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An overhead shot of a butternut squash patty on a speckled brown plate topped with deep green salsa verde and arugula sprouts.
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Vegan Squash Patties with Mixed Herb Salsa Verde

These vegan squash patties are super flavourful, hearty with lentils and millet, and perfectly balanced with the fresh and zesty salsa verde on the side. Naturally gluten-free and easily made nut/soy-free as well.
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword brown lentils, butternut squash, capers, chili flakes, chillies, cilantro, dijon mustard, dill, fall, flax, food processor, garlic, ground flaxseed, honeynut squash, lentils, millet, mustard, nutritional yeast, oil spray, olive oil, parsley, shallots, sherry vinegar, squash, tamari, thyme, winter
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 6 patties
Author Laura Wright

Equipment

Ingredients

Roasted Squash Base

  • 1 ½ cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Mixed Herb Salsa Verde

  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated with a Microplane
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • pinch of chili flakes or ground chillies
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups leafy fresh herbs (NOT packed), finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Squash Patties

  • ¼ cup pecan halves
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup cooked brown lentils
  • 1 cup cooked millet
  • Roasted Squash Base
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Tamari soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon chili flakes or ground chillies
  • olive or avocado oil spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Get your squash base roasting. Place the cubed squash, chopped shallot, and garlic clove on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a quick toss to coat, spread the veg out in an even layer, and pop it in the oven. Roast the squash base until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.
  • While the squash is roasting, make the mixed herb salsa verde. In a medium bowl, combine the minced shallot, lemon zest, minced garlic, capers, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, chili flakes, salt, pepper, chopped herbs, and olive oil. Give everything a thorough stir until evenly combined. Set aside.
  • Start assembling the squash patties. Set a large mixing bowl out on the counter. In the bowl of a food processor, add the pecan halves and rolled oats. Pulse this mixture until you have a coarse meal. Transfer the ground pecans and oats to the large mixing bowl.
  • Put the food processor bowl back on the base. Add the lentils and millet to the food processor and pulse a couple times until the lentils are slightly broken up. Add this mixture to the large mixing bowl.
  • Put the food processor back on the base one more time. Add the roasted squash, shallot, and garlic clove to the food processor bowl. To that, also add the ground flax, Dijon mustard, tamari, and water. Pulse this mixture a few times until you have a smooth, thick paste. You will need to pop the lid off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula at one point, just to get it all evenly mixed!
  • Scrape the squash purée into the large mixing bowl. To this, also add the minced thyme, nutritional yeast, onion powder, chili flakes, and a good amount of salt and pepper. Using a rubber spatula or clean hands, thoroughly mix everything together. It will feel a bit wet! Give the mixture a taste to see if the seasoning needs any adjustment.
  • Divide the squash patty mixture into 6 equal portions. Grab the parchment lined baking sheet that you used to roast the squash. There should be enough residual olive oil left on the paper. Spread it out evenly across the paper with your hand or a pastry brush.
  • Form the portions of the patty mixture into patties of approximately ¾ inch thickness. Spray the tops of the patties with oil and pop them into the oven for 35 minutes, gently flipping them over at the halfway point. The patties are done when they are golden brown and slightly firm feeling.
  • Serve the vegan squash patties with the mixed herb salsa verde.

Notes

  • Salsa verde inspiration is from both Jamie Oliver and Botanica 
  • Any type of peeled and cubed Winter squash is great here. The only one that I would not recommend is spaghetti squash. 
  • You could replace the pecans with pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version. Use coconut aminos instead of Tamari to make these soy-free.
  • To get 1 cup each of the millet and lentils, you’ll need to cook roughly ⅓ cup of each ingredient from its dry state. 
  • I recommend using an olive oil that you really enjoy the taste of for the mixed herb salsa verde. I used this one from Brightland. 
  • I used a mixture of parsley, cilantro, and dill for the salsa verde. Use whatever leafy herbs that you like. 
  • If you don’t have oil spray on hand, just brush some olive oil directly onto the parchment and then right on top of the squash patties before baking.