Beet and Bean Burger
My husband asks for burgers on an almost weekly basis. I’m not sure if he does it to annoy me or because he actually wants them. I do not, however, want to make burgers very often. So when burger night does roll around, I sometimes get away with swapping out the beef for something else. And I usually get no complaints when the swap is this particular vegan patty.
These patties are made with bright red beets and meaty black beans and are gently seasoned to allow the beets to shine. My favorite way to enjoy these beauties are with some tangy goat cheese and arugula tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Jelani likes to spread barbecue sauce on his (and pretty much on everything else). And if Paxton had his way, there would be bacon on top of his.
I will note right now – these burgers are not the kind that will survive on the grill! But they do hold up quite well when baked (which is how I usually make them). I’ve had mixed results in a frying pan, but that is usually due to user error in trying to rush to feed all of the hungry mouths around here. Both sets of instructions are included below.
If you have a food processor, now is the time to pull it out. Then get out your beautiful beets.
Peel the raw beets and then grate them. If you have the grater attachment for your food processor, even better. Grate the beets in your food processor then pour them into a bowl and set aside. Alternatively, use a box grater. You want about 2 cups of shredded beets, which is about 2 medium-sized beets. Remove the grater attachment and put the blade in.
Add half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic into the food processor bowl and pulse until they are finely chopped. Then add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, some salt, pepper, cayenne or chili powder (optional), paprika, and thyme and pulse to combine. Add half of the beans and pulse a few more times until the beans are finely chopped, then add the other half of the beans and the beets and either stir in or pulse once or twice just to combine.
Divide the mixture into four patties for large burgers or into 10 – 12 for slider-sized burgers. Heck, scoop out tablespoon-sized balls to make beet and bean “meat”balls (they are delicious).
If you choose to bake them, brush them with a little bit of olive oil and bake for about 25 minutes at 425 degrees (flip halfway through) for the larger patties. Or pan fry them in a large heavy-bottomed or cast iron skillet over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil (about 5 – 6 minutes per side).
Lastly, decorate them with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Beet and Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 3 cups black beans ( or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
- 2 medium beets (~2 cups grated)
- ½ onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- big pinch of chili powder (or a little pinch of cayenne for a kick, either are optional)
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (panko or matzo meal work well here too)
- your favotire buns and toppings (my favorite toppings are goat cheese and arugula tossed in lemon vinaigrette)
Instructions
- If baking, preheat your oven to 425° F.
- Peel and grate the beets. Use the grater attachment on your food processor if you have one or grate using a box grater. You should have around 2 cups of grated beets.
- In the bowl of your food processor, add the onion and garlic cloves and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
- Add the salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, thyme, and the bread crumbs and pulse until combined. Add half the beans and pulse a few more times until the beans are finely chopped.
- Add the rest of the beans and the grated beets and either stir in or pulse once or twice.
- Divide mixture into 4 large patties or 10-12 slider-sized patties.
- Baking: Place the patties on a lined baking sheet (for easy release) and brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Pan frying: Heat a large heavy-bottomed or cast iron pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the patties when the oil is hot. Cook about 5 – 6 minutes per side.
- Add the patties to your favorite toasted buns and load up with your favortie toppings. Enjoy!