Archive Recipe: Beet and Carrot Burgers

Until just the other day, I hadn’t made these weird little veggie burgers in years. I love them, so I missed them, but I really felt no special compunction to make them for all that. You see, and I know I’ve told you this before, I hate the taste of beets. I always have. There’s some kind of alchemy going on in this recipe, though, that renders beets not only edible, but delicious. Even crave-able.

I would never go out and buy beets to make this recipe, but I took on a winter CSA subscription this year, and my home is now equipped with beets-a-plenty. This has always been my favorite way to use up those bountiful roots, so as soon as I had the time, I made them. They are absolutely as wonderful as I remembered! I’m so happy!

There are a lot of ingredients in these humble-looking veggie patties, but no tricky procedures to follow. I just start with the food processor, which I highly recommend if you have access to one. For me it makes any recipe with this much shredded vegetables not only easier, but just plain possible. All of the ingredients get piled into a great big bowl, mixed together, portioned out on a baking pan, and baked.

I used the Chioggia variety of beets to make the batch of burgers I photographed here. They are not so bloody red, being a pretty red and white candy stripe instead. As a result, my veggie burgers were paler in color than would be accomplished with another variety of beet. 

I like to serve these burgers on toasted English muffins with dill pickles or dill relish and mayonnaise. They’re good with ketchup and mustard on a hamburger bun, too, or they’re fine nestled into a pita pocket. I think there are other root vegetables that might be able to take the place of shredded beets here, but, I’m kind of growing sympathetic toward these earthy, old-fashioned, knobs of plant flesh. Will I ever come to love them? You know, at this moment, I’m more hopeful of that than I’ve ever been.

Beet and Carrot Burgers

adapted from Farmer John’s Cookbook

2 cups peeled, grated beets

2 cups grated carrots

½ cup grated onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup cooked rice, preferably brown rice

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

½ cup sunflower seeds

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable oil

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup flour

2 Tbs soy sauce or tamari

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all of the ingredients in a very large bowl.  Mix until completely combined.

2.  Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions.  Form each portion into a patty and place on baking pans that have been well-greased or lined with a silicone baking mat. The patties will not seem to hold together well at first, but they will solidify more as they bake.

3. Bake the patties at 350 F for 25-35 minutes, or until they are well set and beginning to brown on the edges.

4.  Serve immediately on an English muffin, on a bun or in a pita (or on a plate), or cool on pans and freeze.

To freeze the burgers, place them in a single layer on a plate or pan on wax paper or parchment paper.  Freeze until firm.  Remove from the pan and store flat in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container, separating layers with wax paper or parchment paper.

Makes 12 veggie burgers.

Other recipes like this one: Lentil Barley Burgers; Potato and Sauerkraut Cakes; Winter Vegetable Galettes with Cheddar, Mustard, and Caramelized Onions