Try this beetroot-and-quinoa burger with turmeric hummus

There are vegan burgers, and then there are the kinds of vegan burgers that TASTE food director, Abigail Donnelly cooks up – like this magnificent beetroot-and-quinoa creation with turmeric hummus and, yes, carrot chips.

SHOP THE RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the burgers:

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 t ground cumin
  • 200 g Woolworths Red And White Quinoa Blend, cooked and drained
  • 2 beetroots, peeled and grated
  • 1 x 250 g sachet Woolworths Ready-to-eat Spelt
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the turmeric “hummus”:

  • 1 x 400 g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 T tahini
  • 1 t fresh turmeric, grated
  • 2 T fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the carrot chips:

  • Sunflower oil, for deep frying
  • 4 carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • Salt, to taste

To serve:

  • 4 Woolworth Gluten-free Seeded Rolls, halved
  • Celery leaves, for serving
  • Vegan mayo, for serving
  • 1 x 35 g sachet Woolworths Nut & Seed Sprinkle

Method:

To make the burgers:

  1. Heat 1 T olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the cumin and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
  2. Place the onion mixture, quinoa, beetroot and spelt in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Season and carefully shape into 4 patties.
  3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and carefully cook the patties for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

To make the turmeric “hummus”, blend all the ingredients until slightly chunky. Add water to adjust the consistency, and season to taste.

To make the carrot chips, heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium to high heat and fry the carrots in batches until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and season immediately with salt.

To assemble the burgers, spread both halves of the rolls with the “hummus”, then top the bottom halves with celery leaves. Add a cooked patty and garnish with carrot chips.

Drizzle the vegan mayo over the chips and top with the top halves of the rolls. Scatter over the nuts and seeds.

Cook's note:

When building a veggie patty, you need a flavourful base, a bit of spice, and grains for texture. Here, grated beetroot adds colour and keeps things juicy; cumin, garlic and onions add depth; and quinoa and spelt ensure there’s some texture. Add peppery turmeric “hummus” and a dollop of vegan mayo and you’ve got yourself a winner!

Word to the wise: make sure your cooked quinoa is well-drained to avoid a collapse (the patty’s and yours).

(Serves 4)

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