Nordic Forest Beet Burger
Crispy shredded beets and tender roasted chunks infused with wild Nordic spices like juniper and caraway. These firm, grill-ready patties taste like a walk through a Norwegian forest – earthy, sweet, and absolutely satisfying.
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Servings: 6 patties
Ingredients
For the Burger Base:
- 2 small red beets divided
- 2 small yellow beets divided
- 1 15 oz can (425 g) cannellini beans from can, drained and rinsed
- 7 oz (200 g) mixed mushrooms cremini and shiitake work well
- 4 shallots, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (50 g) rolled oats ground into flour
- ½ cup (30-50g) breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tbsp water let sit 10 minutes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Lingonberry jam
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Nordic Spice Mix:
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries ground (or 1 tbsp gin for substitute)
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds toasted and ground
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
For the Horseradish Cream:
- 1 cup non-dairy Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon grated horseradish fresh or jarred
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- Pinch each of sea salt and sugar
- Fresh dill finely chopped
To serve
- Seeded Rye buns
- Additional lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce
- Pickled cucumbers
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh dill sprigs
- Horseradish cream
- Lettuce, tomatoes
- Mustard, mayo and ketchip (optional)
Instructions
To prepare the beets:
- Wrap 1 red and 1 yellow beet in foil with a drizzle of oil and a generous sprinkle of kosher or sea salt, and roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 60 minutes until tender. Cool, peel, and dice into small cubes.
- Peel and coarsely grate the remaining 2 beets separately. Place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt, let sit 15-20 minutes, then squeeze again to extract more liquid.
To prepare the beans:
- Spread drained beans on a baking sheet and roast at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes until slightly dried and firmed up. Let cool, then roughly mash with a fork, leaving some texture.
To prepare the mushrooms:
- Dice the mushrooms, place them on a sheet try in a single layer (don’t crowd them) and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 20-25 minutes until golden and moisture has evaporated. Season with salt.
To prepare the aromatics:
- Add a touch of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the diced shallots with a pinch of kosher salt and sauté until golden, add the garlic for the last minute.
To build the burger mix:
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed beans, roasted beet cubes, squeezed grated beets, roasted mushrooms, and sautéed shallot-garlic mixture.
- Add ground juniper berries, caraway seeds, dill, thyme, smoked paprika, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast. Mix well.
- Stir in the flax egg, tomato paste, lingonberry jam and Dijon mustard.
- Gradually add the oat flour and bread crumbs until the mixture holds together when squeezed but isn't too dry. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Form the mixture into 4-6 patties, making them slightly larger than your buns as they'll shrink slightly.
- Place the buns on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours covered).
To grill the burgers:
- Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates well.
- Brush the patties lightly with oil on both sides.
- Grill 4-5 minutes per side without pressing down or moving them prematurely.
- Look for a firm crust before flipping - this prevents breaking.
To serve the burgers:
- Add lettuce and tomato on to your prepared, toasted rye bun (spread with mustard or mayo if you prefer), then the patty and top with pickled cucumbers, fresh dill and /or pickled red onion and drizzle with the horseradish yogurt before placing the “lid’ of the bun on top. Enjoy!!