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Beetroot, Walnut and Butter Bean Patties
8 patties, 2 per portion · Active 30 min · Total 1 hr 20 min
Print recipe · PDFBeetroot, walnuts and butter beans make deep-colored patties with a soft center and a lightly baked crust. This is a different mixture from a lentil-and-spinach cake: the beetroot is sweet and moist, walnuts provide little firm pieces, and mashed butter beans hold the ingredients together. A short refrigerator rest lets the oats absorb moisture. Handle the patties gently and let them settle after baking before lifting.
Start with plain cooked beetroot
Use plain cooked beetroot without vinegar or a sweet pickle brine. Drain and pat it dry, then grate coarsely. If it is visibly wet, press lightly in a sieve before mixing. Too much juice forces extra oats into the mixture and changes the texture. Wear an apron and use a board you do not mind staining; the color is part of the ingredient rather than a sign that the patties need more cooking.
Mash the beans thoroughly
Butter beans have a soft interior and fairly loose skins. Mash them until there are no large whole beans left, then fold in beetroot, walnuts, oats and seasoning. The mixture should hold a mound when squeezed gently. Refrigeration gives the oats time to bind some moisture. If it still feels loose after the rest, add one tablespoon more oats and wait five minutes rather than immediately shaping a wet mixture.
Keep the walnuts small, not powdered
Finely chop walnuts with a knife or pulse briefly in a processor. A few visible pieces provide texture; whole halves create weak points in a patty, while walnut flour disappears into the beans. The measured quantity is deliberately modest. These are beetroot-and-bean patties with walnut texture, not dense nut cutlets.
Bake, rest, then lift
Brush the tray and the tops with the measured oil. Turn the patties carefully after the first crust forms, using a spatula wide enough to support them. They will still be tender when they leave the oven. A five-minute rest makes them easier to transfer without suggesting they should sit out for a long cooling session. For packing, cool promptly in a shallow single layer and refrigerate. Keep any moist sauces separate until eating so the baked surfaces are not soaked before the break.
Ingredients
- 1 can butter beans (15 oz/425 g), drained and rinsed
- 8 oz plain cooked beetroot, drained and patted dry (225 g)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (50 g)
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (70 g), plus 1 tablespoon only if needed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
Set out
Conventional oven, Grater, Mixing bowl, Potato masher or fork, Rimmed metal baking tray, Wide spatula
Allergens
Tree nuts, Oats, Mustard. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Mash butter beans thoroughly in the bowl. Coarsely grate the dry cooked beetroot and add it with walnuts, oats, mustard, cumin, salt and black pepper. Mix until cohesive.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Squeeze a small amount: it should hold together. If very wet, add 1 tablespoon oats and wait 5 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Brush the baking tray with half the oil. Shape eight patties about 2 1/2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Put on the tray and brush tops with remaining oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, turn carefully and bake for another 8–10 minutes until hot throughout and lightly crisp at the edges.
- Rest for 5 minutes before lifting. Serve or cool promptly in a single layer for refrigerated portions.
Two useful ways to pack
Two patties can go into a cold grain-and-vegetable box, or into a roll with dry leaves and a separate sauce pot. They are soft enough that a rigid container is more useful than a loose bag.
A useful detail
Do not replace cooked beetroot with raw grated beetroot in this method. Its moisture and texture are different and it may remain too firm.
Another way
- Use finely chopped pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts for a different texture; revise the allergen notes.
- Replace cumin with smoked paprika for a more smoky flavor.
Keep it well
Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, in shallow covered containers at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Freeze cooled patties for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F/74°C.