Vegetable patties are a nutritious and delicious dish made with vegetables, herbs and spices. Perfect to pack in kid's lunch box or as a part of the main meal.
This is an ideal recipe to engage kids in kitchen tasks and cultivate a habit of eating fresh vegetables. It is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your kids diet.
Encourage your child to help mix the ingredients, shape the patties, or even choose some of the vegetables to include in the recipe.
They feel in charge of and proud of their meal as a result. Additionally, kids are more likely to enjoy meals that they help choosing ingredients and preparing.
While my toddler enjoyed tossing vegetables and seasonings into a bowl, my 9 year old daughter shaped patties. We used it as an opportunity to teach our little one counting, taking turns and being patient while patties cook. Above all, it has been a wonderful bonding opportunity for us.
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While cooking with children may seem enjoyable, their safety must be a priority. Keep younger children away from the oven, and make sure older children have oven mitts and other essentials for handling the oven.
Make sure that you supervise kids when they are using the oven. Check out the recipe and safety disclaimer for more details.
These vegetable patties are baked rather than fried making it a healthy option. This recipe can be customised with various seasonings and vegetables for varied flavour and texture.
Ingredients
- Vegetables: Carrot, cabbage, peas, garlic and potatoes.
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh coriander leaves, black pepper, salt, cumin powder and Italian herbs.
- Pantry Ingredients: Bread crumbs
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make vegetable patties?
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Wash all the vegetables and peel carrot and grate it using a grater. Shred cabbage finely with a knife or a peeler(adults or older kids must do it).
Place frozen peas in a bowl of water to defrost them. (Let young kids do it)
In a large bowl, place boiled potatoes, defrost peas and mash with a potato masher. (This process is for toddlers and young kids!)
Now combine the grated carrot, cabbage, finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, Italian herbs and fresh coriander leaves.
Mix with a spoon or spatula until everything is well combined. (Little hands need help here!). Do not forget to watch the video featuring my toddler.
Preheat oven to 180 C (360F).
Take a portion of the vegetable mixture and shape it into a patty using your hands. ( It's a bit challenging for young kids but a great skill to learn for older kids). Watch the video featuring my 9 year old daughter shaping the patties.
Place the patties on a parchment lined baking tray.
Spray or apply oil to each patty with a spoon or a brush.
Place the baking tray in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the patties start browning.
Take the tray out of the oven, flip patties and spray or apply oil.
Put the tray back and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes until patties are uniformly browned.
Serve the vegetable patties with your kids favourite dipping sauce or tomato sauce.
See these chickpea veggie patties and sweet potato patties on my website!
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten free Patties: For a gluten free option you can use almond flour, coconut flour or gram flour instead of breadcrumbs. Alternatively, skip breadcrumbs all together as potato acts as a binder. We have used it to add texture to the patties.
Protein Rich Patties: Add cooked millets, lentils, chickpeas or paneer to the vegetable mixture to make the patties protein rich and filling.
Indian-Spiced Patties: Add curry powder, turmeric and garam masala to the vegetable mixture for a fragrant and flavorful Indian-flavoured patty. Serve with yogurt mint sauce, sweet tamarind sauce or cucumber raita.
Vegetables: Try different vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, corn, capsicum and spinach for varied tastes and flavour.
Serving suggestions
As a Main Dish: Serve vegetable patties as the main course accompanied by side dishes such as a salad, steamed and seasoned carrots and potatoes and saffron rice. You can also place them on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and your favourite condiments to make veggie burgers.
Appetisers or Snacks: Serve vegetable patties as appetizers or snacks for kids parties. They can be served on their own with dipping sauces such as yogurt herb sauce, peanut butter sauce or carrot dip. Accompany it with drinks such as strawberry banana milkshake, avocado banana milkshake or berry cherry smoothie to make it a filling treat.
In Sandwiches or Wraps: Use vegetable patties as a filling for sandwiches or wraps. Add some fresh lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and a drizzle of honey mustard sauce for a satisfying meal.
Serve with Kids Favourite Sides: Pair the vegetable patties with sides that your child enjoys, such as rosemary roasted baby potatoes, baked potato wedges, air fryer baby carrots or roast butternut squash. This makes the meal more familiar and appealing.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftover veggie patties in the fridge. Place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place parchment paper between patties to prevent them from sticking together. Use them up in 3-4 days.
Reheat: Place the patties in a parchment lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven or air fryer until piping hot. Reheat only the required portions rather than all.
Tips and Tricks
Binding Agents: Boiled potatoes and breadcrumbs are typical binding agents that help keep the patties together. Adjust the quantity based on the other vegetable's moisture content.
