Vegan burgers, where do you stand on them? At one point I concluded that the glut of plant-based burgers in stores was so staggering that there was little point in me coming up with a recipe because no one would bother to make them. Since then my opinion has changed…I developed a taste for a vegan burger recipe that contains only whole food ingredients and is easy to make and this vegan beet burger recipe ticks both of those boxes…
Although I’m a firm believer in a whole food plant-based diet 90% of the time, I have nothing against store-bought plant-based burgers, sausages, meats, I use them to add variety and excitement to my meals. Through a bit of trial and error, I have found some products that I enjoy and so I buy them regularly, once or twice a week I would say. I occasionally add soy-based vegan chicken to my lunch or plant-based chorizo ​​to some of my meals, but I’ve never had any luck finding a vegan burger I really enjoy.
I tried the BeyondMeat burger and the taste blew my mind and I kept checking with the waiter (I had it in a restaurant) that it was definitely not beef, I disliked its funny aftertaste and it didn’t feel so good after my stomach. It’s something I get maybe once a year, tops! This beet burger isn’t an attempt to reinvent Beyondmeat patties with healthier ingredients and without their clever food chemistry – because I don’t think that’s possible, but offers and easy and healthy plant-based burger alternative. For me personally, the experience of eating a burger is much more than the patty, it is more than the sum of its parts. It’s almost equally about the quality of the bread, the selection of spices, the freshness and intentionality of the remaining ingredients: crispy lettuce provides freshness, pickles add a delightful crunch and tang, and so on.
I hope you will be tempted to give this burger a go! They’re easy and cheap (that’s another thing about plant-based meat alternatives – since, unlike meat, they’re not subsidized by the government, they’re quite expensive). I use minimal oil (about 1-2 teaspoons per burger) I bake them in the oven and only have plant based whole foods. I personally like to make these with uncooked, soaked chickpeas – they make a moist patty, but I’ve also tested them with tinned chickpeas and if you don’t have dry chickpeas at home, they’re still pretty good. I hope you enjoy these healthy vegan beet burger buns as much as we do.
More about ingredients
Chickpeas: Chickpeas are one of the main building blocks of this simple vegan beet burger. I used dry, overnight-soaked chickpeas to give it the desired texture, but I also tested a version made with cooked (tinned) chickpeas and it worked well enough. I personally prefer the former and the inside is moist while the outside has a firm skin that is ever so slightly crispy.
Beetroot: The other building block of this simple burger is, of course, beetroot. I used shop-bought vacuum packed beetroot, which is a staple on UK supermarket shelves – almost every major supermarket has its own brand of this product. Be sure to purchase one preserved in natural juices as opposed to vinegar. Although I haven’t tested them with raw beetroot, this recipe is based on my previous recipe for beetroot falafel, and I’ve used raw beets there with great success. Use the same amount of raw beetroot by weight (250 g / 8.8 oz).
Onion, Garlic: These two spices add flavor to the burger. You can pan-fry them in a little oil to mellow their flavor before adding them to the burger mix or you can add the raw onion and garlic and a tablespoon of oil directly to the burger mix. The latter is less time consuming, but it contributes to a harsh onion and garlic flavor so I recommend using only a clove of garlic and maybe a clove of an onion. The oil helps keep the inside of the burger moist.
Psyllium Husks / Ground Flax: Psyllium husks or ground flax are used to keep burgers whole. Psyllium is stronger and therefore works better, but ground flax also works well enough. I tested psyllium husks since I ran out of powder, so if you want to use psyllium husk powder, use about half a tablespoon because it is stronger than the whole husk.
Harissa Paste: Harissa paste is used for flavor and also adds a little kick. If you don’t have it, use some chili sauce (like sriracha) and a little cumin and coriander zest.
Baking Powder: A small amount of baking powder is added to the mix to help prevent these burgers from becoming soggy and cook the raw chickpeas in the oven.
Today: I added a handful of fresh herbs for flavor. I chose a mix of parsley and cilantro, but either would work just as well.
