Vegan BBQ Beet Kimchi Sliders
These vegan bbq beet kimchi sliders are the perfect summer handheld dish. Roasted beets, red lentils, sunflower seeds, and Nasoya's kimchi serve as the base for these flavorful, protein-packed burgers.
Servings: 15 sliders
Ingredients
BBQ Beet Kimchi Sliders
- 3 cups peeled and diced beets (about 4–5 medium beets)
- 1 cup split red lentils, thoroughly rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped Nasoya Mild or Spicy Kimchi
- ¾ cup finely diced yellow onion (about ½ medium onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce of choice, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce*
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons fine grain sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup roasted and unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
Burger Base and Toppings
- 15 slider rolls of choice (e.g., sprouted, gluten-free, pretzel, etc.), toasted
- ½ to 1 cup Nasoya Mild or Spicy Kimchi, roughly chopped
Instructions
For the BBQ Beet Kimchi Sliders
- Steam the beets in a steamer or steamer basket for 25 to 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- While the beets are steaming, add the lentils and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just tender, stirring occasionally. If needed, add more water to keep the lentils submerged. Strain of as much excess water as possible and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over low heat in a large sauté pan. Add the kimchi, onion, and garlic, 1 tablespoon of the coconut sugar, the paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Increase the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
- Add the steamed beets, cooked lentils,½ cup of the rolled oats, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced chipotle peppers, sea salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse 20 to 25 times, or until the mixture is roughly chopped and all ingredients are well incorporated, stopping to scrape down the sides halfway through pulsing. You want a bit of chunky texture, so be careful not to over-process.
- Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the reserved ¾ cup rolled oats, the cooked kimchi mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, sunflower seeds, and ground flaxseed. Thoroughly stir to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly dispersed. The mixture should be quite damp but able to hold its shape.
- Chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes (preferably longer to make it easier to handle). Prep tip: Prepare the mixture up to a day in advance and chill it in the refrigerate until ready to form and bake.
- About 10 minutes before you're ready to form the patties, preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a ⅓-cup measuring cup to scoop out ⅓ cup of the mixture. Form the mixture into a patty that is 1-inch thick and about 2 inches in diameter, and transfer to the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture. You should have about 15 patties. (Note: the mixture is damp and can be a bit challenging to form into patties if it hasn't been thoroughly chilled, but I promise they're worth the effort.)
- Bake the patties for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the bottoms are deep golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for several minutes before moving or serving. They'll firm up as they cool.
To Assemble
- Place each patty on a bun, slather with a bit of BBQ sauce, and generously top with the kimchi. Serve immediately.
Notes
*If you're sensitive to spice, scrape the seeds from the inside the chipotle peppers and discard.