Amaranth Patties with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

These little patties may not look like much, but their crispy outside and soft savory inside make for a tasty appetizer or main dish.  We actually ate a few of them along with a big salad for dinner recently and were quite satisfied.  I also wrapped up the leftover patties in some tortillas with lettuce and herbed yogurt sauce and we had them for lunch the next day.

Amaranth is a tiny little grain that is high in protein and other essential vitamins and minerals, and actually played a very interesting role in the lives of the Aztecs in Mexico and Central America (click here for more information ).  Suffice it to say, amaranth is a grain that is worth looking into and best of all, eating!

Amaranth Patties with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

You could serve these patties with all sorts of different sauces (marinara, romesco, etc.), but I decided on a yogurt sauce based on the ingredients we had on hand. The recipe itself is based on a few different recipes that I found online (see here, here, and here) and the vegetables that I used could easily be switched out for other veggies you may have. 

• 1 cup amaranth
• 2 cups water
• Olive oil
• 8 thinly sliced green onions, white and light green parts only
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5 baby carrots, finely diced
• 3 cups of roughly chopped spinach
• 10-12 small fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Herbed yogurt sauce (see recipe below)

Put amaranth and water into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 20 minutes or until the amaranth is soft and the water has been absorbed.

While the amaranth cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and add the green onions.  Cook the onions for a minute and then add the garlic.  Cook for another minute.  Add the carrots, chopped spinach and sage leaves and cook until the spinach has fully wilted. 

In a large bowl, stir together the cooked amaranth and the vegetable mixture.  Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes before adding the feta.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in the beaten egg.

Prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper and drizzle the paper with a good amount of olive oil (a few tablespoons each).

Pour panko on to a large plate or into a large bowl.  Form a small patty from the amaranth mixture with one hand and drop it onto the panko.  With the other hand, coat the rest of patty with panko.  Place the panko coated patty on one of the prepared baking sheets.  Repeat until all of the amaranth mixture is breaded.

Bake patties on one side for roughly 10 minutes at 400° and then flip the patties with a spatula and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Patties should be golden on both sides.  Serve patties drizzled with herbed yogurt sauce.

Herbed Yogurt Sauce/Dip

I used some homemade yogurt for this recipe, but store bought will work perfectly well.  If you want a thicker sauce, try making the recipe with Greek yogurt. Several different combinations of fresh herbs will also work for this sauce.

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (This is my best estimate for the amount of garlic powder because I didn’t actually measure it out—just sprinkled some in.  Use your best judgment and add to taste.)
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Tasty Easy Healthy Green Recipe Ratings: