Smokey Beetroot Bean Burger Recipe

Vegetarian and vegan burgers are becoming more and more popular. They are just as tasty as meat based burgers and you avoid a lot of saturated fats and salts. Here is a good recipe to try, not too challenging, and with a beautiful smokey twist.

Soaking and precooking mung beans

The mung beans will need to be pre-cooked before making the burgers.

First, thoroughly rinse the mung beans in cold running water. I always soak the beans in cold water for 4-6 hours (I usually add a splash of cider vinegar, as this aids the soak). Technically, soaking mung beans is not essential, unlike most other larger bean varieties but it is thought to aid digestion and also reduces cooking time significantly.

Once the beans have finished their soak, drain and place in a pan of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until tender and beginning to break down.

Ingredients:

  • 400g tin kidney beans, drained
  • 1/2 red onion, roughly diced
  • 1 1/2 heaped tsp garlic powder
  • 1 heaped tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup/honey
  • ½ cup raw mung beans, PRECOOKED (equating to 1 1/2 cups once cooked) SEE INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE
  • 1 ½ cups raw beetroot, grated
  • ½ cup chickpea flour (gram flour)
  • 1 ½ tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp dried chives
  • 1 tbsp chia or sesame seeds (optional)
  • 2 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 ½ tsp rock salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method:

  1. Using a food processor, blitz the kidney beans, garlic powder, onion powder and chopped onion to form a paste. I found that I needed to add about a tbsp. of water to loosen the mixture (slowly add a little more, if required)
  2. Transfer the paste into a large mixing bowl. Add the maple syrup, mung beans, grated beetroot and combine using a wooden spoon or table spoon.
  3. Add the chickpea flour, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, chives, salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly and evenly incorporated. You can taste a little of the mixture at this point to check the seasoning level- add more salt/pepper as desired.
  4. Chill the mixture in the fridge for around 30 minutes. In the meantime, heat the oven to 220 degrees C.
  5. Split the mixture into 6 equal patties (I use my hands… but you can use a spoon if you don’t want beetroot-stained hands!) and flatten slightly to form a lovely burger shape.
  6. Brush the burgers with a little olive oil and place onto a baking tray (I usually line mine with baking parchment, to prevent sticking). Bake in the pre-heated oven for around 25 minutes, until crispy and piping hot through to the centre. Once cooked, you can sprinkle with more nutritional yeast and dried chives.

 

Thanks to Lonely Lentil zero waste food suppliers for this fab recipe!

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