Season Well: Adjust the seasoning to suit your kid's taste. Skip pepper if you are preparing patties for babies or toddlers who are not accustomed to spices.
Let the Mixture Rest: After mixing all the ingredients, let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture and helps the flavours meld together.
Test the Consistency: Before shaping the patties, test the consistency of the mixture. It should hold together when pressed but not be too wet. If it's too wet, adjust by adding extra breadcrumbs.
Use Appropriate Cooking Methods: Place parchment paper on a baking tray and preheat the oven. Oil the patties lightly with a brush or spray, then bake at a moderate temperature until golden.
Avoid Overcrowding the Pan: Leave some space between the patties when cooking to allow for even browning and easier flipping.
Potatoes: We have used boiled potatoes that we had on hand. Either boil potatoes them over the stovetop in a pot of water until soft or steam it in an instant pot or steamer.
How to cook vegetable patties in an air fryer?
Follow the steps from the instructions above to combine vegetables and shape patties.
Place shaped patties in a lined air fryer basket with sufficient spacing between patties.
Put the basket in the air fryer and set the temperature to 180C (375F) for 10 minutes.
After the air fryer beeps, take out the basket. Gently flip the patties with a spatula, put the basket back in the air fryer and cook for another 10 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, take the basket out of the air fryer.
Serve veggie patties with your kid's favourite dip.
FAQ
Freezing is an excellent option if you want to store veggie patties for a long period. Frozen veggie patties come in handy on hectic days as they require minimal prep time.
Prepare a big batch, ensure the patties are completely cooled. Then arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place the tray in the freezer until they're firm. Once they're firm, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
These patties can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
There are several ways to reheat chilled or defrosted veggie patties. You can bake them in the oven until they are heated through or microwave them for a few minutes on a microwave-safe plate. Be sure to fully cook them until they are piping hot all the way through.
You can, of course. Add a little olive oil to the skillet or coat it with cooking spray as it heats up over medium heat. Place the patties in the skillet and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are thoroughly cooked and golden brown.
Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to cook them in batches. Once cooked, transfer the patties to a plate lined with paper towels to remove any excess oil.
Keep In Touch
Do let me know if you try this baked vegetable patties recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Kid Friendly Baked Vegetable Patties
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 2 medium (or) 150 gms Boiled Potatoes
- ¼ Cup (or) 30 gms Frozen Green Peas
- ½ Cup (or) 65 gms Carrot peel and grate
- 1 Cup (or) 85 gms Cabbage finely shredded
- ⅓ Cup (or) 20 gms Bread Crumbs
- Salt as required
- Black Pepper Powder as required
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Mixed Italian Herbs
- 1 clove Garlic peeled and chopped
- half bunch (or) ⅓ Cup Fresh Coriander Leaves chopped
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the vegetables. Wash all the vegetables and peel carrot and grate it using a grater or a food processor. Shred cabbage finely with a knife or a peeler(adults or older kids must do it).½ Cup (or) 65 gms Carrot, 1 Cup (or) 85 gms Cabbage
- Place frozen peas in a bowl of water to defrost it. (Let young kids do it)¼ Cup (or) 30 gms Frozen Green Peas
- In a large bowl, place boiled potatoes, defrost peas and mash with a potato masher. (This process is for toddlers and young kids!)2 medium (or) 150 gms Boiled Potatoes, ¼ Cup (or) 30 gms Frozen Green Peas
- Now combine the grated carrot, cabbage, finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, Italian herbs, cumin, bread crumbs and fresh coriander leaves.½ Cup (or) 65 gms Carrot, 1 Cup (or) 85 gms Cabbage, ⅓ Cup (or) 20 gms Bread Crumbs, Salt, Black Pepper Powder, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder, 1 Teaspoon Mixed Italian Herbs, half bunch (or) ⅓ Cup Fresh Coriander Leaves, 1 clove Garlic
- Mix with a spoon or spatula until everything is well combined. (Little hands need help here!). Do not forget to watch the video featuring my toddler.
- Preheat oven to 180 C (360F).
- Take a portion of the vegetable mixture and shape it into a patty using your hands. ( It's a bit challenging for young kids but a great skill for older kids). Watch the video featuring my 9 year old child shaping the patties.
- Place the patties on a parchment lined baking tray.
- Spray or apply oil to each patty with a spoon or a brush.
- Place the baking tray in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the patties start browning.
- Take the tray out of the oven, flip patties and spray or apply oil.
- Put the tray back and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes until patties are uniformly browned.
- Serve the vegetable patties with your kids favourite dipping sauce or tomato sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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