Balsamic: A dash of balsamic adds some acidity and some umami. You can also use lemon juice instead.
Rice flour: A small amount of rice flour is used to hold these burgers together and help shape them. Don’t be tempted to add any more flour – the mixture is designed to be as wet as possible so it doesn’t dry out too much in the oven. I haven’t tested any other flours but I’m sure they will work just as well.
Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are optional. I used it to coat the patties to make them look pretty.
Olive oil: I used a small amount of olive oil to keep these patties from getting too dry and to be able to crisp them up a bit in the oven. I haven’t tried making these oil-free and I’m worried it will make them really dry and unpleasant to eat.
- 130 g / ¾ cup dry chickpeas*, soaked overnight (or 360 g / 2 heaping cups cooked chickpeas)
- 45 ml / 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 250 g / 8.8 oz cooked beetroot*
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons harissa paste*
- 15 ml / 1 tablespoon quality balsamic (or lemon juice)
- 15 g / 0.5 oz fresh herbs (I used parsley and cilantro)
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk or 2 tablespoons flaxseed
- 35 g/¼ cup rice flour (or other flour)
- Sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Recommended burger ingredients
- Burger buns, store-bought or homemade*
- Ripe avocado, chopped
- Little Gem Lettuce
- Dear pickles, I used dill pickles
- Favorite Condiment: Vegan mayo, chili jam/chili sauce
method
Burger
- If making the uncooked chickpea version, soak dried chickpeas in plenty of water overnight or longer (up to 24 hours).
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small frying pan, once hot add the onion and fry on a low heat until almost soft. Then add garlic and fry until soft and fragrant. See note for a simpler alternative.
- Place drained beetroot and chickpeas (add half if cooked) in a food processor. Add all ingredients except pan-fried spices and 2 tablespoons of oil. Pulse until finely chopped (chickpeas should be the size of bulgur wheat – see photo in post).
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. If using cooked chickpeas, process the other half in a food processor until just coarsely ground, then stir through the mixture.
- Refrigerate for a few hours to firm up. You can freeze the mixture at this point.
- Preheat the oven to 200° C / 390° F and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper. Prepare a plate of sesame seeds (optional), a brush and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Using your hands, shape the cooled mixture into patties – the mixture will be soggy, this is intentional! I made five patties 9 cm / 3.5 inches across and about 15 mm / 0.6 inches long. You can freeze them at this point.
- Use your hands to work some sesame seeds into the patties, then place them gently on the prepared baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, flipping very gently halfway through.
- Remove the tray from the oven and increase the temperature to 220° C / 430° F. Gently remove the baking paper so the patties sit directly on a metal tray and grease both sides of each patty with oil (about ½-1 tsp per patty). Bake for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, flip again, brush with oil and bake for another 5-10 minutes (35-40 minutes total) – until the patty is firm. Allow them to cool slightly after removing from the oven as they are still brittle while hot.
- Assemble the burger to your liking. I like to toast my burger bun, then put a few slices of avocado on the bottom, then the burger patty, sliced ​​pickles, lettuce and mayo and chili jam on the top half of the bun. Consume directly, straight after baking them.
Comment
*Beetroot: I used vacuum packed, cooked beetroot which is a UK supermarket mainstay. Please be sure to choose plain cooked beetroot, not preserved in vinegar. And yes, you can also use the same amount (by weight) of raw beetroot.
* Chickpeas: You can make this burger with soaked dry chickpeas or cooked chickpeas. I recommend the former because I like their texture but the tinned chickpea option is also possible.
*Harissa Paste: You can use 1 tsp of any chili sauce, 1 tsp each of cumin and coriander leaves.
*Buns: I made my burger buns by simplifying my vegan brioche bun recipe. I used 1 tablespoon of sugar (you can skip it entirely) and only used 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of vegan butter. I briefly ground them in the evening and refrigerated them overnight. The next morning, I shaped the buns, let them rise again, and baked them in a 190° C / 375° F oven for 23 minutes.
Nutritional information
*Each 1 of our 5 patties