Root Veggie Cakes
2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup almond, coconut or sweet potato flour
3 medium scallions, sliced thinly on the bias
2 tablespoons (30 ml) prepared horseradish
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (480 ml) shredded carrots
2 cups (480 ml) shredded parsnips
1 cup (240 ml) shredded beets
Oil or cooking fat of choice, for sautéing
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Mix together the eggs, flour, scallions, horseradish, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the vegetables and combine well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fill a measuring cup (1⁄4 cup (960 ml) or 1⁄3 cup (720 ml) is suggested) to the top with the root vegetable mixture and invert on the skillet, forming a flat patty (use a spatula to press down and flatten). Repeat until there are 4 or 5 patties in the skillet. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until slightly crispy. Remove the patties to a sheet pan and place them in the oven to keep warm. Repeat the procedure, adding more oil with each batch, until all the root vegetable mixture is used.
- Serve hot from the oven.
NOTE: Be sure to read the label on your horseradish, as not all brands are created equal and many contain soybean oil.
EQUIPMENT NOTE: This is one of those recipes where a shred blade on a food processor makes your life infinitely easier. While, sure, you could hand shred the vegetables, it literally takes less than 5 minutes to shred them with your food processor!
VARIATIONS: Use turnips, sweet potatoes, or any other roots or tubers you’d like to try in this dish! Bacon would, of course, taste wonderful mixed into these, as well.
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These root veggie cakes shred carrots, parsnips, and beets together, bind them with egg and almond flour, and fry them into crisp-edged patties with a kick of prepared horseradish. Finished cakes keep warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. A colorful, savory side that eats like a treat.
Pro Tips
- Use the shred blade on your food processor. Shredding all those roots by hand works, but the machine does it in under 5 minutes.
- Press the patties flat with a spatula as they fry. Thin cakes crisp all the way through; thick ones steam in the middle.
- Fill a 1/4- or 1/3-cup measure with the mixture and invert it onto the skillet for evenly sized cakes every time.
- Brown the cakes 3-4 minutes per side and keep the finished ones warm in a 300°F oven between batches, adding more oil with each batch.
- Check your horseradish label - many prepared brands contain soybean oil. Turnips or sweet potatoes shred in beautifully here too, and bacon is a wonderful addition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are root veggie cakes paleo?
They are, with the right flour. Use almond, coconut, or sweet potato flour, and check the horseradish label for non-compliant oils.
Can I make the mixture ahead of time?
Yes - mix it up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Give it a good stir before frying, since the vegetables release liquid as they sit.
What flour works best in these cakes?
Almond, coconut, or sweet potato flour all work here. Coconut flour is more absorbent, so the cakes come out a touch drier.
How do I keep the cakes warm while I fry the rest?
Set the finished patties on a sheet pan in a 300°F oven. They stay crisp and warm while you cook the remaining batches.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Mix together the eggs, flour, scallions, horseradish, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the vegetables and combine well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Serve hot from the oven.
