Burgers with kidney bean and sweet potato patties + no-cook, naturally-sweetened, quick and easy homemade ketchup

A hit with both kids and adults alike - The challenges of feeding a toddler/preschooler

I never thought I’d be the person who would make their own ketchup.

I always saw myself making my own phyllo dough, puff pastry, sourdough bread or even cheese—guys, I made feta a couple of times!—but I never saw the need to make ketchup. It seems so basic and to be honest, I never thought a homemade version could ever rival the one I’m faithful to, or rather, was.

Enter motherhood.

Motherhood. MO-THER-HOOD. The point in a woman’s life when she faces a multitude of challenges, from brain fog early on, to exhaustion (until the end of time), and from loss of personal space and having zero time for herself to being in a constant state of worrying if her child is sleeping enough, playing enough, learning enough, eating enough.

My son, Aris, who is now five and a half, has never been the greatest eater. I wouldn’t say he is picky, but he has his preferences. My mission has always been to expose him to as many and as varied foods and flavors as possible, and while his curiosity drives him to try most things, he inevitably asks for something else, or reaches for a familiar food that I always have available at the table so he doesn’t go hungry.

Making ketchup is one of the ways to make some of his meals more interesting or alluring to him, especially when it comes to vegetable and legume patties, which, up until he was three years old, he’d happily devour along with lentils, gigantes and chickpeas cooked the traditional Greek way. But now, if he sees them on his plate or just on the dinner table, he not only refuses to touch them but screams bloody murder and shouts at me for having the gall to even make them.

Any moms/dads out there dealing with similar challenges? It’s tough, right?

These burgers with kidney bean and sweet potato patties with a homemade ketchup is one of the dishes I’ve been cooking for him the past few months to get him to at least eat some of the good stuff he needs to put in his body to remain strong and healthy. I tell him exactly what’s in the patties, I never want to trick him or lie to him about what I offer him, and I want him to realize that legumes and vegetables can be transformed into something delicious that is more than the sum of its parts.

I can’t say that I’m successful every time, but even if he eats some of it, I’m content.

Now, to the dish!

The ketchup is sweetened with dates and has everything it needs to make it a real ketchup and not something trying to imitate it. Best part? It only takes five minutes to make, and let me tell you, it tastes better than the commercial stuff, and I’m not saying it in that wholesome, “it’s better because it’s good for you” way; no, it is genuinely better.

It’s sweet and sharp with the distinct flavor of the spices that make a condiment ketchup and has a tomato flavor that’s bold and real. It’s ever so slightly grainy from the dates, but if that bothers you, you can easily smooth it out by passing it through a fine sieve. Personally, I think it’s perfect just as it is.

The shallow-fried kidney bean and sweet potato patties are an absolute treat for everyone. Hearty, savory and filling, they are packed with spices that make them interesting to the palate, and those little pockets of gooey cheese inside pleasantly surprise your taste buds with their umami kick, making the patties even more appealing.

We love eating them just with a squeeze of lemon on top, dipping them in the homemade ketchup, or pairing them with rice or a salad, but for me, the best way to serve them is burger-style. A hit with both kids and adults alike.

Take your favorite burger buns, your lettuce or greens of choice, no need for tomato because the ketchup provides that flavor in abundance, and throw on whatever kind of onion you prefer—I love red onions because they’re fiery and sharp. The focus here and the real stars are the patties and ketchup, especially when you serve this to the little ones. Sure, if it was just me and my partner eating them, there would be more condiments involved, specifically of the spicy kind, and certainly more cheese, preferably melted, but they are incredible as they are and we were left wanting more.

Hope you enjoy them too!

P.S. I’m sure you noticed the lack of fried potatoes. Burgers and fries are a classic combo, but Aris is anti-fried potatoes at the moment, so mom and dad went without theirs too this time.

Burgers with kidney bean and sweet potato patties + no-cook, naturally-sweetened, quick and easy homemade ketchup

The Medjool dates should be juicy and plump. Avoid using dried and shriveled up dates or your ketchup will turn out dry and very grainy.

When it comes to tomato paste, quality matters. Choose one that you enjoy since the ketchup will taste a lot like it, and look for one with a rich, sweet tomato taste, not an acidic one. I use Mutti (not sponsored of course, I just adore all their products).

