Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Patties (Asian-Style)
Firm and satisfying, these sweet potato tofu patties work just as well in a burger bun as they do on a plate with a good dipping sauce. Tofu and sweet potato give them substance, while, ginger, chilli and peanut butter add plenty of Asian-inspired flavour. Naturally gluten-free, they’re useful to have on hand for tucking into flatbreads or topping a grain bowl. They’re ideal for an easy plant-based lunch, dinner or meal prep.
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I get quite a few sweet potatoes in my veg box. I’m not complaining, but I usually find them too sweet to eat on their own. Mixed into other things though, they’re a real bonus and they work a treat in these patties.
Dive Right In
- Why You’ll Want To Make These Vegan Tofu Patties
- What Makes These Asian-Style Patties So Good?
- Ingredients, Additions And Substitutions
- How To Make Sweet Potato Tofu Patties – Pan-Fried or Baked
- How To Press Tofu
- How To Bake Tofu Patties
- How To Serve Sweet Potato Tofu Patties
- Turn These Patties Into Vegan Tofu Burgers
- Other Sweet Potato Recipes You Might Like
- Keep In Touch
- Pin It
- The Recipe
Why You’ll Want To Make These Vegan Tofu Patties
- Firm enough for proper burgers – They hold together beautifully, so no crumbly disappointments in a bun.
- Naturally gluten-free – No breadcrumbs or wheat flour needed.
- Full of flavour – Ginger, chilli, spring onions, peanut butter and tamari give depth without complicated ingredients.
- Great for meal prep – Make a batch and reheat through the week.
- Versatile – Serve as burgers, with a dipping sauce, in flatbreads or as grain bowl toppers.
- Protein-rich and satisfying – Thanks to the tofu and peanut butter.
- Pan-fried or baked – Flexible cooking options depending on time and preference.
- Budget-friendly ingredients – Tofu and sweet potato are affordable and widely available.
- Freezer-friendly – Ideal for keeping a stash of ready-made patties.
- Plant-based but hearty – Substantial enough to please everyone at the table.
What Makes These Asian-Style Tofu Patties So Good?
Bold flavours make a great starting point as to why these tofu patties are so good. Ginger, chilli and tamari bring warmth and depth, while spring onions and fresh coriander give the patties a lift. Peanut butter adds savoury richness and helps bind the mixture together. The result is a bite that’s crisp on the outside and tender within.
Sweet potato brings a gentle sweetness, the kind you expect in Asian-inspired cooking. But it doesn’t tip into cloying territory due to the other ingredients. The chilli, garlic and tamari keep things balanced, so you get contrast as well as comfort.
Once cooked, the patties have an appealing golden orange colour due to the sweet potato and peanut butter. They’re very similar to fritters, but have a firmer texture and are mainly focussed on the protein element.
They’re also wonderfully accessible as they’re naturally gluten-free and completely vegan. What’s more, they’re substantial enough to satisfy, whether served as a burger in a bun, on their own with a dipping sauce, or as a buddha bowl component.
Last, but not least, these patties are so good because they’re not only delicious and nutritious but also really easy to make. Apart from baking the sweet potato first, it’s mostly a case of bunging everything into a food processor.
Ingredients, Additions and Substitutions
The ingredients needed to make these sweet potato tofu patties are the sort you’re likely to have in the kitchen. They’re certainly all easy to get hold of.
Flavour Bombs
Fresh ginger gives both heat and zing to the patties. Smoked paprika works particularly well with sweet potatoes and chilli is there for additional flavour and a bit of heat if you want it.
Spring onions and garlic are a must and peanut butter makes the patties extra delicious. It also helps with the binding.
Instead of salt, I use tamari for giving depth and those much needed umami notes. I’ve written many times why I believe it’s the best soy sauce, but you can use your favourite instead.
And then there’s coriander leaves (cilantro). This herb adds freshness and has a slight citrusy flavour. It’s also widely used in Asian cuisine. If you’re someone who has an aversion to it, you can always swap it for flat-leaved parsley instead.
