Vegan Beetroot Bean Burgers

Kimberly Espinel

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Instagram: @thelittleplantation | thelittleplantation.co.uk

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Like any good burger, you can add the toppings you like. But, the ones listed below work so well with these burgers and they add lots of moisture, which these burgers need (and which all burgers need, really. I mean a burger without a sauce on top is just plain WRONG). Please check the tips at the end of the recipe before you start.

Makes: 8~10 burgers

Preparation Time: 30 ~40 minutes

Chilling Time: 1 ~2 hours Cooking Time: 15 ~25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Patties

1½ cups (gluten-free) oatmeal AKA ground oats

2 cups ground almonds AKA almond meal

2 large beetroots, washed well and peeled

2 (14 oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

2-4 tbsp of olive oil

1 cup ground flaxseeds

Small bunch of fresh parsley, washed and chopped super finely

4 tsp onion powder

4 tsp ground cumin

4 tsp ground cardamom

4 tsp vegetable bouillon (or salt if you don’t have this on hand)

1 tsp black pepper

Coconut oil or rice bran oil for frying

Walnut and Kale Pesto

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ cup walnuts

½ cup cashew nuts

2 large handfuls of kale leaves, washed and roughly chopped

1 large bunch of basil

½ cup olive oil

½ tsp sea salt, or to taste

Pinch of ground black pepper

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Juice of ½ lemon

Quick Pickled Red Onions

2 red onions

About 1 cup white wine vinegar

Sugar

Final Touches

Some arugula, washed

Burger buns of your choice, heated up (optional)

Cucumber ribbons Avocado, sliced thinly

Vegan mayonnaise or ketchup

METHOD

In a large bowl, mix the almond meal and oatmeal until nicely combined. Chop the beetroot into small chunks and, together with the black beans, blend in a high-speed blender until a thick puree is formed. Add this puree and all the other patty ingredients (EXCEPT the oil for frying) to the oat and almond mixture and stir until nicely combined. If the mixture looks a tiny bit too dry, feel free to add another tablespoon of olive oil. Shape the mixture into 8-10 patties and put in the fridge for about 45 minutes so the mixture sets and holds together.

As the patties are chilling in the fridge, make your walnut and kale pesto by combining all the ingredients and placing them in a food processor or high-speed blender. You can also use a handheld blender, as I did, if you prefer. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. You can store the pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Next, make the quick pickled red onion rings by peeling the onions and then cutting them as thinly as you can.

Place the cut onions in a small bowl and cover with white wine vinegar. Add a few tablespoons of sugar and stir. Taste and add more if need be. Set aside. When you are ready to prepare your burgers, preheat the oven to between 325°F and 350°F. In a large frying pan, heat up the frying oil. Pan-fry each patty for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy. Transfer the patties to a lined baking tray and place them in the oven for about 10-20 minutes. Finally, assemble the burgers and enjoy!

Tip 1: If you have regular almonds and regular oats, you can grind them down in a food processor to the required consistency. This will add about 5 minutes to your preparation time, though.

Tip 2: This recipe should also work well if you replace the beetroot with carrots!

Tip 3: For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free oats or millet and a bun that’s gluten-free too.