An inspired Beet Burger
Originally, when I picked up three red beets at the Farm this week, I had the mind to make the beet burgers from the latest copy of VegNews. But, alas, when I actually looked closely at the recipe I didn’t have half of what the recipe indicated… so I made my own drawing inspiration from the one that wasn’t meant to be this time, the numerous other times I’ve made veggie burgers, and the left over ingredients I had on my counter top.
Simplicity had to be the name of this game–I’d been in the kitchen a solid two and a half hours, hadn’t eaten my lunch yet (my bagel breakfast was long worn off), and I still had writing and other work to cram into my weekend.
I had a TON of beans cooked up and on hand, and tried out a new heirloom variety that I thought would lend themselves better than the pintos I’d also cooked. Tongues of Fire beans also just sounded way cooler in a burger recipe, no? Plus, as long as your oats are gluten free… so is this recipe!
Beet & Bean Burgers
1 large scallion, chopped
1/2 portabello mushroom, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
2 1/4 cups beans (I used the aforementioned tongues of fire, but kidney, cranberry, navy, any hearty bean would suffice)
1 medium beet, grated
1/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice
1 1/2 cups oats
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon flax seed meal dissolved in 3 tablespoons warm water
- Add water or vegetable stock to skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and mushrooms and saute, cooking until liquid is mostly absorbed.
- In food processor, add beans, beet, pineapple, garlic, tahini, tamari and flax seed mixture. Pulse until starting to incorporate well.
- Add in the mushroom and onion mix. Pulse until that has started to be well mixed in, stopping and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add oats 1/2 cup at a time until all are incorporated, but not completely blended.
- In a non-stick skillet or lightly greased pan, scoop a generous amounts of the mixture out and quickly form a burger shape on the pan with the spatula.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. I recommend flipping just before that burned smell starts, but that’s just me (who forgot, somehow, she was cooking these).
Serve on a bun, in a wheat wrap, or collard green (pictured above). Top with your favorite fixings, or try some avocado, grilled pineapple slices, or green olive tapenade for a little extra kick.