Flour
Flour is needed to absorb any excess moisture and to help bind the mixture together. I’ve used buckwheat flour, which is not only super nutritious, but is also gluten-free.
Oats make a perfectly good substitute if you don’t have any buckwheat. Just use rolled oats. There’s no need to turn them into flour first as they’ll break up when you process everything together.
Sweet Potato
Orange fleshed sweet potato adds bulk to the patties, but also flavour and sweetness. In addition, it’s a veritable powerhouse of antioxidants and fibre. It’s one of the richest sources of beta-carotene for starters.
Tofu
You need firm tofu, not silken tofu for this recipe. It’s fairly easy to find ready pressed tofu these days, look for “extra firm tofu” on the packaging. If yours isn’t, however, you’ll need to press the tofu to extract any excess water before using it.
See How To Press Tofu further down the page for instructions on how to do this.
How To Make Sweet Potato Tofu Patties – Pan-Fried or Baked
As long as you have a food processor, a decent frying pan and something in which to bake a sweet potato, you’re good to go with this recipe. Here’s how:
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for cooking temperatures and quantities of ingredients used.
Step 1. Bake Sweet Potato
Before you do anything else, scrub the sweet potato and pop it in an air-fryer or oven to bake until tender. Give it a gentle squeeze and if it’s soft, it’s done.
Leave to cool a little, then slice in half.
Step 2. Mix Ingredients
Press the tofu, if needed (see below for how to do this). If you use extra firm tofu, you won’t need to press it first. Roughly crumble it into a food processor with your fingers.
Scoop the sweet potato flesh out of its skin with a spoon and add to the tofu. I generally just eat the skin which is crisp and sweet. Otherwise, add it to your compost. Grate in the ginger and garlic, then finely chop the chilli and add that, if using.
Roughly slice the spring onions (scallions) and add them along with all of the remaining ingredients. Pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. It doesn’t need to be smooth, some texture is good and it’s fine for the herb and onion pieces to vary in size.
Check for seasoning and, if you think it needs it, add a little more tamari or any of the other flavourings.
Top Tip: How To Press Tofu
- If you have unpressed tofu, you’ll need to press it before you can use it, in order to extract excess water. Take the tofu out of its pack and drain away the water it’s in.
- Wrap the tofu block in a clean tea towel and place a large plate on top.
- Place something heavy, such as a couple of tins of tomatoes or heavy frying pan on top of the plate.
- Leave for thirty minutes, by which time any excess water will have drained away, leaving you with a significantly smaller, but drier block.
Step 2. Cook Patties
Heat some of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. I use my cast iron skillet* for this.
As soon as its hot, dollop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and form into round flat discs with a spatula. Place them well apart, so you have room to manoeuvre.
Use a trigger ice-cream scoop*, if you have one, to scoop out balls of the tofu mix. This makes it easy to get even sized patties in a nice round shape. All you then need to do is flatten them.
How big you make them will depend on what you want them for. Unless you intend to make burgers, I suggest sizing them about six centimetres (two and a half inches) in diameter and one centimetre thick (a bit less than half an inch). This means they won’t take as long to cook.
Fry for five minutes until crisp and golden on the bottom, then flip over and fry for a further three to four minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven whilst you cook the rest.
Add the remaining oil and repeat until you have no mixture left. I got two lots of seven patties in the pan.
Serve whilst hot and crisp.
If you prefer to bake the patties instead of pan-frying, it’s very easy to do.
Top Tip: How To Bake Tofu Patties
- Set the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6).
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Form the patties into round discs as stated in recipe, placing slightly apart on the tray.
- Spray with a little oil, then bake for 15-20 minutes until firm and golden brown.
For storage, freezing and reheating instructions take a look at my wild garlic tofu patties post.
How To Serve Sweet Potato Tofu Patties
These Asian tofu patties are best served with a zingy sauce to complement them. Either drizzle the sauce over the top, or dip the patties directly in it.
