Featuring Chef Laura’s Beetroot & Chickpea Burger
Beetroot is one of the season’s standout ingredients: earthy, vibrant, naturally sweet, and packed with nutrients. It’s a cold-season hero that brings both colour and character to winter cooking across Foodspace kitchens.
“Good vegetarian food starts underground,” says Chef Laura, creator of this month’s seasonal feature dish. “Beetroot proves vegetables can be the main event.”
Chef Laura showcases beetroot in a bold, satisfying plant-forward dish: a Beetroot and Chickpea Burger on a brioche bun with lime slaw. It’s hearty, colourful, and full of texture built for comfort, flavour, and feel-good eating.
Chef Laura’s Notes on Beetroot
Cooking in season means using ingredients fully and creatively, celebrating both flavour and function. Beetroot is incredibly versatile and rewards thoughtful preparation.
From roasting and blending to grating raw into salads, beetroot adapts across menus and formats. Its natural sweetness balances spice, acidity and heat, making it ideal for plant-based dishes that need both depth and brightness.
Using vegetables like beetroot as the centre of the plate supports more sustainable menus while delivering bold, satisfying results is a key part of how we approach modern foodservice.
"This dish delivers richness and bite with fresh, zesty contrast. The beetroot brings colour and earthiness, chickpeas add body and protein, and warm spices round out the flavour. Paired with crunchy lime slaw and chipotle mayo, it’s layered, vibrant, and built to satisfy."
Ingredients
Beetroot & Chickpea Patties
- 800g cooked beetroot
- 2.5kg chickpeas, drained
- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 280g breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper to season
Lime Slaw
- ¼ white cabbage, shredded
- ¼ red cabbage, shredded
- 3 carrots, grated
- Bunch of coriander, chopped
- 80g sweet chilli sauce
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 tbsp garlic, crushed
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- Baby gem lettuce
- Chipotle mayo (chipotle paste mixed with mayonnaise)
- Brioche burger buns
Method
- In a pan, heat a little oil. Sauté onions on a medium heat. Add the spices and crushed garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
- For the burger patties, place the remaining ingredients in a food processer and blitz until smooth. Add more seasoning if required. You may also need more breadcrumbs if mix is a little to wet. Using your hands, form into patties. Making approx. 15 patties .
- Chill the burger patties in the fridge for approx. 30 minutes until they firm up.
- Meanwhile, make the slaw, combine cabbage and all the ingredients for the slaw together. Mix together and set aside until required.
- Heat a little oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and place the burger patties. Turning halfway, until golden brown. Place the burger patties in a preheated oven at 175°C for 15 minutes.
- Toast the Burger buns lightly, and take the burger patties out of oven. Begin to assemble the burgers. Spread the chipotle mayo evenly over the bun bases, then add the baby gem lettuce, Pattie, slaw and top with the bun lid.
Enjoy!
Our notes on how to use beetroot in your dishes at home:
- Roasted Beetroot - chop into wedges, toss with a little bit of oil, salt, pepper and thyme, then roast until caramelised. Great as a side dish, tossed through salads, or served with grains and cheese.
- Beetroot Hummus- blend cooked beetroot with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic for a bright, earthy hummus. Perfect for dips, wraps, and sandwich spreads.
- Smoothies & Juices - add cooked or raw beetroot to juices or smoothies with apple, ginger, citrus or berries for a nutrient-rich boost and vibrant colour.
