- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
- 1 head broccoli, broken into small florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 5 ounces spinach
- 3 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable seasoning (such as La Grille®)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup oil for frying, divided
- Combine 1 1/2 cup water and lentils in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain any excess water.
- Place sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
- Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, cover, and steam until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach; cook and stir until wilted, about 5 minutes more. Pour off any excess cooking liquid from the skillet.
- Combine lentils, sweet potatoes, broccoli, onion and spinach mixture, Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, and garlic in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Whisk eggs, flour, vegetable seasoning, and black pepper into a smooth paste in another bowl. Mix paste into sweet potato mixture. Shape into patties.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry patties, working in batches, until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and patties.