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Plant-Based Baharat-Spiced Burgers with Beet Tzatziki

By Sara Mayer

Published on January 31, 2022

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Plant-Based Baharat-Spiced Burgers with Beet Tzatziki

Ingredients

Beet Tzatziki

1 beet, peeled and shredded (¾ cup) ¼ English cucumber, shredded (½ cup)½ teaspoon table salt ½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or dill1 small garlic clove, minced

Burgers

12 ounces plant-based ground meat 2 teaspoons baharat 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano ⅛ teaspoon table salt 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired1 ½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula

Before You Begin

If baharat is unavailable, substitute a combination of ¾ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.

Instructions

    for the beet tzatziki

  1.  Toss beet and cucumber with salt in colander set over medium bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard any drained juices and wipe bowl clean with paper towels. Whisk yogurt, oil, mint, and garlic together in now-empty bowl, then stir in beet mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Season with salt and  pepper to taste.
  2. for the burgers

  3. Break ground meat into small pieces in large bowl. Add baharat and oregano and gently knead with your hands until well combined. Using your moistened hands, divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into 3½-inch-wide patty. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  4. Sprinkle patties with salt. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip patties and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 2 minutes longer. Serve burgers on buns, topped with tzatziki and arugula.
Plant-Based Baharat-Spiced Burgers with Beet Tzatziki
Photography by Carl Tremblay. Styling by Christie Morrison.

Plant-Based Baharat-Spiced Burgers with Beet Tzatziki

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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Beet Tzatziki

1 beet, peeled and shredded (¾ cup)
¼ English cucumber, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or dill
1 small garlic clove, minced

Burgers

12 ounces plant-based ground meat
2 teaspoons baharat
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
1 ½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula

Ingredients

Beet Tzatziki

1 beet, peeled and shredded (¾ cup)
¼ English cucumber, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or dill
1 small garlic clove, minced

Burgers

12 ounces plant-based ground meat
2 teaspoons baharat
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
1 ½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula

Ingredients

Beet Tzatziki

1 beet, peeled and shredded (¾ cup)
¼ English cucumber, shredded (½ cup)
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or dill
1 small garlic clove, minced

Burgers

12 ounces plant-based ground meat
2 teaspoons baharat
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
1 ½ ounces (1½ cups) baby arugula

Why This Recipe Works

These burgers, made on the stovetop for ease, are a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds: toothsome patties spiked with a blend of complex, warm spice; topped with a vivid-pink, earthy-sweet beet tzatziki; and piled high with fresh, bright green arugula. Baharat, a sort of all-purpose spice blend common in Middle Eastern cuisines, comes in many iterations. but it usually includes black peppercorns, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon. Mixed right into these burger patties along with woodsy dried oregano, baharat lends its multilayered flavor to each bite. A shredded beet tinges the tangy tzatziki (a garlicky Greek cucumber-and-yogurt sauce) with its standout color, and a generous portion of baby arugula gives the burgers a peppery bite.

Before You Begin

If baharat is unavailable, substitute a combination of ¾ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves.

Instructions

    for the beet tzatziki

  1.  Toss beet and cucumber with salt in colander set over medium bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard any drained juices and wipe bowl clean with paper towels. Whisk yogurt, oil, mint, and garlic together in now-empty bowl, then stir in beet mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Season with salt and  pepper to taste.
  2. for the burgers

  3. Break ground meat into small pieces in large bowl. Add baharat and oregano and gently knead with your hands until well combined. Using your moistened hands, divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions, then gently shape each portion into 3½-inch-wide patty. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  4. Sprinkle patties with salt. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Transfer patties to skillet and cook until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip patties and continue to cook until browned on second side and meat registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 2 minutes longer. Serve burgers on buns, topped with tzatziki and arugula.

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