Hearty Beet And Bean Burgers Recipe

Beet burgers have become popular over the years as a veggie burger option that's satisfying and nutritious. Don't be fooled by the bright reddish color; these burgers are still plant-based. Crispy and charred on the outside with a moist, tender interior, they're a sure crowd-pleaser. Serve them on a bun with your favorite burger toppings and a creamy sauce for a traditional burger experience, or crumble them on top of salads, in wraps, or even in a tomato sauce to replace meat.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a beet burger recipe that's hearty and chock-full of nutrients from the beets, of course, as well as from the oats, beans, walnuts, and flaxseed, all of which are considered superfoods. Aromatic onion, garlic, a bit of celery, Dijon mustard, and thyme add a flavor combination that boosts the beets to another level.

The main challenge with making plant-based beet burgers is avoiding the dreaded mushiness that leads to the burger squeezing out the sides of the bun with every bite. Oats come to the rescue here, as well as letting them cool down a bit to help them firm up even more. Read on to find out how to make this delicious and nutritious powerhouse of a burger in under an hour.

For this recipe, you will need fresh beets. If they are sold with greens attached, those are edible and healthy and can be saved for another recipe. The 1 ½ cups of shredded beets will come from 2 small to medium beets. You can grate them by hand or, if you have one, use the shredder attachment on a food processor to save time.

This recipe calls for oats, which have moisture-absorbing properties and are the main ingredient helping them to hold together. You'll use red kidney beans and walnuts for more body and nutrients, and breadcrumbs and flax seeds for additional taste and binding. Anyone following a gluten-free diet can just use more oats instead of the breadcrumbs. Gather celery, onion, and garlic for aromatic flavor as well as Dijon mustard, dried thyme, and salt and pepper for seasoning.

The first step is to process ½ cup of oats with the beets, beans, walnuts, celery, onion, and garlic in a food processor. Be careful not to overprocess the mixture. You'll want to stop while it still has texture and medium pieces intact. It may be hard to resist processing it until it's nice and smooth, but that will lead to mushy and pasty burgers. Leaving some texture to the burgers in this step will help prevent that. That's also why we only add half the oats here. Leaving the other half intact will add extra structure and help them hold together.

Now remove the mixture from the food processor with a spatula and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ½ cup of oats along with the breadcrumbs, mustard, flaxseed, thyme, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together really well. Taste it and add more salt or dried thyme if you think it needs it. If the mixture seems too soft, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Once it's mixed, place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. This resting time will give the hard oats time to soak up moisture so the burgers firm up and don't fall apart.

Add a thin layer of olive oil to a large skillet or spray it with non-stick cooking spray, and turn up the heat to medium-high. A cast iron pan is a great tool to use for these burgers if you have one. It heats up evenly, doesn't require much oil, and, when properly seasoned, won't cause the burgers to stick. While you wait for the pan to heat up, go ahead and use your hands to shape 8 patties from the mixture.

Place the patties in the hot pan, being careful not to splatter the oil. You may have to cook these in batches depending on how many patties fit in your pan.

Let the patties cook for about 16 minutes, 8 minutes per side. Make sure you flip them halfway through so both sides cook evenly. If the pan becomes dry, you can pour in a small amount of oil when you flip them to prevent the other side from burning. This may not be necessary if you use a cast iron pan. The burgers will be done when they are nice and crispy and charred on the surface, and heated through on the inside.

Serve the burgers immediately on a burger bun with your favorite toppings. These burgers firm up more as they cool, so if you prefer them firmer, let them sit and cool before eating, and reheat before serving.