Beets Are The Seasonal Twist Your Fall Burgers Need

We often think of hamburgers as summer cookout food, but there's no reason why you can't eat them any time of year. However, if you're going to make them in the fall, why not add an autumnal feel by tossing in some extra seasonal ingredients such as beets?

Beets have an earthy flavor with a touch of bitterness that pairs well with all the other typical fixings in your hamburgers. Plus, they have a vibrant red hue that's evocative of the autumn leaves, which will make your plate look even more festive.

Now, there are a couple of different ways that you can add the flavor of beets to your burgers. While all of them incorporate this veggie into your meal to some degree, each one has a slightly different taste. Knowing these methods will allow you to mix things up when making this seasonal twist on an all-American backyard classic.

One of the easiest ways to add beets to your burgers is to use either grated beets or beet pulp in your ground beef patty mix. This can help make your burgers moist while also adding a reddish tint to the meat.

Besides working the beetroot into your burger mix, you can try stuffing your patties with them instead. Wrap slices of roasted beet in your ground beef mixture before cooking. When you bite or cut into your hamburger, you'll find a juicy slice of beetroot hidden in your patty.

Finally, if your diet or preferences require a meat-free option, you can try making vegetarian beet burgers. As with ground beef, you'll add beets directly into your meatless patty mixture. If all this sounds too complicated, try slicing roasted, pickled, or another style of cooked beets and adding them as a hamburger topping. 

If you like the idea of adding beets to your burgers for a seasonal twist, there are plenty of other autumnal varieties to try. One option is turkey burgers with grated carrots and zucchini. As with beef and beet burgers, add the grated veggies to your meat mix to ramp up the flavor.

Fans of all things pumpkin might want to try a surprising pumpkin spice burger. This meal involves topping your sandwich with pumpkin spiced duck bacon and pumpkin aioli for a truly autumnal dish.

Or, if you're more interested in vegetarian fall options, why not try out sweet potato black bean burgers? And, of course, if all else fails, you can pile autumnal toppings such as roasted squash, caramelized onions, or even an apple chutney on sweet and savory apple bacon turkey burgers. Regardless of which of these strikes your fancy, there are countless ways to upgrade your hamburgers with fall flavors!