Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes

This lentil and sweet potato croquettes recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, prepared with a cornmeal crust and baked in the air-fryer or oven.

Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes

Info

Nutrition per serving
NutrientAmountRDA
Net Carbs62.9 g22.9%
of which Sugars3.9 g4.3%
Fibers10.9 g38.9%
Fats6 g9.3%
of which Saturates1.4 g7.2%
of which Omega 30.1 g13.4%
Proteins16.2 g35.2%
Calcium71 mg7.1%
Vitamin A647 mcg92.4%
Vitamin C3 mg4%
Iron5.8 mg39.5%
Potassium726 mg20.7%
Sodium390 mg17%
Cholesterol93 mg31%
Kcal370 18.5%
Macro split
  • net carbs 66%
  • sugars 4%
  • fats 6%
  • saturates 1%
  • proteins 17%
  • fibers 11%
*RDA based on a 2000 kcal diet;
**Nutritional data sources: USDA, food labels.
KCAL
370 per serving
TIME
50m
HEALTH

These sweet potato and lentil croquettes are a tasty nibble to prepare for a dinner starter or a party finger food.

This simple diary-free and gluten-free recipe is inspired to the famous Spanish croquetas but with a spicy twist. In fact, they have an Indian-style flavour thanks to the lentils and the blend of delicious spices.

These croquettes are prepared with dried split lentils, sweet potatoes, turmeric and cayenne pepper with a crunchy crust seasoned with paprika and coriander.

Croquettes crust is usually prepared with breadcrumbs, but to make this recipe gluten-free we have substituted them with cornmeal (polenta), which also makes the crust extra crunchy. Moreover, the mash contains oat flour for a soft and creamy filling.

This easy recipe can be easily adapted into vegan patties and burgers, you just have to make them bigger and replace eggs in the batter with flax-egg (read the steps of this recipe for a guided example of how to make flax-egg, or read the tips at the bottom of the page).

For a healthier version of the classic fried recipe, our croquettes are gently baked in the air-fryer with no oil, but you can also bake them in the oven.

Sweet potatoes are a very nutritious alternative to white potatoes as they have fewer calories and a lower GI. Also, they are high in vitamin A, covering over 300% of your RDA in 100g.

This recipe is also high in fibre and low in fat and if you want to increase its protein content, just add little cubes of mozzarella or tofu in the filling.

Ingredients

Adjustments
Serves
Measuring System
For the Crust
Eggs2
Cornmeal130 g
Paprika15 g
Black Pepper1/2 tsp
Coriander10 g
For the Filling
Sweet Potato280 g
Red Split Lentils100 g
Oat Flour60 g
Garlic Powder1/2 tsp
Salt1/2 tsp
Turmeric1/2 tsp
Cayenne Pepper1/2 tsp
Nutmeg1/2 tsp

Step 1

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks and transfer them into a pot.

Add the dried lentils and enough water to cover the ingredients (1).

Cook covered for 15 minutes until soft and, if needed, add water during cooking.

Mash with a hand blender (2) and transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with cling film and allow cooling in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Step 1.1 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 1.2 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 2

In the bowl with the lentil and sweet potato mash add oat flour, garlic powder, salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and nutmeg (1).

Stir well to combine the ingredients.

Dust your worktop with cornmeal to prevent the croquettes from sticking.

To prepare the croquettes, pinch off one heaped tablespoon of the mash and roll it into a ball in the palm of your hands. Then, flatten it down (2).

Step 2.1 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 2.2 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 3

To prepare the gluten-free crust for the croquettes, crack the eggs into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornmeal (polenta) with paprika, black pepper and coriander (1).

Dip each lentil ball first into eggs and then into the cornmeal mix. Repeat a second time to make the crust crunchier (2).

Step 3.1 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 3.2 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes
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Step 4

Bake the croquettes in the air-fryer at 250°C (482°F) for 10 minutes.

In an alternative, place them in a baking tray brushed with a bit of olive oil and bake in the oven at 220°C (428°F) or 200°C (390°F) for fan oven for 15 minutes.

If cooking in the oven, flip the croquettes halfway through cooking time to make them crisp on both sides.

Enjoy these yummy lentil and sweet potato bites with a splash of lemon juice or dip into mayo.

Step 4.1 of Baked Lentil and Sweet Potato Croquettes

Tips

To make these lentil croquettes egg-free and vegan, just replace each egg with a 'flaxegg': soak one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds in three tablespoons of water for 15 minutes in the fridge.