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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    May 17, 2017 169 Comments

    Vegan Beet Burgers

    14.8K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    From day one of this blog, I had the idea to make "fuss-free" vegan recipes, but it took me awhile before I really nailed down what that meant. In the beginning, I thought the best approach was to use no specific measurements and vague instructions for my recipes... Unsurprisingly, recipe testers had varied results. Yep, not the smartest idea I've ever had.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Luckily, it wasn't long before I re-thought "fuss-free" and made it all about simple ingredients, and quick and easy recipes. That doesn't mean that my original fuss-free recipes (if you can call them that), were bad, it just means there was a dreadful lack of guidance and poor food photography to boot.

    So every now and then I like to go back in time and revise one of the original fuss-free recipes. I've done it before with my 6 Ingredient Pulled Jackfruit, and Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce, and today I am doing it with these Vegan Beet Burgers.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Because omnomnom!! My first version for vegan beet burgers required too many ingredients, a couple of flavours were competing, and of course, some measurements would be helpful. I've taken it from 14 ingredients to just 10, made it simpler and quicker, and got those flavour notes on point.

    The intense colour of these burgers is so neat, but what's really rocking my socks is how the beets provide this deep rich earthiness to the burgers. So much flavour depth. The oats and lentils make a great base, and the sneaky trick is adding a bit of peanut butter which adds some richness and good fat balancing everything out perfectly.

    When you make these, the dough is really sticky, but once cooked, they firm up and have a nice texture bite (no mushy burger here)!

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    To make Vegan Beet Burgers: peel the beets. I have a grater attachment for my Breville food processor so I used it to grate the beets directly into the processor. If you don't have that, just grate beets with the grater you have.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Then just add the beets, along with all of the remaining ingredients to the food processor.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Pulse, stopping to scrape the sides, until the mixture comes together.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Form into 4 patties. The patty mixture will be very sticky, so wet your hands in between forming each patty, to help stop the sticking.

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Then you can either fry or bake the burgers, until brown on the outside and tender on the inside.

    Leftover burgers get quite firm in the fridge overnight, so I prefer mine freshly made. However, if you like a nice firm bite, you might enjoy them even more!

    Vegan Beet Burgers! Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). Egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Print Recipe
    4.99 from 140 votes

    Vegan Beet Burgers

    Quick and easy recipe for a hearty veggie burger with a perfect bite (not mushy). 
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    ingredient tag: lentils, oats, peanut butter
    Servings: 4 Burgers
    Calories: 205kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups grated raw peeled beets (about 2 medium beets)
    • ¾ cup large flake rolled oats
    • ½ cup cooked lentils (I used canned)
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ yellow onion , finely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
    • 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
    • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
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    Instructions

    • If you have a grater attachment for your food processor you can use it to grate the beets directly into the processor. If not grate beets with the grater you have, then add the beets, along with all of the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Pulse, stopping to scrape the sides, until the mixture comes together.
    • Form into 4 patties. The patty mixture will be very sticky, so wet your hands in between forming each patty, to help stop the sticking.

    To fry the patties (my fave):

    • Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the patties. Cooking them low and slow is the key for good texture. Cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side, until they are nicely browned on both sides and hold together well. Serve hot on a bun with your favourite burger toppings.

    To bake the patties:

    • Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
    • Lay the patties out in a single layer with room around them for air to circulate. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway through until firmed up and lightly brown on both sides. Serve hot on a bun with your favourite burger toppings.

    To air fry the patties:

    • Preheat your air fryer to 325F (170C). Lightly grease the air fryer basket.
    • Lay the patties out in a single layer with room around them for air to circulate. You may need to work in batches. Bake 15 - 25 minutes, flipping halfway through until firmed up and lightly brown on both sides. Serve hot on a bun with your favourite burger toppings.

    Notes

    Leftover burgers get quite firm in the fridge overnight, so I prefer mine freshly made. However, if you like a nice firm bite, you might enjoy them even more!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1burger patty (recipe makes 4) | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam.

    « Vegan Banana Nut Muffins
    Easy Vegan Jackfruit Tacos »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chan says

      July 04, 2020 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe thanks! I had my delightful beetroot burger while my family had beef burgers. Wet hands tip was a lifesaver. I halved the recipe and made 2 normal size and 1 mini for others to try. Had them with a brioche bun, melted cheddar, sliced tomatos, fried onions and a mix of peri peri mayo and dash of ketchup. A winner!

