Easy Vegan Beet Burger - My Pure Plants (2024)

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What to expect?

Whenever we have a guest over for lunch or dinner, who is willing to try something plant-based, we usually choose to make them these easy vegan beet burgers to impress them. And so far everyone loved it.

Beet can be tricky for some as raw beet has a dirt-like taste that can overpower any additional flavors in a dish. So what did we do? We tried to balance all ingredients and spices in a way that you can enjoy beets without a strong earthy flavor.

We added Worcestershire sauce to give these burger patties a bit of smoky, charcoal taste. We tried it with soy sauce and liquid smoke as well, but there is something umami in Worcestershire sauce that we just prefer.

Ingredients

So what do you need to make smoky vegan beet burgers?

• Beets → They are the star of the show.
• Cannellini or white beans → They have a quite neutral taste. You can add them to any recipe for extra protein. Still, they remain fairly hidden and will not make the whole dish taste like beans.
• Oats → We recommend using fine oats or quick-cooking oats. If you use rolled oats, you should definitely chill the mix before frying to soften the rolled oats.
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Worcestershire sauce → We like to use thisvegan and gluten-free brand. You can also use soy sauce or tamari.
• Thyme → fresh or dried
• Salt, and black pepper

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

Preparing the ingredients

1. Wash beets thoroughly. Pay attention to wash off any dirt around the stem. Cut off the stem. If there is any dirt left, wash them again. Peel, then grate them.
2. Drain canned cannellini beans or cook dry beans from scratch.
3. Peel and chop onion and garlic.
4. Measure all other ingredients.

Making beet burger patties

1. Take a large mixing bowl, and add HALFof the grated beets, the canned or cooked white beans, and the chopped onion and garlic.

2. Use an immersion blender to puree it. Or do these first two steps in a food processor.

3. When you have a mixture of a purée consistency, add the other HALF of the shredded beet, the oats, and the seasoning (Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper).

4. Mix them with a spoon and chill it in a fridge for 30 minutes, while the oats can absorb any excess liquid.

5. After chilling, the beet burger mixture should still feel soft, but not too wet. You should be able to form the burger patties without a problem. If not, add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch.

Frying

1. Preheat a frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat with some oil and cook each side for 3-5 minutes until the patties are getting brown.

2. Flip and cook the other side as well. Adjust the time you need to cook them thoroughly based on the size of your patties.

Cooking tips

• Grated, not pureed – To make the burger just right, use half of the grated beet for the puree. You can adjust the amount if you want. If you use more grated beet, the burger will be more like a hash brown. If you use more puree, the texture will be too soft and mushy.
• Don’t skip the chilling time – Oats are tougher than breadcrumbs. You need to leave some time for them to absorb the excess moisture. Otherwise, the mix will be too crumbly.
• Size matters – If you make thick burgers, you need to reduce heat to low/medium and cook them longer. The middle might not get well done. If you make thin burgers, you need a shorter cooking time for sure. Don’t serve them while hot as the burgers will firm up after cooling.

Building an epic vegan beet burger

The best part of the whole recipe is building your yummy burger. We know that the more layers you add, the harder it is to eat. However, we really recommend all these layers for you to try. They are absolutely amazing and delicious together!

1. Start off with a toasted bun.
2. Add green leaf lettuce because the ruffles look so pretty.
3. Then comes the star of this recipe, thevegan beet burger patty.
4. Next up, a vegan BBQ sauce and vegan mayomix (mixed 1:1 previously in a small bowl).
5. Then, some fresh tomato slices.
6. Now, I added a super easy minty pea puree (details are in the recipe card).
7. Finish it off with some arugula.

What else can you add?It goes great with caramelized onions, vegan goat cheese, garlic aioli, avocado slices or guacamole.

Variations

Use other beans – We chose white beans due to their neutral taste, but other legumes may also work like chickpeas,black beans,or red kidney beans. Beets have a powerful color, so whatever you choose, the burger will be purple.

Baking vs frying – If you want to make them oil-free, preheat the oven to 395 Fahrenheit (ca. 202 °C). Place the burger patties on a silicone baking mat or use a parchment paper in a sheet pan and bake them for 10-15 minutes. Flip halfway and adjust the baking time depending on the size of your patties.

Serving ideas

If you add many layers to your burger, they will be rich and filling on their own. However, if you need some inspiration for burger side dishes, here are our usual choices:

• roasted potato or sweet potato wedges
• French fries from potatoes or other root veggies like carrots, parsnip…
• brown rice, quinoa, or other cooked grains or even riced sweet potatoes.
• light salad on the side like an easy vegan coleslaw, or a tomato-corn salsa fresca (which we make as part of our copycat Chipotle veggie bowl recipe)
• grilled vegetable kabobs of all variety
• roasted cauliflower

Equipment

Use a food processor to make the burger mixture even quicker. Most food processors have a grater attachment, so you can grate the beet directly into the processor. Then don’t forget to take HALF of them out before adding the other ingredients. Pulse, stop, scrape, and pulse again until you reach the right texture.

Storing tips

In the fridge: To keep your fried or baked burger patties fresh, simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. But if you’re working with uncooked mixture, make sure to use it within a day to prevent it from becoming too moist or spoilt.

In the freezer: Fry or bake the vegan beet burger patties if you plan to freeze them. Store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag with parchment paper in between. We don’t recommend freezing the rough batter. When you’re ready to use them, thaw them in the fridge before frying or baking as per instructions.

FAQs

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UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in Aug 2018, but was rewritten and republished with new photos and tips in June 2022 and in Mar 2023.