Beet & Black Bean Veggie Burgers
These veggie burgers are so delicious! I’ve made lots of different versions of veggie burgers and I think this is my favorite way to do it. If you’ve never made your own veggie burgers before, you’ll be surprised how easy it is. They’re much more flavorful than the ones you get in the frozen food aisle. These have a lot more nutrition too because of all the fresh vegetables. This recipe makes about 4-6 burgers. They can be cooked and the leftovers frozen for future use.
This is the first time I added minced beets into the burger mixture and I love the sweetness and rich flavor it adds. Chop all the ingredients into very small dice for best results.
Cook 1/2 cup brown rice in plenty of salted water with 2 small or 1 large beets. Remove the beets when they are fork tender. Once the rice is cooked, (about 45 minutes), drain and set aside.
Saute 1 small, finely chopped, sweet onion in a bit of olive oil. Chop the cooked beets and add those to the skillet, sauté for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Rinse and drain 1 can of black beans, mash with a fork or potato masher. Grate 1 large carrot. Mix the sautéed veggies & mashed black beans with 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 or 2 smashed and chopped garlic clove, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, celery salt and pepper, pinch of cumin, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley, 1 tblsp olive oil, 1 tblsp flour and 1 scrambled egg.
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high, add a bit of olive oil spray. Form the burgers into patties and cook on both sides, letting a crust develop for best texture. Add cheddar cheese if you like and cover to melt. Serve on whole wheat buns with sliced onions, tomatoes, avocado and dijon mustard. Delicious!