These three homemade green sauces all work a treat:
- chimichurri: Argentinian punchy green sauce (made with chillies and parsley)
- creamy wild garlic dressing
- zhoug: Yemeni hot green sauce (made with chillies and coriander)
Eat them as a light lunch with the sauce or turn them into something more substantial for dinner.
These patties also work well in a grain bowl or tucked into flatbreads with sauce and salad.
Turn These Patties Into Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Burgers
To turn these sweet potato tofu patties into burgers suitable for a burger bun, you just need to make them larger. Divide the mix into four and form each quarter into a burger-sized patty using damp hands. Keep them nice and fat. Rather than one centimetre in depth (just under half an inch), make them one and a half centimetres (just over half an inch).
You’ll need to fry or bake them for an extra five minutes or so to ensure they’re cooked through.
Once cooked stack the patties into what I like to call The Best Tofu Burger. Toast some burger buns, then layer them with lime mayo, pickled cucumber and plenty of fresh coriander. Serve with some kimchi or crunchy Asian slaw on the side.
Or just go with your favourite accompaniments.
Other Sweet Potato Recipes You Might Like
- Cauliflower rice & jerk sweet potato curry
- Creamy tahini white beans with sweet potato
- Sweet potato & carrot soup
- Sweet potato mash with miso (dairy free)
- Vegetable curry for a low histamine diet
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these vegan sweet potato tofu patties, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or tips for making fritters or burgers?
Please rate the recipe too. And do tag me @choclette8 on Instagram with your images, I really enjoy seeing your take on my recipes.
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If you’d like more tofu recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Sweet Potato Tofu Patties. PIN IT.
Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Patties (Asian-Style)
Equipment
- air fryer (affiliate link) optional
Ingredients
- 280 g firm tofu pressed if necessary (I used extra firm)
- 1 sweet potato weighing around 225g (8oz)
- 1 small bunch coriander leaves (cilantro) roughly chopped
- 2 spring onions (scallions) roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 thumb size knob root ginger grated
- 1 red chilli deseeded for less heat then finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link)
- 50 g buckwheat flour or use rolled oats
- 4 tsp sunflower oil or other neutral tasting oil
Instructions
- Bake the sweet potato in an air fryer at 180℃ (350℉) for 30-35 minutes or in an oven at 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6) for 40 minutes until tender. Allow to cool enough to handle.1 sweet potato
- Press the tofu, if needed. Then crumble it into a food processor with your fingers. Cut the sweet potato in half, then scoop out the flesh and add to the tofu.280 g firm tofu
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the oil and whiz until the mixture starts to clump together. It doesn’t need to be smooth, some texture is good and it’s fine for the herb and onion pieces to vary in size.1 small bunch coriander leaves (cilantro), 2 spring onions (scallions), 1 clove garlic, 1 thumb size knob root ginger, 1 red chilli, 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter, 1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link), 50 g buckwheat flour
- Check for seasoning and add a little more tamari if you think it needs it.
- Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 teaspoons of the oil. As soon as its hot, dollop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot pan and form into round discs with a spatula (see note 1 below). Place them well apart, so you have room to manoeuvre.2 tsp sunflower oil
- Fry for five minutes until crisp and golden on the bottom, then flip over and fry for a further three to four minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
- Add the remaining 2 tsp of oil and repeat until you have no mixture left. I got two lots of seven patties in my pan.2 tsp sunflower oil
Notes
- Set the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6).
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Form the patties into round discs as stated in recipe, placing slightly apart on the tray.
- Spray with a little oil, then bake for 15-20 minutes until firm and golden brown.
Nutrition Estimate
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This is a ‘why didn’t I think of that’ moment. I make fritters from all sorts of stuff but I haven’t done sweet potatoes. Thanks for the nudge!! I’m off to roll a couple into the oven right now – dinner kind of sorted! Thanks Choclette :))
Glad to have helped Mary 🙂 Fritters are such useful standbys for using whatever you happen to have at the time.