Judging by the meme-savvy Twitter accounts of dueling fast food chains, we seem to have entered the golden age of the plant-based burger. If you close your eyes, they’re not too far from the real thing, but there comes a day when you want your veggie burger to taste like, well, veggies. When we’re craving a more produce-forward alternative patty, we turn to this ingenious #WasteNot recipe for root-to-leaf beet burgers, courtesy of Beard Award winner and Chefs Boot Camp alum Debbie Gold.
Gold begins with a classic #WasteNot maneuver, removing the beet tops and stripping off the stems for pickling. As for the roots, she roasts them with thyme and slices them up to create an earthy “patty,” no meat grinder or xanthan gum required. Once the stems have taken on enough of their brine’s garlicky essence, they’re ready to top off the beet slices, along with the reserved leaves, some avocado, and a healthy bit of goat cheese. It’s a vibrant, balanced burger that’s better for both you and your planet. Get the recipe and make it this weekend.
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The James Beard Foundation's new cookbook, Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food, offers up a host of delicious solutions to the pressing problem of food waste. Featuring 100 recipes from alumni of our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change, Waste Not will teach you how to turn every root, bone, rind, and stem into an irresistible dish.
Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food, published by Rizzoli, is on sale now. Order your copy today!
Frank Guerriero is the media assistant at the Beard Foundation. Find him on Instagram.
