Move over Beyond Beef! Beet burgers are the healthy way to enjoy meat substitutes. The cost, and the fact that Beyond Beef is overly processed, is a no-go for us. So instead of Beyond Beef, we’re making our own Beyond Beet burgers with real and nutritious ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need. Yes, that’s baby food on the left side; the carrots help bind the ingredients :).
As for the grain, we use a gluten-free one – buckwheat kasha. If making this vegan, skip the egg when you cook it.
One cup of uncooked Kasha will make about 4 cups of cooked grain. You’ll only need 2 cups for this recipe. Since we usually double this recipe to freeze the extra, that’s not a problem. But when making this as written, save the leftover kasha to eat as a side dish another time. Let cool.
We often a shortcut and used pre-shredded beets. Beetology beets are a great convenience and like their slogan says, ‘march to your own beet’.
But if you choose to use a fresh beet, just peel and grate it raw (the food processor will do the rest of the work). You might want to wear a glove. However, I hear that whitening toothpaste will help remove beet stains from your hands!
Put them in a colander to drain the liquid.
Rinse the starch off the beans and also let drain. Below, we made a double batch so combined kidney beans with the aduki beans.
Fresh basil is a chopped first.
Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you process.
We found a gluten-free panko – yay – but use regular if you’re not gluten -free.
Form the Patties
I played around with forming the patties with a press and waxed paper.
These will freeze well so I thought it would speed up the process.
And of course, store better because they are stackable!
They actually really look like raw beef because of the colour, don’t they?!
However, I find the thinner patties will crumble more easily, so now I tend to form them by hand.
On gluten-free buns, they usually look more like sliders! These aren’t too bad, but has anyone else noticed how puny most gluten-free products are?
Again, if making these vegan, skip the cheese.
Normally I’d have these loaded up with fixins’, like lettuce and tomato, but we’re still in lockdown so when we run out, we just make do!
Pin Beet Burgers
Pinning is always welcome and appreciated!
It seems that we have matched up the colour schemes of our food with this week’s DIY! Don’t think that has ever happened before – lol!
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Beet Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium kasha; cooked according to package direction with 1 egg Set aside 2 cups of cooked Kasha for recipe (use the rest as a side dish another time)
- 1 bag julienne beets (9 ounces) shredded beets (or 1 large beet peeled and shredded
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 15-ounce can aduki, rinsed can substitute any other bean like kidney beans
- 1 4-ounce jar carrot baby food
- 1 TBL whole-grain mustard
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs we use gluten free
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook kasha according to package directions (with an egg). Take pan off the heat and let cool.
- Meanwhile, pulse shredded beet, walnuts, basil, and garlic together in food processor until finely chopped, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add beans, carrot baby food, 2 tablespoons water, mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and pulse until well combined, about 10 pulses.
- Transfer mixture to large bowl and stir in panko and cooled kasha. Use a press to form patties if you like them thin or hand form. You can make these full size or smaller for sliders.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place up to 4 patties in skillet and cook until crisp and well browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning gently halfway through cooking and reducing heat if burgers begin to scorch. Transfer burgers to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
- Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining patties. Serve.