As for the patties, make them as big or as small as you like, and adjust the texture to your preference, whether chunky or smooth. This time, I went for a smooth texture, blending the mixture with an immersion blender because Aris prefers it that way, but if I was making these just for me and my partner, I’d probably just mash everything with a fork for a coarser texture.

Kidney beans are a nutritional powerhouse with a robust, meaty flavor. Feel free though to swap them out for any bean you prefer or whatever you have on hand to make it easier.

For the patties, I used Japanese sweet potatoes this time. They are white-fleshed which gave the mixture its brownish hue when blended with the red kidney beans. I’ve made them several times in the past with orange sweet potatoes and they are equally delicious.

Yield: 5-6 servings / 10-12 kidney bean and sweet potato patties / around 300 g Ketchup

Ingredients

for the ketchup

6 juicy and plump Medjool dates (see note above) around 120 g, stones removed

3 Tbsp (60 g) good quality tomato paste (I use Mutti)

1½ Tbsp good quality red-wine vinegar

8 Tbsp cold water

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of all-spice powder

Pinch of ground clove

for the kidney bean and sweet potato patties

250 g ready cooked kidney beans (either from a bottle/can or homemade)

1 Japanese sweet potato or orange sweet potato (about 300 g), peeled, cut into rounds, and boiled or steamed until soft

1 large egg

70-80 g Comté cheese (or Gruyère or Greek Graviera), grated on a box grater

Freshly ground white pepper, 20 turns of the pepper mill

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

2 Tbsp (20 g) whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Small handful (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Grated zest of a lemon

Olive oil (or sunflower oil), for shallow-frying the patties

to serve

Burger buns of your choice

Tender lettuce leaves or other greens

Onion, sliced (I prefer red onion)

Special equipment: immersion blender or food processor, box grater

Preparation

for the ketchup

To make the ketchup, it’s as simple as adding all the ingredients to a jug or a food processor and blitzing them up!

I use a jug and an immersion blender as I find it easier, plus it does a better and quicker job, but a strong food processor will do the trick too.

Note: Start with 6 Tbsp of cold water and add more if needed. I always need up to 8 Tbsp but your dates might be a little drier or juicer than mine, so you may need to adjust.

Once you blend, give it a taste and a look. It may need more salt, and it may need more water if it is too thick. Just make sure to add water a little at a time to avoid ending up with a runny ketchup.

If you want a super smooth texture, pass it through a fine sieve.

Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week. Give it a good stir before using.

for the kidney bean and sweet potato patties

If you’re using canned/bottled kidney beans, rinse them well under cold running water and drain them in a colander.

For both ready-made and homemade beans, pat them dry with paper towels until completely dry before using.

Drain the sweet potatoes so they are not watery.

In a large bowl, add the kidney beans, cooked sweet potatoes and parsley, and using an immersion blender, process until smooth. You can leave it a bit chunky if you prefer. It’s up to you.

You could also do this with a large food processor.

Add the rest of the ingredients for the patties and using a spatula, mix everything together well.

If you have time, place the mixture in the fridge to firm up, anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. This will make shaping them easier, but it’s not a necessary step.

Take a large frying pan, add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and place over a medium heat.

While the oil is heating, wet your hands and shape the patties. Grab some mixture (I do about a small handful), first shape it into a ball and then into a flattened disk.

Fry the patties in batches, adding more oil for every batch. Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. It takes me 4-5 minutes on one side and about 3-4 on the other. Flip using a spatula.

Place on absorbent kitchen paper when done.

For the burger buns, I cut them in half crosswise, I add a little more olive oil to the same pan I fried the patties in, and fry the cut parts for a couple of minutes or until they take on a light golden color and crisp up. I flip them over and let the tops heat up for a few seconds. You can also just heat them in the oven.

To assemble, place all your ingredients on the table so everyone can help themselves and make their own burger.

I put the lettuce first, then the bean patties (I squeeze some lemon juice over them), ketchup on top, red onion and the top burger bun. Dig in and enjoy!!

You can serve the patties plain, with lemon juice and some rice or fries, with ketchup and pita, add them to a sandwich, or just eat them as they are with a good tzatziki!

Μπέργκερς με μπιφτέκια από κόκκινα φασόλια και γλυκοπατάτα, σπιτική κέτσαπ με χουρμάδες