Vegan swiss chard patties
These delicious vegan Swiss chard patties are an excellent source of plant-based protein. They are versatile and go well with fresh or roasted veggies, Buddha bowls, burgers, and sandwiches.
Every summer, we grow a lot of Swiss chard in our garden, which inspires us to create new recipes with this luscious leafy vegetable. Like many other leafy greens, Swiss chard is a nutrition powerhouse, packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For more on its health benefits, see this article.
These oven-baked patties are one of our favorite Swiss chard recipes. Tofu and chickpea flour provide a satisfying bite with a medium level of tenderness that is layered with chewy quinoa grains.
The patties are a perfect mixture of earthy flavors (from the chard), savory notes (from the tofu and nutritional yeast), and fresh, herby flavors (from fresh herbs). They are fantastic vessels for various toppings, such as creamy sauces, chili oil with crispy flakes, and melted cheese.
This vegan Swiss chard recipe only takes 40 minutes to make. It is gluten-free and an excellent way to enjoy a plant-based, high-protein meal. It is perfect for a post-workout meal or a light weeknight dinner.
You can store them in the fridge, or freeze them after baking, so make a bigger batch.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this vegan swiss chard patties recipe
- Packed with protein from various plant sources including chickpea flour, tofu, and quinoa.
- Easy to make. After blanching the chard, you simply throw all the ingredients in a food processor to blend (or mix by hand), then bake, and voila!
- Versatile. Can make for a light meal if enjoyed with a side of veggies, or for a hearty meal if enjoyed in a budger or a sandwich.
- Adaptable recipe. Feel free to substitute the herbs and spices, the grains, and even the chard for alternatives of your preference – more on this below.
- Make ahead. Since the batter is plant-based, you can keep it in the fridge before baking. Or you can bake a bigger batch, and enjoy it as snacks, as parts of Buddha bowls, in wraps, throughout the week.
- Delicious cold or warm, so you can bring them on a trip, picnic, to work and enjoy without heating up.
- You cannot taste the tofu. If you are not a sworn tofu fanatic like us, but don’t mind it when it’s not the dominating flavor in the meal, you’ll appreciate the dominance of the chard, herbs, and spices flavors.
Ingredients list
- Swiss chard is a leafy green veggie that is in the same family as beets and spinach, but it offers a unique flavor profile and a stunning range of colors. For a Swiss chard alternative, you can use beet leaves. We also use stalks.
- Quinoa is a small, round seed, that is high in protein, gluten-free, and rich in fiber and nutrients.
- Chickpea flour works as a binding agent because it soaks up the moisture from the chard and tofu.
- Firm or extra-firm tofu will help the mixture hold together, and it will add another source of plant-based protein.
- Fresh herbs are going to add freshness to this dish. Our favorite herbs to use are dill, parsley, and thyme. We’d encourage you to experiment with using your favorite herbs to customize the flavor to your liking.
- Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, in in yellow flakes, granules, or powder form. It’s a great cheese alternative to vegan cuisine. You can omit it, if you don’t have it at hand, or cannot find it.
- Garlic and onion powder are a great way to add more flavor without adding more moisture to the mixture.
- Sea salt is crucial, the pstties won’t taste like much without it.
Ingredient substitutions
Do you wish to make a few tweaks to align this recipe with your taste? See our suggestions for ingredients substitution below.
- Swiss chard for spinach, kale, or beet leaves.
- Quinoa for rice, bulgur, couscous farro, or millet.
- Fresh herbs for any fresh or dried spices and herbs.
- Change the color to red by replacing half of the chard with cooked beets. This might be useful if you are cooking for someone, who is not keen on eating green food.
- Add a stuffing such as vegan cheese, for a melty center.
Step by step instructions
To make these Swiss chard patties, you’ll need to follow the steps below.
Blanch the swiss chard
- This step is crucial to remove some of the chard’s natural bitter taste and help maintain its gorgeous green color. Use leaves and stalks.
- Slice the blanched chard in 4 – 5 cm (2 – 3 inch) large pieces.
- Boil a large pan of water and season with a few tablespoons of salt.
- Add the sliced Swiss chard to the boiling water and boil for 4 – 5 minutes.
- Prepare an ice bath, by filling a deep plate with ice-cold water and 10 – 20 ice cubes.
- With a strainer spider take the chard from the boiling water and place it in an ice bath until it has cooled down. Make sure that all of the chard is submerged in the ice bath.
Cook the quinoa
- Add one tablespoon of salt to a small pot of water and bring to boil.
