• Recipe

Beet Burger

Beet Burger

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 pounds
    beets, peeled and cut into equal sized cubes
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup
    coconut aminos
  • ½ cup
    agave
  • ¼ cup
    liquid smoke
  • ¼ cup
    lemon juice
  • 1
    shallot, chopped
  • 4 cloves
    confit garlic
  • 2 cloves
    garlic
  • 2 tablespoons
    extra-virgin olive, plus extra as needed
  • 2 tablespoons
    red wine vinegar
  • 8 sprigs
    thyme
  • 1 quart
    black beluga lentils, soaked overnight
  • Black pepper, as needed
  • 4 quarts
    vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon
    caraway seed
  • 1 tablespoon
    cumin seed
  • 1 tablespoon
    fennel seed
  • ⅓ cup
    rice vinegar
  • 2 quarts
    pulsed into flour
  • 2 quarts
    walnuts, ground
  • 2 tablespoons
    ground flax seeds
  • Vegan mozzarella balls, as needed
  • Buns, preferably gluten-free, toasted
  • Pickled cucumbers, your recipe
  • Crispy shallots, as needed
  • Garlic aioli, your recipe
  • Chimichurri, your recipe
  • Arugula, as needed

Preparation

Cover beets in salt and toss in a large bowl; let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and toss with aminos, agave, liquid smoke and lemon juice. Slack onto a sheet pan and roast at 360 F for 30 minutes. 

Saute shallot and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until translucent and season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with red wine vinegar, and thyme. Add lentils, stir and toast for 1 minute and add stock. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer on medium heat until cooked.

Spread lentils evenly across a sheet pan. In a separate pan, toast caraway cumin and fennel in extra virgin olive oil until fragrant. Add fried spices over lentils along with rice vinegar; cool and store.

Combine oats, walnuts, 2 quarts beets, 2 quarts lentils and salt as desired, using olive oil to blend if needed. Scoop generously with a 4-ounce scooper and form into patties.  

Place burger on the flattop or grill for cross marks and heat through. Throw one mozzarella ball onto a hot grill, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Sear and flip.

Layer each bottom bun with mozzarella ball, shallots, burger, pickles, aioli, chimichurri and arugula. 

Chef/owner Halle VanNatta-Torkelsen | Flourish Plant Based Kitchen, Portland, Oregon