Rajma Palak Tikki/Kidney Bean Patties with Spinach

Protein rich Red Kidney Bean Patties with Spinach Recipe or Rajma Palak Tikki | Healthy and nutritious tikkis or patties make a wonderful delicious snack for your family.

Vegan and Gluten-free Kidney bean patties are healthy, tasty and so easy to make. Low Oil recipe in Air Fryer/Baked in Oven or Shallow Fried in pan.

About the Recipe

Protein and Iron rich, Rajma Palak Tikkis or Cutlets are easy to make snacks, which you can be enjoy with tea, wrap and sandwiches. These patties have a meaty texture and make a great choice for vegan burgers.

You can pack these for kids lunchbox or serve as starter with some spicy chutney and even feed to your toddlers.

Cutlets are one of the most easy and quick to make snacks, packed with veggies, with or without lentils. Cutlets can be deep fried or shallow fried or baked in oven. Now with the ease of Air-fryers, you can conveniently make the low oil version and relish it guilt freely!!

You can call the cutlets/patties or tikki, whatever you call it, these are perfect to serve to your guests with dips or just ketchup.

Health benefits of Rajma

Rajma or Red Kidney beans are one of the most nutritious beans. Rajma Masala a hot favourite among North Indians, is a also our favourite weekend brunch. Whenever I make Rajma Masala, I always take out boiled beans so that I can make cutlets or wraps, fried rice or stuff in paratha for kids' lunch boxes.

These beans are widely used not only in Indian Cuisine but also in Mexican cuisine too. You can add boiled beans to pilafs/fried rice , make soup( like this Vegetarian Nachos Soup (replace Black Beans with Red Kidney beans), Dal Makhani or Dhaba Style Mah di Dal, Langar wali Dal/Amritsari Dal, Rajma Pulao

Rajma or Red Kidney beans are rich in fiber and iron along with other important vitamins and minerals. For Vegetarians these beans provide a rich source of protein , a kind of substitute for red meat.

Health benefits of Spinach

Spinach or any winter greens adds on to the nutrition and whenever it's winter when seasonal fresh Spinach is available, why not make the best use of these greens. Spinach is rich in iron, calcium and other essential mineral and vitamins. Make full use of this fresh green leafy vegetable when it is is season like in Palak Paneer, Sarson D Saag or Kale and Spinach Saag with Paneer Koftas, Hara Bhara Kebab.

One can use Spinach in so many varied ways like in Palak Paneer Paratha, Lehsuni Dal Palak(Spinach with Lentils), in dips and raita (Spinach and Mint Dip, Spinach and Pomegranate Raita, or this wholesome Palak aur Kabuli Chane Ka Pulao(Spinach and Chickpeas Pulao).

More Recipes with Spinach

Ingredients for Kidney Bean Cutlets/Rajma aur Palak Ki Tikki

Boiled Rajma- Use boiled rajma for making tikki.Leftover beans from Rajma Masala can be used to make these cutlets. You can also use canned kidney beans.

Binding Agent- I have used Flax meal and chickpea/gram flour (besan) for binding along with boiled potato. To make flax meal, dry roast flax seeds and then grind to fine powder. Also, dry roast besan/chickpea flour before using in the recipe.

Flax meal is not only a good egg replacer but also a great binding agent. Use it to thicken soups, making chapatis, pancakes or savory Indian Crepes(Instant Ragi Dosa). Instead of bread crumbs you can use flax meal or a mix of flax meal with fox nuts powder(makhana) for binding cutlets (Aloo Makhana aur Kaju Pops).

Greens- I have used fresh spinach in the recipe. Finely chop Spinach before adding to cutlet mix.

Spices- Cumin Seeds, Chaat Masala, Red Chilli Powder, Garam Masala, Red Chilli powder(as required) .

Others- Ginger Garlic paste, oil and salt. You can add green chillies if not making for kids. I prefer making a coarse paste of garlic, ginger and green chilli. This way green chillies doesn't come in bites and cause inconvenience especially to kids.

Substitutes and Variations of ingredients for Rajma Tikki

You can also add some fresh methi leaves or any other veggie like shredded carrot or beetroot, cabbage, sweet potato with or in place of spinach. You can even add coriander leaves, baby kale or collard greens.

Instead of Flax meal, you can also add grated paneer(Indian cottage Cheese) or breadcrumbs (use gluten-free bread if you avoid gluten in your diet).

Rolled oats can also be added for a more fibrous and nutritious cutlet.

Skip green chilies when making for kids. For a no-onion garlic cutlet recipe, skip onion and garlic.

How to make Rajma Tikkis/Kidney Bean Patties

To make cutlets with fresh Rajma beans, soak beans 4-5 hrs or overnight. Pressure cook beans till soft. You can cook beans in stove top pressure cooker or Instant Pot. For Stovetop method refer Rajma Masala Recipe. In Instant Pot cook beans on Pressure cook mode for 20 minutes or Bean mode.(will soon update Instant Pot Rajma Recipe)

When using Canned Beans, drain and rinse beans before adding.

• Wash spinach very nicely (if there is dirt in the leaves). Chop it finely.
• Make coarse paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies. You can also use store-bought ginger garlic paste.
• Dry roast flax seeds and chickpea flour separately. Grind flax seeds to fine powder.
• Keep some flax meal and besan for coating patties, add rest with other ingredients.
• Mash boiled potato/sweet potato and rajma very nicely.
• Mix in all the ingredients along with spices and salt expect oil. Add a tsp of oil when making in air-fryer. It prevents the cutlet to come out dry. Adds on to the moistness and softness.
• Make cutlets of the required size. You can also make bigger patties for burgers.
• Coat in flax meal.
• Refrigerate tikkis for at least 30 mins, before cooking.

Stove-top Method for making Red Kidney Bean Patties/Rajma Cutlets

Heat an non-stick pan or heavy bottomed pan. Add some oil to it and shallow fry cutlets for till done from both sides.

Baked Kidney Beans Patties

Preheat oven to 400°F or 200°C.

Brush Cutlets with oil and bake for 10 min. first. Then turn cutlets and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or till light brown and baked.

Air Fryer Kidney Beans Patties

Brush /spray oil on cutlets. Arrange in an air fryer basket. Air Fry it at 350°F or 180°C for 10 minutes.

Check this quick Insta Reel for the process steps

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Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with any chutney(Coriander Mint Chutney), Dip like Mint Yogurt Dip, Spinach and Mint Dip or Tomato Ketchup .

You make grilled sandwiches, burgers or rolls for kids using these patties or cutlets.

Recipe Card

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