Beet Burgers Are Delicious!

Tracy Childs is #LIVE for #LunchBreakLIVE cooking up some tasty homemade plant-based Beet Burgers with fresh Tzatziki Sauce! Tracy made lots of these burgers on the 4th and they rapidly disappeared so now she’s sharing with you! Tracy teaches PCRM, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Food for Life cooking classes and nutrition workshops in the San Diego, California area and is the founder and director of Veg-Appeal and founder of PlantDiego community organization bringing people together for food, education, and connection. Follow her at @tracyteachesvegan on insta! This recipe originates from Cara Fuhrman’s amazing e-book (follow her on Insta @DoctorsDaughters), daughter of Joel Fuhrman, M.D. Shout out to Chloe Stein at @ChloesCleanCusine (on insta) for her help in developing our adaption for use at the Eat to Live Retreat and her famous “burger slam” forming technique! Also, congrats in order on progress for #AB44 the Fur Ban passing the Senate Judiciary Committee today in Sacramento! Success! Tracy uses Salad Master cookware and machine! 

The Recipe:

Beet Burgers

Adapted by Tracy Childs and Chloe Stein from Cara Fuhrman’s recipe on Dr. Fuhrman.com

Makes about 9-10 patties

3/4 cup roughly chopped red onion (about ½ large onion)

pinch black pepper

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added or low sodium black beans, drained

1 rounded teaspoon light miso

1/2 cup ground walnuts – see note

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup cooked, chopped red beets (about 2 small beets)

1 cup cooked white quinoa

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (or more as needed)

½ cup oat or garbanzo flour or whole-grain bread crumbs (as the binder – or use more as needed – if the mixture is wet)

Toppings: thinly sliced red onion, cucumber & tomato

Garnish: Tzatziki Sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Dry sauté the chopped onions on high heat, adding small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning. When they are mostly soft, add the chopped mushrooms and the spices and sauté to release the water from the mushrooms and activate the flavor of the spices. Make sure the sautéed mixture is fairly dry, then turn off the heat and allow them to cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse chop the beans, along with the miso paste, leaving some chunks and place them in a large bowl.

Pulse chop the beets and add them to the bowl.

Pulse chop the sautéed mushrooms and onions and add them to the bowl.

Add the ground walnuts, flax seeds to the bowl. Stir in the cooked quinoa.

To bind the burgers, add about ½ cup of flour or bread crumbs. Knead the dough well to combine, adding additional binder if the mixture is too wet.

Form about 9 patties and place on a parchment paper or Silpat-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 50 minutes, flipping after 30 minutes.

To assemble the burgers, lay a beet burger on a plate, a very thin slice each of tomato, cucumber and red onion and a dollop of tzatziki sauce. Finish with a second beet burger. Alternatively, serve as you normally serve a burger, in a toasted whole-grain bun or in a Chinese cabbage leaf with desired fixings.

Note: Grind walnuts in a blender or food processor.

For the Tzatziki Sauce:

12.3 ounce box silken tofu

2 tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon)

1 clove garlic

pinch black pepper

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 rounded teaspoon light miso paste

½ cup finely chopped cucumber

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried dill

To make the tzatziki sauce, place tofu, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper in a blender and blend until creamy. Place in a bowl and stir in cucumber and dill.

Some of the ingredients used to make the beet burgers.

Tracy showing off her delicious beet burgers!

More ingredients used for this awesome meal!

The beet burgers prior to cooking.

The beet burger after it has been cooked.

Throw on all the fixins’ and enjoy in a bun OR a lettuce wrap!