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Air Fryer Veggie Burgers

This healthy burger is packed with vitamins and minerals and made with fresh beets and potatoes. Do you know what’s the best part? They’re air fried to perfection, so they’re a healthier alternative to traditional burgers. Fire up your air fryer and enjoy the ultimate veggie burger!

Don’t have an Air Fryer? Try my popular Veggie Burgers you can make right on the stovetop. A reader fave!

air fryer veggie burger with all the fixings on a bun

Do beets make you think of Dwight Shrute? Every time I see a beet, I hear in my head, “Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica.” I can’t help it. And I don’t think it will ever change. Whether you’re a fan of The Office or not, I think it’s pretty safe to say that after eating these Air Fryer Veggie Burgers, Dwight won’t be your only thought the next time you see beets. Instead you’ll think, “Oh! I need to make those beet and potato veggie burgers again!” (And then you might find yourself wondering if Dwight eats beet burgers…)

Ingredients for air fryer veggie burger

Key Ingredients for AirFryer Veggie Burgers

  • Medium Potato. You will need to boil/bake this potato so it’s ready to mash up for your patties. You can microwave it, boil it in a pot, or even bake it in the oven if you really want to. I’m lazy efficient, so I just pop it in the microwave until soft. 
  • Beets. You’re going to need 2 medium-sized beets, boiled. You’re just using the root bulb here, not the greens. If you’re a beet newbie or if you’re just in a rush, you can use canned beets instead. One can equals about 3 beets, so you can save some for a salad. Watch out for that juice–it stains!
  • Peas. You’ll need a cup of cooked peas. Sometimes I worry about overcooking peas because I don’t like them mushy. But don’t get too hung up on that here because you’re going to mush them anyway. You won’t use a whole bag, but I like to keep a bag of frozen peas in the freezer and add a handful to pasta dishes or salad. Also, lots of kids love eating them while still frozen!
  • Spices. A lot of the flavor is going to come from the paprika, salt, pepper and cumin. So, don’t skip these! If there are other herbs or spices you love, feel free to add in a little or make a swap.  
  • Cilantro. Chop that fresh cilantro up finely. You don’t need to pulverize it, but you want it to be able to mix in well with the rest of your burger ingredients. 
  • Lime juice. Look, I’d be lying if I said that fresh isn’t always best. It just really is. But I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t have a bottle of lime juice in my fridge at all times because I’m too lazy efficient to always use fresh limes. And most the time it’s good enough. 
  • Corn flour. This works as a binding agent to keep your veggies together in a patty. If you don’t have corn flour, don’t just skip it! You need a binding agent. You can use all purpose flour instead. 
  • Panko bread crumbs. The bread crumbs serve a couple of purposes. First of all, they are essential to getting you a nice crunch on your patty. Also, they help keep your burger formed into a patty shape. If you haven’t used panko before, you’re going to love it!
  • Burger sauce. This creamy, tangy sauce brings the wow factor to these veggie burgers. Don’t leave it out. You might find yourself making extra sauce to use on sandwiches or as a dip. 
  • Toppings. I like to use tomatoes, homemade pickled onion, and lettuce. But everyone has a way they like to prepare their burgers. Feel free to cater to your preferences! 
  • Buns. There is no right or wrong here. Use the buns you like. Or don’t use any and wrap it in lettuce instead. 

Instructions for Air Fryer Veggie Burgers:

  1. First, preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F or 190 degrees C.
  2. Next, wash your potato and beets thoroughly under cold running water.
  3. Place the potato and beet pieces in a large, microwave-safe dish and add enough water to cover the vegetables.
  4. Cover the dish loosely with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap.
  5. Microwave the dish on high power for about 8-10 minutes until the potato and beet pieces are tender when pierced with a fork.
  6. After the potato and beet pieces are cooked, add the frozen peas to the dish.
  7. Cover the dish again and microwave on high power for another 2-3 minutes, or until the peas are cooked and tender.
  8. Remove the dish carefully from the microwave and drain any excess water from it.
  9. Mash the boiled potato, beet, and peas using a fork or potato masher. Then, add in paprika, salt, black pepper, cumin powder, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and flour.
  10. Make round-shaped patties with the mixture, making them approximately the same size as the burger bun. If you notice the patty is crumbly, add a bit of water to the mixture to help.
  11. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate and roll each patty in them, so they’re coated evenly. Note: the patties may be crumbly, but that’s normal.
  12. Brush some oil in the air fryer tray, arrange the patties, brush some oil on top, and cook them for 10 minutes on one side. Then, flip them over and cook for another 10 minutes on the other side, or until they are light golden in color.
  13. Finally, mix all the sauce ingredients to make the burger dressing.
airfryer veggie burger patty made from potatoes and beets

What is an air fryer? 

