Meet my very favourite veggie burger: Beet Burgers! These vegan patties are smoky, flavourful, and absolutely satisfying, perfect for piling onto a bun with your go-to toppings.

Beet burger with lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese, and pickles.

The best veggie burger I’ve ever sunk my teeth into was at J. Alexander’s. I ordered my burger, ready to be underwhelmed, and I panicked: “I think you gave me a meat burger! It looks like meat!” The waiter, laughing, clarified that it was indeed a veggie burger and I was mistaking the beets for beef. But how did it taste…so burger-y? The flavour, the textures! This burger was firm! It wasn’t mushy! It was DELECTABLE! My mind immediately went to work trying to think of how I could recreate it at home (preferably with my Vegan Burger Buns!).

What Makes These the Best Veggie Burgers

After some investigative work (i.e., intense Googling!), I found that the chefs use brown rice, oats, beets, mushrooms and black beans to make J. Alexander’s beet burgers. Here are the elements that make this recipe work:

  • Sweet, umami, and smoky flavours. J. Alexander also uses a “sweet soy sauce,” which you can only find at specialty stores, so I opted for a suitable, easier supermarket substitute: maple syrup, soy sauce, and liquid smoke.
  • Binders for body. I ground oats into flour to help hold the burgers together, along with adding nutty cooked brown rice for a satisfying texture.
  • Roasted beets. Roasting the beets rather than adding them raw unleashes a smooth velvet-y texture and more concentrated flavour.
Ingredients for beet burgers with labels.

Notes on Ingredients

Get ready for the best veggie burgers you’ve ever had! Here’s what you’ll need to make these beet burgers. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

  • Mushrooms – Cremini or white mushrooms are both good options.
  • Bell pepper
  • Black beans – I use canned beans; if you want to use dried, cook them first.
  • Brown rice – You’ll need the rice to be cooked too. I’ve also made these burgers with cooked quinoa!
  • Onion and garlic – Aromatics that make the beet burger patties delicious! Mince the garlic so it mixes evenly into the burger mixture.
  • Flour – I use oat flour or gluten-free flour, but all-purpose flour also works.
  • Roasted beets – Follow the roasting instructions here: Beet “Feta” Salad.
  • Paprika
  • Maple syrup, soy sauce, and liquid smoke – The trio that adds depth to the flavour of these burgers.
  • Salt and pepper

How to Make Beet Burgers

I’ll show you the process of making these beet burgers in the step-by-step guide below!

Chopped beets in food processor.
Pulse the beets to chop them.
Beet burger mixture in food processor bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients and pulse again.
  • Pulse the beets. Add the roasted beets to a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Pulse everything else in with the beets to incorporate. 
Three vegan beet burger patties on parchment-lined pan.
Form the beet burger patties.
Beet burger patty cooking in skillet of oil.
Fry in oil.
  • Shape the burgers. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Coat your hands with oil or cooking spray and divide the mixture into your desired number of patties. (You can make 3 large burgers or 6 smaller ones.)
  • Chill. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours. 
  • Cook. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the patties and cook 4 to 6 minutes per side, until crispy on the outside and warmed through.

Tips for Perfect Beet Burgers

  • Longer is better in the fridge. You can either chill the patties for 2 hours the fridge, then cook, or chill them overnight. I would say overnight is worth it, but if you want them for dinner that night, 2 hours will provide a lovely burger. 
  • Don’t over-process. Pulse the burger mixture just until it’s combined. You want some texture there! If you pulse it until it’s a paste, your burgers will be mushy.
  • Flip carefully. If you’re making the big size of these burgers, you’ll need to flip them carefully to keep them from falling apart. To do this, slip a large spatula underneath the burger and loosen it from the pan first. Once it’s loosened, place the spatula completely under it and flip quickly. 
Two vegan beet burgers on wooden board.

My Favourite Veggie Burger Toppings

I usually go classic with these beet burgers: plant-based cheese, sliced onion, thick slices of tomato, lettuce, mustard, and Homemade Pickles. Here are a few other options to try:

Serving Suggestions

Pair your beet burgers with Truffle Fries, Garlic Fries, or Sweet Potato Fries for a restaurant-style meal at home! These Air Fryer Shoestring Fries are also amazing if you love your fries thin and crispy.

How to Store Leftovers

  • Refrigerator: Transfer leftover beet burger patties to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
  • Freezer: Freeze beet burgers in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers. They’ll keep up to 3 months.
  • To reheat: Warm the beet burgers in a skillet coated with nonstick spray or oil over medium-high heat.
Beet burger on wooden board.

More Veggie Burger Recipes

Enjoy friends! If you make this beet burger recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & I’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!

Beet burger on wooden board.

Vegan Beet Burgers

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 27 minutes
These vegan Beet Burgers are smoky, flavourful, and absolutely satisfying. Pile them onto a bun with your favourite toppings and dig in!
5 (from 5 ratings)
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped mushrooms, 35g
  • 2 ounces bell peppers, or ¼ cup chopped bell peppers, 55g
  • 7 ounces black beans, or ¾ cup, 200g
  • 2 ½ cups cooked brown rice, 400g
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup flour, I used oat flour or gluten free flour mix, 60g
  • 3 ounces roasted chopped beets, about ½ cup chopped beets, 85g
  • ½ teaspoon paprika, 1.5g
  • ½ tablespoon maple syrup, 7.5mL
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 15mL
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional, 1.25mL
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • In a food processor, add the beets. Pulse until cut up, about 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, including seasonings. Pulse until combined, not too much to make it mushy but until incorporated.
  • On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, form the mixture into burgers (ensure to spray your hands with oil first – they are sticky!). They can make 3 large burgers or 6 smaller burgers. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, or overnight if possible.
  • When burgers are chilled, in a pan over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the burgers to it and cook about 4-6 minutes on each side, until crispy and cooked through.
  • Serve as you desire, in a burger form or in a lettuce wrap. We added burger buns, onions, tomato and lettuce and mustard. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you have the time, leaving these burger overnight in the fridge to set before cooking would make them even better and firmer.
  • Liquid smoke gives the burger a unique taste as if the burger had been grilled over a smoky grill. You could also use vegan worcestershire sauce instead.
  • You can make oat flour at home by grounding the equal amount of rolled/old-fashioned oats.
  • Refrigerator: Transfer leftover beet burger patties to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
  • Freezer: Freeze beet burgers in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers. They’ll keep up to 3 months.
  • To reheat: Warm the beet burgers in a skillet coated with nonstick spray or oil over medium-high heat.
 
 
Calories: 143kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 229mg, Potassium: 322mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 378IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Cuisine: American
Course: Dinner
Author: Jessica Hylton