7 Ingredient Spinach Cakes [vegan]

These spinach cakes are a great addition to any bowl. I like to eat them with a rice bowl combined with a delicious tomato relish or in some pitta bread with hummus, veggies and tahini dressing. They are very nutritious and packed with iron. They are also perfect for meal prep or to put on your lunch box. They freeze well and stay in fridge for about 5 days.

So if you have been looking for vegan and gluten free appetizers or healthy snacks for a dinner with your friends, this is just the one for you! You can fry them with oil in a pan or bake them if you want them oil free. You can even form them in small patties like burger shape and eat them in a bun with veggies and spread. These spinach cakes are perfect as a starter or a savory breakfast. They taste great with a dollop of vegan sour cream, or simply garnished with parsley and tahini dressing.

The spinach cakes are fluffy and tasty. They are easy to make, but easier to eat (hehehe). I make the spinach cakes with red lentils, spinach, quick oats or oat flour, parsley, nutritional yeast, lots of garlic, flax seed meal, salt and pepper. To make the cakes you have to first boil the spinach. After it has been boiled, drain the boiled spinach in a colander. Then  wash the dried red lentils. In a big bowl combine the drained boiled spinach with the red lentils. If you are wondering if you have to cook the lentils before, the answer is no! Because the spinach is watery, the lentils will absorb the water from spinach and they will become soft eventually. You just have to let them about 15 minutes to absorb the water, like shown in the picture.

After 15-20 minutes, add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir well so everything is combined. Begin to form little patties, meanwhile heat the oven or take a non stick skillet and heat it with a drizzle of oil. After you have formed about 10-12 cakes, fry them over a medium heat for about 4 minutes to each side until they have become crispy.

We made this cakes for New Year’s Eve and since then we have been making them frequently because the spinach is starting it’s season and you can find it mostly fresh. You can make this recipe also with frozen spinach but be sure to use 500 grams of frozen spinach if it is uncooked. I haven’t tried adding other spices but you can add any spice you like. I think garlic and parsley are simple and perfect to complete the earthy taste of spinach.

These spinach cakes are easy to make and delicious! They are a great addition to any bowl. You can eat like them in a buddha bowl, as appetizers or in some pitta bread with hummus, veggies and tahini dressing. They are packed with iron and they are very nutritious. They are also perfect for meal prep or to put on your lunch box. They freeze well and stay in fridge for about 5 days. If you try these spinach cakes, please let us know on our social media, the way you like to eat them. You can also save our recipes on bimorah’s Pinterest to your recipe board.

Makes: 10-12 cakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red lentils, dried
• 500 gram fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp flax seed meal
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Preparation

1. First bring a pot with water to boil. When the water starts to boil, add the fresh spinach. It takes 2-3 minutes.
2. After it has been boiled, drain the boiled spinach in a colander. Set aside.
3. Wash the dried red lentils. In a big bowl combine the drained boiled spinach with the red lentils. You don’t have to cook lentils before. Because the spinach is watery, the lentils will absorb the water from spinach and they will become soft eventually. Let them sit for about 15 minutes to absorb the water form spinach.
4. After 15 minutes, add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir well so everything is combined.
5. Begin to form little patties, meanwhile heat the oven or take a non stick skillet and heat it with a drizzle of oil.
6. Fry them over a medium heat for about 4 minutes to each side until they have become crispy. This recipe makes 10-12 cakes.
7. Enjoy with homemade pitta bread, in a bowl or as appetizers.

Notes

• I added nutritional yeast to give them a little cheesy flavor but if you don’t have nutritional yeast on hands you can leave it out.