Beefy Vegan Beet Burgers {Recipe}

Serves 8

What You Need:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flax seeds
½ cup rolled oats
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium beets, grated
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

What You Do:

1. Into a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring for approximately 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Into a large bowl, combine flax seeds with 6 tablespoons water and let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Into a food processor, process oats until finely chopped and flour-like in texture. Add black beans and pulse until finely chopped and combined with the oats, being careful not to purée beans.

4. To the flax seeds mixture, add black bean-oat mixture, grated beets, cooked onions and garlic, tomato purée, smoked paprika, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined. Using damp hands, form mixture into 8 patties approximately 1-inch thick and 3 to 4 inches wide.

5. Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add two patties and cook each side 3 to 4 minutes, until browned and firm. Reduce heat to medium if patties get too charred. Remove from skillet and repeat with the remaining burgers. Serve warm on buns with chosen toppings.

Photo courtesy of The New Nourishing