Pretty in Pink Beet Burgers are a great addition to any backyard party. Crisp on the outside, with a sweet & savory mix within.
Pretty in Pink Beet Burgers were fun and easy to make. Since there aren’t too many ingredients to gather and prep time is minimal, these are great for a quick weekday dinner. Or you make them ahead of time, pop them in the refrigerator and have them the next day for lunch.
This mix held together very well during cooking. Sometimes veggie burgers come out too crumbly or dry. You can use brown or white rice. Brown rice has a bit of a nutty flavor that would complement the beets well. Or maybe add some ground walnut to it.
Here’s what one of my favorite writer’s has to say about the beet:
“The beet is the murderer returned to the scene of the crime. The beet is what happens when the cherry finishes with the carrot. The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies.”
Tom Robbins – Jitterbug Perfume
Enough of the beet adoration for now. I’ll have plenty more chances to extol the fine attributes of the versatile vegetable in another post sometime soon. Onto the recipe, plus a bonus drink.
I used the extra beets to make a yummy drink:
- 2 Small Beets
- 2 Large Apples
- 1 Small Lime
- 2 Clementines
- 1 Piece Fresh Ginger
- 1-2 Carrots (optional)
- Slice the clementines and lime in half. I left the peel on, but feel free to remove the peel if you prefer.
- Quarter the apples and the beets.
- Cut the carrots into small chunks.
- Put all of the ingredients into the juicer according to the manufacturer instructions.
- Juice the beets last to prevent clogging.
- Serve the juice cold over ice.
I had fun blending the beets into the rice & watching it turn a brighter and brighter shade of pink. Such a striking color. Beets can lend plenty of vibrancy to a lot of meals like soups and salads or something like one of the following:
- Beet, Cheese & Apple Tarts
- Beet Ravioli with Cheese
- Beet Taco
- Crispy Beet Chips
- How about a Beet Reuben or a Beet Grilled Cheese?
Now I’m really hungry! I’d better get back in the kitchen and start making some of these. Lol. I can’t get enough of the beet. They are in my top five of vegetables I love. I almost always have them on hand in one form or another. I planted a few seeds in my garden, so hopefully I’ll get to enjoy some homegrown beets soon.
Pretty in Pink Beet Burgers actually tasted better to me when I let them set overnight in the fridge. You can reheat them in the microwave or on a griddle for a minute or so.
- 2 cups cooked brown or white rice
- 1 cup finely diced or grated roasted beets
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped fine
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped fine
- 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg (or egg replacer)
- 2 oz crumbled cheese (or soy cheese) of choice, I used a mix of parmigiano & feta
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine the rice, beets and herbs in a large bowl.
- Purée the beans with the lemon juice and egg in a food processor.
- Add it into the bowl with the rice and beets.
- Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and mix the ingredients together.
- Moisten your hands and form 6 patties.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil at a time in a heavy skillet
- Brown the patties on one side for 4 minutes.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray
- Place each patty browned side up on cookie sheet
- Sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top
- Place in the oven for 12 minutes.
- Serve like a burger - lettuce & tomatoes.
- I added chipotle mayo to it.
