Global
Beetroot & Lentil Burgers
Deep-red, earthy-sweet veggie burgers bound with lentils and oats: colourful, filling and iron-rich.
~40 mintotal~213 kcalper serving~12g protein~34g carbs~4g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 4.
Ingredients
- 2 cooked beetroot, grated
- 400g cooked lentils
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 egg (or flax egg)
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
Cooking Steps
Mash the lentils with the grated beetroot.
Mix in the oats, onion, cumin, egg and seasoning.
Shape into 4 patties and chill 15 minutes.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes, turning once.
Serve in wholegrain buns with yogurt-herb sauce.
Optional Enhancements
- Add feta for tang
- Vegan with a flax egg
- Serve on a big salad
Plant & Growing Tips
Beetroot
- Sow seeds directly in well-drained soil in full sun after the last frost, spacing them about 3-4 inches apart.
- Keep soil consistently moist for tender roots and leaves, as dryness can lead to woody beets.
- Thin seedlings to give individual plants enough space to develop large roots.
Onion
- Plant onion sets or seeds in full sun in well-drained, fertile soil in early spring after the last hard frost.
- Ensure consistent moisture, especially during bulb formation, but avoid overwatering as harvest approaches.
- Space plants 4-6 inches apart in rows to allow bulbs to swell.
Natural Pest Control
- Onion Maggots (Onion): Use row covers from planting until early summer to prevent adult flies from laying eggs at the base of plants.
- Slugs/Snails (Beetroot): Hand-pick slugs in the evening or use organic slug pellets around plants.
- Aphids (Beetroot): Spray with a strong jet of water or introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs.
Harvest
Beetroot
- Harvest when roots are 1-3 inches in diameter for peak tenderness; larger beets can become woody.
- You can also harvest young beet greens for salads by snipping outer leaves, leaving the root to continue growing.
Onion
- Harvest when the tops begin to yellow, wither, and fall over naturally.
- Loosen the soil around the bulbs and let them cure in a warm, dry, airy place for several weeks before storing.
- Avoid harvesting too early, as this can reduce storage life.
Storing & Freezing
Patties freeze 2 months.