      Reply
    2. Jade says

      June 30, 2020 at 4:28 pm

      Hi there. What could you substitute the peanut butter for ? Is it used as a binding agent? If you are only veggie would an egg work the same? Thank you in advance

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 30, 2020 at 5:03 pm

        Peanut butter is for fat and flavour, I list substitutions in the notes. I would never recommend using egg. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Madelyn Morris says

      June 15, 2020 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      I made these burgers this weekend and my hubby and I both loved them! I used whole peeled cooked beets from Costco, and just thinly sliced them to make 2 cups worth (about 5 small beets). I thought the mixture was too wet (likely because the beets were not raw), so added about 1 1/4 cup of cooked cooled quinoa to thicken it up (I used this previously to make black bean/quinoa baked falafel). I guess I could have added more oats/flour instead of the quinoa, but went for the added protein! I also used Bob's gluten-free flour. I baked them and they turned out great! It made 8 burgers! Refrigerated the leftovers and my husband grilled them the next day and melted vegan smoked gouda cheese slices on top! Sooooooo yummy!! Will make these again for sure.

      Reply
    4. Tina says

      June 08, 2020 at 11:50 am

      Question: can you prep all the ingredients ahead of time, freeze the patties and then cook them at a later day?

      Reply
      • Sara Pasterski says

        June 18, 2020 at 4:31 pm

        5 stars
        I love the convenience of freezing them! i put parchment between each patty, though, or it'll be a difficult mess all stuck together.

        Reply
    5. Swati says

      May 12, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      Hi Sam!

      I love your recipes and even have your book! For this recipe, can I freeze these burgers and save for a rainy day (which is code for day I don't feel like cooking)?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 13, 2020 at 3:59 pm

        Aww thank you! I haven't tried it myself, but I think they should freeze fine. 🙂

        Reply
      • Jessica says

        July 01, 2020 at 10:58 pm

        Did you try freezing? How did it turn out?

        Reply
    6. Teeka says

      May 10, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Hi,
      Could I use the beet pulp leftover after juicing beets for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 13, 2020 at 3:44 pm

        I haven't tried it, but it might work. You might need to add some extra moisture tho. ENjoy!

        Reply
    7. Linda says

      May 09, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      Well, you've done it again! Perfection! This is the last vegan burger recipe I'll ever need. Some have great flavor, some great texture, but only this one has both, and almost no fat! Oh, and super simple! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        May 13, 2020 at 3:38 pm

        Amazing! So thrilled you loved it, Linda 🙂

        Reply
    8. Renee says

      April 27, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      These are so delicious. I was worried my mixture was too mushy, but the wet hand, cook low and slow suggestion was perfect. Thank you for another delicious addition to the ever growing inventory of yummy meals.

      Reply
    9. Pia says

      April 11, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      5 stars
      I made them a couple of months ago and they were amazing!!!!
      I used brown lentils.
      Do you think mushrooms would work too instead of lentils?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 19, 2020 at 9:38 am

        Mushrooms have a lot of water so they might not hold up as well, but I'm sure will still taste great 🙂

        Reply
    10. Richa Shukla says

      April 05, 2020 at 9:39 pm

      Hi! Can I make this using my vitamix ? Don’t have a food processor. And if so, do I still need to grate the beets or just peel them and chop them up ? Thanks !

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 09, 2020 at 5:38 pm

        I don't think this would work in a blender, but you could mix by hand if you like 🙂

        Reply
    11. Carrie says

      February 21, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Sam! This recipe was so simple to prepare (no odd ingredients, and I had everything on hand...no trip to the market). I did, however, use canned beets, but the end result was delightful! They were not too sticky and the outside crisped beautifully. So happy to have found your blog. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        February 22, 2020 at 12:17 pm

        Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Carrie 🙂

        Reply
      • Harley SXM says

        May 04, 2020 at 3:07 pm

        Happy to read this because I was wondering if I could use the cans of beetroots I was given. Now I am looking forward to giving this recipe a go!

        Reply
    12. Steph says

      January 29, 2020 at 4:33 am

      Would you happen to have the additional nutritional information aside from calories per burger? I'd love to share this recipe with my non-vegan gym buddies, but of course they'll want to know what the macros are. Thanks in advance!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        April 21, 2020 at 3:50 pm

        I added it! Sorry for the slow response 🙂

        Reply
      • Cyndi says

        June 12, 2020 at 11:29 am

        Peanut allergy here, can I replace it with almond butter?

