Baked Beet Veggie Burgers with Black Beans and Brown Rice

Name: Baked Beet Veggie Burgers with Black Beans and Brown Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 43 min
Total time: 1 h 13 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed; 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water; 12 ounces (2 medium) (340 g) raw beets, peeled and coarsely grated on a box grater; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided: 1 tablespoon for the skillet, 2 tablespoons for brushing the patties; 1 small (about 4 oz) (120 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces); 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari; ¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats, pulsed in a food processor into a coarse flour; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans); 1½ cups (275 g) cooked short- or medium-grain brown rice, cold, from the refrigerator; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional); ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Ruby-red patties made with grated beets, brown rice, black beans and oats, glazed with balsamic vinegar for a sweet-tangy edge. They bake instead of fry, hold together on the bun, and are vegan.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 43 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 33 min
Makes: 6 burgers (about 4 inches / 10 cm wide)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the patties
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons (90 ml) water
12 ounces (2 medium) (340 g) raw beets, peeled and coarsely grated on a box grater
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided: 1 tablespoon for the skillet, 2 tablespoons for brushing the patties
1 small (about 4 oz) (120 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch pieces)
3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari
¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats, pulsed in a food processor into a coarse flour
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans)
1½ cups (275 g) cooked short- or medium-grain brown rice, cold, from the refrigerator
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment (9)

Large rimmed baking sheet (13×18-inch / 33×46 cm)
Parchment paper
Box grater
Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet
Food processor or blender
Large mixing bowl
Clean dark kitchen towel or cheesecloth
Wide spatula
Pastry brush

Steps

Before you start

Use cold, cooked brown rice (about ½ cup / 95 g dry rice makes 1½ cups cooked). Warm rice makes the mixture gummy.
Wear gloves or expect pink fingers: raw beets stain hands, cutting boards and towels. Use a dark towel for squeezing.
Set out a food processor or blender for the oats; a rolling pin and zip bag also works.
Timing: the 10-minute flax rest and the 15-minute chill are not optional, because they are what hold the patties together.

1
Preheat and make flax gelOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir the ground flaxseed and water together and set aside while you prep the vegetables.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick and slightly gloopy, like raw egg white
Tip: Do the next two steps during this rest so no time is wasted.
2
Grate and squeeze beets
- Peel the beets and grate them on the coarse holes of a box grater.
- Pile the shreds onto a dark kitchen towel, gather the corners and squeeze firmly over the sink to wring out as much juice as you can, about ¼ cup (60 ml).
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Ready when: The shreds feel damp, not dripping, when pressed in your fist
Tip: Excess beet juice is the main cause of soggy, crumbly burgers.
3
Sauté vegetables
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the squeezed beets and cook 4 minutes, stirring, until they lose their raw crunch and look slightly glossy.
- Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and beets are tender enough to bend when pressed with a spoon
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat right away; burnt garlic turns bitter.
4
Glaze with balsamic
- Pour in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.
- Cook for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the vegetables look sticky and dark.
- Scrape into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: No liquid pools in the pan when you tilt it
5
Grind the oats
- Add the oats to a food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times, in 1-second bursts, until about half are powdery and the rest are in small flakes.
- Do not run continuously or you will get fine flour with no texture.
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Ready when: Mixture looks like coarse cornmeal with some small flakes
6
Mash the beans
- In a separate bowl, mash the black beans with a fork or potato masher until about two-thirds are broken down and the rest remain whole.
- The paste is the glue; the whole beans give texture.
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Ready when: Thick, chunky paste with visible whole beans
7
Mix the burger dough
- Add the mashed beans, cold rice, ground oats, flax gel, parsley (if using), salt and pepper to the bowl with the beet mixture.
- Mix with your hands or a sturdy spoon for about 1 minute, squeezing the rice grains as you go, until evenly pink-purple and sticky.
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Ready when: A golf-ball-size portion holds its shape when squeezed in your palm without cracking
Tip: If the mix is too wet to hold, stir in 1 more tablespoon of oats; if it crumbles, mash in 2 tablespoons more beans.
8
Shape and chill
- Divide the mixture into 6 portions of about 5½ ounces (155 g) each.
- With damp hands, pack each tightly into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Place on the lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and cool to the touch
Tip: Press the edges firmly; cracked edges split during baking.
9
Bake first sideOven 400°F / 205°C
- Brush the tops of the patties with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil.
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The tops look dry and the edges are darkened and set
10
Flip and finishOven 400°F / 205°C
- Remove the pan.
- Slide a wide spatula fully under each patty and flip gently.
- Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep burgundy with dry, slightly crisp edges, and the patty feels firm when pressed
Tip: If the patty bends or sags when lifted, give it 3 more minutes.
11
Rest before serving
- Leave the burgers on the hot pan for 5 minutes.
- They continue to firm up as they cool slightly.
- Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings such as arugula, red onion, avocado and mustard.
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Ready when: Patties lift cleanly off the parchment
Tip: Don't skip this rest; hot patties are soft and fragile.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the grated beets thoroughly and use cold rice; these two details matter most for patties that hold together.
Mash only about two-thirds of the beans so the burgers keep some bite instead of turning pasty.
Bake on parchment and flip with a wide spatula; a narrow one will break the patties.
For extra crisp crusts, finish each patty in a hot oiled skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side after baking.

Make ahead

"Shape the patties up to 24 hours ahead, cover tightly on the baking sheet and refrigerate; bake straight from the fridge, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the first side. Or bake fully, cool, and refrigerate."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cooked patties keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezer: freeze cooled patties on a tray until solid, then bag with parchment between them for up to 3 months. Reheat from fridge in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 minutes, or from frozen for 20 minutes, flipping once, until hot throughout; or sear in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Substitutions

ground flaxseed → 1 large egg, lightly beaten. Skip the flax gel and water; the burgers will no longer be vegan but bind equally well.
cooked short- or medium-grain brown rice → cooked quinoa. Use the same 1½ cups (about 250 g), cooled; patties will be slightly more delicate.
old-fashioned rolled oats → plain dry breadcrumbs or gluten-free oat flour. Use ½ cup (55 g) breadcrumbs, or certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free burger.
canned black beans → canned kidney or pinto beans. Use the same weight, drained and rinsed; color will be slightly redder.