Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • The burger mixture:
  • 2 cups garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (white or multi)
  • salt
  • 3 red beets (about 10 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2-4 tablespoons parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • For serving:
  • several tablespoons of light olive oil (for frying the burgers)
  • buns (such as Honey Oat Beer Buns, halved and toasted)
  • mustard (mayonnaise, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, sprouts, or other toppings of your choice)

Instruction

  • Cook the veg: Peel the beets with a potato peeler, then grate them on the large holes of a box grater. The beets will spray, so wear an apron and have your work area clear of things you don't want covered in tiny red specks. Heat the oil in a wide saute pan (that has a lid that you will use later) over medium heat. 
  • When it shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, the grated beets, and a big pinch of salt. Give it a stir, then cover the pan and let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the beet is tender, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and deglaze by adding the vinegar and stirring up any good stuff that is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  • Make the burgers: In a large bowl, combine the cooked chickpeas, quinoa and beet mixture and mash with a potato masher to break up the beans slightly - the mixture should still be fairly chunky. 
  • Stir in the parsley, lemon zest and juice, egg, oats, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.
  • Cook the burgers: Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (a large spring-loaded scoop works well) and shape into 1" thick rounds. Coat the bottom of a wide skillet with oil and heat over a medium flame until the oil shimmers. Carefully add the burger patties. 
  • Cook until the first side is golden, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side until it is golden and the burger is cooked through, 2-3 minutes, reducing the heat if the burger is browning too quickly.
  • Serve the beet burgers on toasted buns slathered in any toppings you like.