soften (you may want to add a little extra olive oil if mixture gets too dry). Remove from heat and stir tahini and miso into the warm mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add this mixture (scrape out everything!) with the remaining ingredients (except the coarse flour used to coat the patties, and the olive oil) and mix well. If the mixture does not hold together when pressed, you may want to add some breadcrumbs, flour, or a little extra tahini. (Also, chilling the mixture before shaping the patties will help them bind). Scoop mixture out and form patties with your hands (you may need to rinse your hands periodically to keep mixture from sticking). Once shaped, lightly coat patties in coarse flour. If you have time, cover with plastic wrap and let chill for 1/2 hour or more. In a skillet coated with the remaining olive oil, fry patties over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, until lightly browned (try to flip just once or twice to help keep their shape). Makes 9-10 patties.

These patties are delicious on their own, but are also wonderful topped with a little sauce, such as "Tahini-Tamari Sauce," "Mi-so Good Gravy" (pages 74 and 72 respectively of The Everyday Vegan), some chutney, or even a plum or sweet and sour sauce!

Nutritional Analysis: For 10 patties, per patty: Calories: 182; Total Fat: 5.6g (Sat. Fat: 0.7g); Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrate: 27.4g; Fiber: 3.5g; Protein: 5.4g.

Read the VegFamily review of The Everyday Vegan

Buy The Everyday Vegan.

Dreena Burton is a vegan mom of a vegan daughter and the author of The Everyday Vegan. You can learn more about Dreena and her unique cookbook at www.everydayvegan.com. Read VegFamily's review of the book here.



Submit a Recipe