These falafel yam patties are a chickpea-and-yam patty fried on the stovetop — no oven, no special equipment beyond a food processor. The batch makes 24 patties, so they work equally well as a weeknight dinner with salad or loaded into buns for a crowd. At 198 calories and 8 grams of protein each, they hold up as a real meal.
Before you start
The two things that determine whether these patties stay together and taste good are moisture control and seasoning depth. Your cooked yam needs to be dry before it goes into the food processor — steam it, then let it sit uncovered for a few minutes so excess water escapes. Wet yam makes the puree loose, and loose patties fall apart in the pan. On seasoning: two tablespoons each of cumin and coriander sounds like a lot, but chickpeas are dense and starchy and they absorb spice. Taste the mixture before you form patties and adjust salt if needed — under-seasoned chickpea patties are flat-tasting no matter how well you fry them.
Ingredient notes
- Chickpeas: The recipe calls for 10 cups cooked, which is roughly four 15-oz cans drained and rinsed if you don’t want to soak and cook dried chickpeas. Canned works fine here — just dry them well with a paper towel before processing.
- Yam: In most US grocery stores, what’s labeled “yam” is actually a orange-fleshed sweet potato. Either works in this recipe. Avoid purple sweet potato — it changes the flavor noticeably.
- Quick oats: These act as the binder. Don’t swap in rolled oats without pulsing them briefly first; whole rolled oats leave visible chunks and the patty binds unevenly.
- Tahini: Use a well-stirred tahini — the separated, oily kind straight from the jar throws off the texture. Stir the jar thoroughly before measuring.
- Eggs: Note that this recipe does contain eggs, so it is not fully vegan despite the chickpea base.
If something goes sideways
- Patties fall apart in the pan: The mixture is too wet. Mix in another two to three tablespoons of quick oats, let it rest five minutes, then try again. Don’t skip the rest — the oats need time to absorb moisture.
- Patties are dense and gummy inside: The chickpea puree was over-processed. You want it mostly smooth but not completely paste-like — a few small chunks actually help the texture. Pulse rather than run the processor continuously.
- Outside browns too fast, inside stays cold: Your oil is too hot. Medium heat means the oil should shimmer but not smoke. If the first patty browns in under two minutes, pull the pan off the heat for thirty seconds and turn it down.
- Bland flavor even after seasoning: Cumin and coriander both benefit from a little heat to bloom. If your sautéed onion and garlic have cooled completely before you add them to the mix, stir the spices into the warm onion mixture off the heat before combining everything — it makes a real difference.
- Patties stick to the pan: Don’t move them too early. Let them fry undisturbed for the full four to five minutes per side. A properly set crust releases on its own; forcing a flip too soon tears the patty.
Falafel Yam Patties
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 10 cups chickpeas cooked, 4 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 medium lemon zest
- 1 medium lemon juice
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 cups yam cooked, steam diced yam until tender
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
- 1 small bottle oil for frying burgers
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium fire, heat the olive oil and add onion and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes until translucent. Set aside.
- Puree chickpeas in a food processor with eggs, tahini, lemon juice and zest, and yam. Process until smooth.
- Transfer the puree into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients, including onion and garlic. Form into patties using approximately ½ cup of mixture per patty.
- Fry patties in extra oil over medium heat until golden brown on each side for around 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Serve with tahini sauce and diced cucumber and tomato. This can be served as a burger in a bun.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I bake these instead of frying them?
You can, but the exterior won’t get the same crisp crust. If you bake, use 400°F on a well-oiled sheet pan and flip once at the halfway mark — expect about 20 to 25 minutes total.
Can I make the mixture ahead and refrigerate it?
Yes — the mixture keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before frying. The oats continue to absorb moisture as it sits, which actually improves how well the patties hold together.
Can I freeze the patties?
Freeze them after frying, not before. Layer cooked, cooled patties between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
The recipe makes 24 patties — can I halve it?
Easily. All ingredients scale down proportionally. One thing to watch: a smaller batch in the food processor processes faster, so stop earlier to avoid over-blending.
What bun works best if I’m serving these as burgers?
A sturdy bun holds up better than a soft brioche here — the patty is dense and the tahini sauce adds moisture. A toasted sesame bun or a pita pocket both work well and complement the Middle Eastern spice profile.
How do I know when the patties are cooked through?
These patties are fully cooked when they are firm to the touch, deep golden brown on both sides, and heated through to the center — there is no raw meat involved, so you are looking for texture and color rather than a temperature target. Four to five minutes per side over medium heat is reliable if your patties are formed at roughly half a cup each.