This easy vegan smoky BBQ beet burger recipe creates a juicy, smoky and tender burger patty that’s perfect for quick dinners, packed with protein while being healthy and delicious too!

The Key to a Good Beet Burger (or any other veggie burger for that matter)

1. Toasting the buns - I find this to be a crucial step, by not toasting the bun the sauces can make it go soggy and a mess to try and eat.

2. If you have a grill or a griddle pan I recommend searing the patties after baking them as this intensifies their flavour and firms them up even more.

3. Pairing it with the right sauce is crucial in balancing all the flavours in the burger. I use this sriracha mayo as it gives the burger a spicy kick along with the richness of the beet patty.

Perfect for Meal Prep

The recipe makes 8 smoky BBQ beet burger patties. You can store the beet burger patties you’re not going to use that day in the freezer, separated by parchment paper.

I find them perfect for when I have had a long day and don’t feel like major effort for dinner and also don’t want to get take-out. So, I take these out of the freezer, bake them from frozen for slightly longer and they come out perfectly.

Slather them with some sriracha mayo, slice some avocado over and bam! A hearty, healthy and smoky beet burger ready to go.

Here is the recipe for the smokey BBQ beet burger patties

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 3 cups peeled and grated beets
• 1 1/4 cup oats
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chilli (optional)
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika (optional - gives a smokey flavour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. Bring the lentils and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling reduce the heat and, stirring occasionally, allow the lentils to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.

2. Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Mix in the onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the coconut sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and allspice. Allow to cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and light golden brown.

3. Meanwhile add the grated beets, cooked lentils, 1/2 cup of the rolled oats, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, chilli, liquid smoke, sea salt and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse the mixture 20 to 25 times until the mixture is well incorporated. The mixture will be sticky so stop every now and again and scrape down the sides of the food processor. You want to leave a bit of a chunky texture, so be careful not to over-process

4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the reserved 3/4 cup rolled oats, the cooked onion mixture and the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut sugar. Thoroughly stir to combine and you should be left with a damp mixture that is able to hold its shape.

5. Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes in the fridge (to make it easier to form into patties).

6. About 10 minutes before you're ready to form the patties, preheat the oven to 400F/200°C.

7. Use a 1/2-cup measuring cup to scoop out 1/2 cup of the mixture and form the mixture into a patty that is 1-inch/2.5 cm thick and 3 inches/7.5 cm in diameter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until you have made all of the 6-8 patties.

1. Bake the patties for 25 minutes for a more tender burger or 30 minutes for a firmer one. The bottoms of the patties should be browned up and feel set once done.

2. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the pan before moving as they can break apart if not cooled down 100%.

Serve with some sliced avocado, sriracha mayo and tomato on a toasted burger bun with a side of sweet potato fries and enjoy!

What are your favorite burger toppings? 🍔