Basically, an air fryer is a convection oven small enough to sit on your counter. You might be asking yourself, “If it’s an oven, why is it called an air fryer?” Totally fair. That’s because an air fryer uses heat and forced air (a fan) to cook the food in a way that mimics deep frying, but without using so much oil. You get that nice crispy fried texture, but in a much healthier little package. All of this is why we recommend using an air fryer to cook veggie burgers. You end up with a nice crunch on the outside without a lot of unnecessary grease. 

How long should I cook my veggie burgers?

I like cooking my Air Fryer Veggie Burgers for 10 minutes on each side. This leaves them a light golden brown, which is perfect to me. If you’re someone who likes your veggie burgers on the lighter side, try cutting the time to about 8-9 minutes per side. If you like things on the browner, crisper side, try adding a minute or so to the cook time on each side. 

Do I need to preheat the air fryer?

This is a great question. And the answer is yes! You will want to preheat your air fryer. This is an important part of getting that crispy texture we’re going for. And because the basket (or tray) is the part that your food will actually come in contact with, you will want it to be hot and ready when you add the food. So, be sure that the basket is in while the air fryer is preheating. 

Can I freeze the veggie burgers?

You can absolutely freeze your veggie burgers. Most people find it best to cook them before freezing. Then, allow them to cool, wrap each burger in foil, and put them all in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook them, follow the cooking instructions here, but decrease the baking time to 5-8 minutes per side, or until they are heated through. 

How can I prevent the veggie burgers from sticking to the air fryer basket?

Two of the easiest and most important things to do to prevent sticking are to preheat your air fryer and to be sure you lightly grease the basket/tray. If you have done that and you’re still having trouble with your veggie burgers sticking, you may be filling overfilling your air fryer. Overfilling can cause sticking and also keep your food from crisping up. Resist the temptation to overfill and save time. 

Go ahead and try out this air fryer veggie burger recipe! It’s the perfect recipe if you are looking to enjoy a delicious and healthy meal that’s packed with flavor. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it’s also a great way to switch up your regular burger routine. Trust us, once you’ve tried these veggie burgers, you won’t be able to resist making them again and again. So fire up that air fryer and get ready to indulge in some seriously tasty eats!

a plate of veggie burgers with toppings on them

AIR FRYER BEET AND PEAS BURGER

| 4 servings
Prep Time | 35 minutes
Cook Time | 20 minutes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

We use a simple but fantastic little air fryer. Love this one!

Ingredients
 

  • FOR PATTIES:
  • 1 medium-sized potato peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium-sized beets peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces (use a can of beets, if that is easier! 1 can equals about 3 beets)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tsp red paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 TBS cornflour or 1 tablespoon AP flour
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • FOR BURGER SAUCE:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder or Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp lime juice
  • 1 TBS tomato ketchup
Check out our Kitchen Reference Guide for help with unfamiliar terms.

Instructions

FOR PATTIES:

  • Preheat the air fryer at 350degree F or 190degree C.·
  • Wash the potato and beets thoroughly under cold running water.
  • Place the potato and beet pieces in a large, microwave-safe dish. Add enough water to the dish to cover the vegetables.
  • Cover the dish loosely with a microwave-safe lid or a piece of microwave-safe plastic wrap.
  • Microwave the potato and beet pieces on high power for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
  • Once the potato and beet pieces are cooked, add the frozen peas to the dish.
  • Cover the dish loosely again and microwave on high power for another 2-3 minutes, or until the peas are cooked and tender.
  • Carefully remove the dish from the microwave and drain any excess water from the dish.
  • Smash the boiled potato, beet and peas using a potato masher or fork.
  • Add in the paprika, salt, black pepper, cumin powder, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and flour. Mix throughly to help the patties stick togheter better.
  • Now, make the round-shaped patties (approximately the same size as the burger bun). If you notice the mixture is really crumbly, add just a bit of water.
  • Next take bread crumbs on a plate and roll the patties nicely in the bread crumbs. As the patties will be slightly sticky they will get coated nicely and evenly in the crumbs. -> they will be crumbly, that’s normal!
  • Brush some oil in the air fryer tray and arrange the patties, brush some oil on top and cook it for 10 minutes on one side, turn over and cook for another 10 minutes on another side. Until it’s light golden in colour.

FOR SAUCE:

  • Mix all the sauce ingredients to make the burger dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 6gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 942mgPotassium: 531mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 552IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 3mg

Recipe Tester Julie Says…

My family really enjoyed them. They easily fell apart so it had to be held carefully (patty would squish out when we tried to hold it together). We did two batches because we have 5 people (plus my husband and oldest son eat for 2) and the only difference is that on the second batch we microwaved the potato and used canned beets to see if we could tell a difference. We could tell the canned beets were from a can and the fresh beets were fresh, but they both still had great flavor. The youngest two thought they were too spicy, but my husband and I didn’t taste any heat. Very yummy recipe.

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