“The beet is the most intense of vegetables… the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon”

- Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

A good veggie burger is (I think) so important to have in your recipe toolbox. AND stocked in your freezer for those lazy rainy days!

There are basically a million and one (and then some) ways you can go with veggie burgers. Grain free, mushrooms or not, so many different beans and seeds you can add… and then all the veggies you can load in… flavors you could play with (traditional herbs, asian flair, southwest, Indian, etc.)… aiy! How to choose!?

While I know that many more veggie burger recipes will come in time here on this site, I wanted just a simple dark bean + beet burger. The fact that this one is oil free (unless you choose to fry them instead of bake) is just a big perk! I actually had a bunch of adzuki beans I needed to use up and it seemed like a great way to use some of my bounty.

Recipes like this are great ways to hide loads of healthy veg foods (plant protein included!) from kiddos and / or picky eaters. I dropped some extra off at a friends and the extended review was something like this:

What even are these things?! Texture on point. 3 year old approved. Purple burgers are fun to eat!

YES. WINNING. Plus more messages in the next several days asking for more ;P

Enough said on that. Now go enjoy this oil-free, protein filled, plant / heart happy veggie burger!

the freaking Best Beet Burgers

Yields 11 patties

INGREDIENTS

3 cups grated beets (about 3 beets, washed amp; peeled)

3/4 cup oats

2 cups cooked adzuki beans*

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp oregano dried

2 cloves garlic (can leave out if you’re allergic or just don't have any in the kitchen)

1.5 cup Millet flour (can sub another flour like sorghum, garbanzo, all-purpose gluten-free)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup flax meal

*Can sub other beans like black, pinto, garbanzo, etc. in place of adzuki.

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C)

Add all ingredients to food processor and process until well combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Scoop batter out and form into patties (I fit max 6 to a standard cookie sheet for a home oven)

Bake 20-25 minutes*

Serve however you’d like! As a more traditional burger with a gluten-free bun or bread, sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, etc… or try a burger salad or wrap. Enjoy!

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat to serve

These also freeze well! Separate with parchment paper for an easy user experience in the future.

*You can also fry the batter instead of baking. Fry in a frying pan with a little bit of oil (I use coconut or olive). After about 4-5 minutes, flip and cook the other side until done. You’ll be able to tell based on the texture and firmness. Both ways are great. I preferred frying… something about the texture. But it’s easier to bake a bunch and store to have on hand (can freeze). Baking also makes the burgers fully oil free!