        Reply
    13. Emily Borja says

      January 27, 2020 at 10:40 am

      4 stars
      Hey Sam!
      I love your recipes and your cookbook!! There used to be a beet burger recipe on here that had miso paste and like a lot of ingredients that I LOVED. Not that this recipe isn't awesome, but do you still have that posted somewhere that I could access?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 28, 2020 at 7:25 pm

        Hi Emily, sorry I no longer have the recipe. This one is the same, just slightly tweaked to make it better 🙂

        Reply
    14. Kim says

      January 04, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      I have not tried this recipe yet but it seems delicious. My question is, can I make these into beet balls and bake them? I would love to have it be versatile to use in other dishes.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        January 09, 2020 at 2:01 pm

        Yes I think they would work just fine. ENjoy!

        Reply
    15. Sanaa Shaikh says

      October 28, 2019 at 10:12 am

      Hi there!

      What kind of lentils do you use? Does it make a difference? I have a massive variety (never say 'lentils' to an Indian person - we have hundreds of kinds) - which is appropriate for these burgers?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 28, 2019 at 5:02 pm

        Haha! 🙂 Can you believe the can of lentils I bought didn't say!? I believe they were brown lentils, but I also think any pre-cooked lentil should work well here. Enjoy!

        Reply
    16. Allyson says

      October 23, 2019 at 10:38 am

      Hi Sam, we don't eat white flour. Can we use a brown rice flour or any other type of healthier flour then white?

      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 24, 2019 at 1:16 pm

        Hi Allyson, alternative flours are not my specialty, but you can review this guide which will help you replace flours.

        Reply
    17. Mike says

      October 18, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      Nothing beefs a beet burger!!!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 23, 2019 at 6:08 pm

        Ba dum dum tsk!

        Reply
    18. Kim says

      October 13, 2019 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      This is an incredible recipe, especially considering it uses pantry staples to transform beets (not a favorite) into absolutely delicious veggie burgers. I got some beets in a CSA box, thought of burgers, and was thrilled to find this recipe to use all of them. I ordered more just to make these again!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 16, 2019 at 5:49 pm

        Yay!! So thrilled you loved them so much, Kim!! Thanks for your great review 🙂

        Reply
    19. Bella says

      October 07, 2019 at 12:02 pm

      Can I make this without using a food processor, but rather work the ingredients together with my hands?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 08, 2019 at 10:27 am

        Yes, that should work fine! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
        • Yulca says

          October 19, 2019 at 3:31 pm

          5 stars
          I'm glad I saw this comment, I've had those on my wishlist for a while, but am still sans food processor.
          I grated the beets very finely, mashed the lentils with a fork before adding them, and used fine rolled oats. Then I combined it all by hand (wearing rubber gloves). It worked really well & the patties turned out delicious!

        • Sam Turnbull says

          October 23, 2019 at 6:13 pm

          Yay!! Thrilled it worked for you, Yulca! Another success 🙂

    20. Yvonne says

      October 07, 2019 at 4:47 am

      Hi Sam!

      May I know what would you suggest as substitution for beets in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 08, 2019 at 10:26 am

        Hi Yvonne, since the focus ingredient in this recipe is the beets, I wouldn't recommend substituting them and instead try another burger recipe such as my jerk sweet potato & black bean burgers, smoked apple burgers, or boss bbq burgers from my cookbook.

        Reply
      • Carla says

        October 10, 2019 at 7:09 am

        5 stars
        Tried these today and they were lovely. Cooked them in the oven for approx 30 minutes. Putting the rest of the uncooked burgers in the freezer for another day.

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          October 16, 2019 at 5:32 pm

          Yay! So happy you loved them, Carla 🙂

        • Kirby says

          December 22, 2019 at 6:04 am

          does the prepared mixture freeze well?

      • Tom Wilkinson says

        January 12, 2020 at 8:20 am

        I made a double batch yesterday and gave half to my daughter, a vegan. I'm not vegan but i try and eliminate meat wherever i can. These burgers were delicious and i much prefer them to meat burgers and even beyond burgers. The recipe was easy to follow and make. I had one for lunch yesterday while it was hot off the press. I'm going to add a little cumin next time and a little more garlic. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Sam Turnbull says

          January 23, 2020 at 11:57 am

          That's wonderful Tom! I'm thrilled you love them 🙂

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