- Add a quarter of a cup of quinoa to the boiling water.
- Cook the quinoa for a minute or two less as written on the package. Turn the heat off when it is al dente, which is before it has gone completely translucent – you’ll see a tiny white spot in the middle of the grain. The tail, or the sprout-like part, should still be attached to the grain. Cooking quinoa al dente will add a lovely bite to the patties, so it’s important to not overcook it.
- Strain the quinoa and rinse under cold water in the strainer. Set aside.
Make the patties
- Squeeze all the liquid from the blanched Swiss chard. Leaving too much liquid in the chard will result in soggy patties. This can be done by pressing the blanched chard against a mesh strainer.
- In a stand mixer, mix together the blanched chard, tofu, nutritional yeast, and some other spices. Mix it for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has a uniform green color, without any bigger pieces of chard and tofu.
- Add the chickpea flour to the paste and mix well.
- Using your hands, create patties of desired choice and place on a baking tray.
- Bake at 200 Celsius (380 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes.
Storage information
- You can store them before baking – the batter will keep in the fridge for up to five days.
- Once baked, they keep in the fridge for 3 days, just make sure to store them in an airtight container.
- The patties can be frozen for 3 months. We normally thaw them by taking them out of the freezer a few hours, or the night before we plan on eating them. We then either warm them up on a pan with a bit of oil, or enjoy them at room temperature.
- They are fantastic for meal prep since they can be kept in the fridge, either before or after they have been baked.
Swiss chard grows in the summer, which is the time for picnics, and these are fantastic to bring on a picnic. We suggest pairing them with a dip – try our Hemp seed dressing, Fermented hot sauce, or Beet hummus.
For a lighter meal, enjoy them with roasted veggies such as Gochujang and honey-glazed butternut squash, Roasted Swede steaks, or Beet and cucumber salad (with roasted garlic yogurt sauce)
For a heartier meal, enjoy these Swiss chard patties in a burger – use this recipe for The best vegan brioche buns.
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Happy cooking, and thank you for stopping by!
Vegan Swiss chard patties recipe
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Large cooking pot
- 1 Small cooking pot
- 1 Spider strainer
- 1 Cooking spoon measurement
- 1 Medium plastic bowl
- 1 Baking tray
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup quinoa (uncooked)
- 250 grams fresh Swiss chard
- 150 grams tofu
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 tablespoons chickpea flour
- fresh herbs
- 10 – 15 ice cubes
Instructions
Quinoa
- Add one tablespoon of salt to a small pot of water and bring to boil.
- Add 1/4 cup quinoa to the boiling water.
- Cook quinoa for a minute or two less as written on the package. Turn the heat off when it is al dente, which is just before it has gone completely translucent.
- Strain the quinoa and rinse under cold water in the strainer. Set aside.
Swiss chard
- Roughly slice chard leaves and stalks.
- Boil a large pan of water and season with a few tablespoons of salt.
- Add the sliced Swiss chard to the boiling water and boil for 4 – 5 minutes, until the chard has wilted.
- With a strainer spider take the chard from the boiling water and place it in an ice bath (water with ice cubes) until it has cooled down.
Patties
- Squeeze all the liquid from the blanched Swiss chard. Leaving liquid in the chard will result in soggy patties. This can be achieved by pressing the blanched chard against a strainer.
- Add the well-strained chard to a food processor and mix until pureed.
- Add the 150 grams tofu, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt , 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon garlic powder and blend until combined in a paste.
- Add the paste from the food processor to a plastic bowl.
- Add the 4 tablespoons chickpea flour to the paste and mix well.
- Using your hands, create patties of desired choice and place on a baking tray.
- Bake on 200 Celsius / 380 Farenheit for 30 minutes.
Notes
- If you need to use a Swiss chard alternative, try spinach, kale, or beet leaves – either will work great. Â
- You’ll need to prepare an ice bath (cold water with ice cubes) for the ice bath. Preparing Swiss chard this way (blanching it) helps to maintain its gorgeous green color and prevent some of its bitter taste.Â
- It’s normal for the patties paste to be wet when you are shaping them. The chickpea flour will absorb the moisture in the baking process.Â
- The raw or baked patties will keep well in the fridge for up to five days. The patties can also be frozen for 3 months. Therefore, these are perfect for a high-protein vegan meal prep.Â
- High in plant protein, these patties are a perfect post-workout meal.Â
You always know how to make complex topics so understandable. Thanks!
We’re so glad to hear you found the recipe easy to follow. Thank you for your feedback!