Royal vegetarian bean beet burger

A great alternative to classic burgers, this vegetarian bean beet burger is made with simple ingredients like rice, beets and beans. It is packed with flavor and so filling.

vegetarian bean burger with rice and beets

This vegetarian burger is absolutely delicious. It has some texture, it’s juicy and soft and most importantly it’s packed with so much flavor.

The reason why it looks very meaty is that it’s made with grated cooked beets. They give the patty a light sweetness and that amazing vibrant color.

vegetarian burger patties with beets

The other ingredients are few and simple. I use a mixture of rice, beans and oats. This way the beet burger is filling but has fiber and texture, which is what I want in a vegetarian burger.

I brush the crispy rice and bean patty with a sweet and spicy honey mustard sauce. That mix of spice and sweetness is amazing, especially once the cheese melts all over.

pickles on a burger

The other toppings are classic. We have thinly sliced pickles, lettuce and a mix of ketchup and sour cream. I know the latter isn’t the most traditional, but I love a mix of sweet and sour. Once it all comes together, you’re hitting all the flavor notes and it makes the burger so delicious.

vegetarian bean and rice burger with beets

More vegetarian main course recipes to explore

biting into a beet burger with lettuce and pickles

Royal vegetarian bean beet burger

A delicious, juicy and filling burger made with simple ingredients like beets, rice, oats and beans.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 burger buns

Beet burgers

  • 1/4 cup (55 g) brown rice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
  • 7 oz (200 g) cooked beets
  • 2 tablespoons oat flour
  • 15 oz (450 g) can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 large egg
  • 2/3 cup (100 g) Italian breadcrumbs, more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Toppings

  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, about 100g or 3.5 oz
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) ketchup, about 100g or 3.5 oz
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 12 slices cheese, like Edam, Gouda, Swiss
  • 12 dill pickles
  • 1 small head of lettuce

Instructions

Make beet patties

  • Bring 1 1/2 cups of slightly salted water to a boil. Add the rice and cook covered on medium heat for 30-40 minutes, until rice absorbs the water and is tender. When cooked, transfer the rice to a plate and allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile sauté the onion in a skillet with oil, set over medium heat. Allow it to get translucent. Add garlic, cumin, thyme and paprika. Cook for 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  • Grate the beet on a box grater. Squeeze out most of the liquid with a cheesecloth, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the onions, beans, rice, mustard, coriander, oats and egg. Mix with a spatula or your hand thoroughly, until the mixture is even and everything is well incorporated.
  • Add the breadcrumbs. You want the mixture to be pretty easy to form, but not dry or sandy. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight.
  • To shape the burger mixture into patties take handfuls of the mixture and make thick disks with your hands. You need 6 pretty big patties. Keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook them.

Prepare toppings

  • In a small bowl whisk mustard with honey until creamy. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk sour cream with ketchup and garlic powder, until it's uniform in color and smooth. Set aside.
  • Tear off lettuce leaves, about 2 per burger and rinse them well under water. Lay them on paper towels to dry.
  • Thinly slice the pickles and set aside. Also cut the burger buns in half horizontally.

Cook burgers

  • Warm up oil in a large non stick or cast iron skillet. Cook 2-3 patties at a time on medium heat. First for 2-3 minutes on one side, until crispy and browned. Then flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side.
  • Flip the patties again, brush with the honey-mustard mixture and top with cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid, allowing the cheese to melt. Transfer to a large sheet pan lined with aluminum foil.
  • Continue with the rest of the patties. When they're all done, quickly toast the insides of the burger buns until golden (optional).

Assemble burgers

  • Spread 1 tablespoon (or more) of the sour cream and ketchup mixture on the inside of every burger bun (both halves). Starting with the bottom half of the bun, first top with lettuce, then add the patty, sliced pickles and extra lettuce. Cover with the other half of the bun and serve.

Notes

To save on time, I often buy packaged steamed and peeled beets, that are already ready to be used. You can cook the beets yourself, just know that this takes extra time.
To make your own, place beets in a large pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook, half covered, for 45-60 minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Put pot under running water to bring beets to room temperature, then peel and grate them.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Alice
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