I love beets, but roasting them all the time can get boring. I’m constantly looking for new ways to make use of them, so when I saw this beet burger recipe I was excited to give it a shot. Not all veggie burgers are great, but when you come across a good one (like Westville’s!) then they can be pretty awesome. I think the toppings are pretty important in making a veggie burger not taste so plain. I wanted to add something crunchy and has some great radishes this week, so I quickly pickled a few to top the burger with. I think it was the best part! The sweetness of the beet burger with the acidity of the pickles radishes were perfect together. I also added some Greek yogurt with fresh dill tossed in. I win.

Ingredients: (adapted from Food52)

Burger:
1/2 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced
1/2 cup peeled and grated beets
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (though other nuts would work)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup cooked green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice, at room temperature
1 egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Mesclun greens, for topping

Pickled Radishes:
2-3 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Start by pickling the radishes. This is a quick way to pickle them and great when you need them fairly fast! Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the radishes and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. These will keep up to a day. Next quickly make the yogurt sauce by mixing the Greek yogurt with the fresh dill and lemon juice, then set aside.

To make the burger- sauté the onion in a little oil over medium heat. Once translucent and a little browned, add the garlic, grated beets, sunflower seeds, raisins and paprika. Cook for about 7-10 minutes until everything has a nice brown on it. Place in the food processor and mix until chunky. Place the mixture in a bowl with the lentils and salt and pepper to taste. Next place the brown rice and egg into the food processor and pulse to create a thick puree. Add the rice mixture to the bowl with the onion/lentil mixture. Heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle a little (high heat) oil. Form 4 burger sized patties with your hands and place in the skillet. Let cook for about 5 minutes then flip. Cook until both sides are nicely browned but not burned. To assemble the burger, place the patty on the bun and top with some dill yogurt, greens, and pickled radishes. Hope you like it!