Beetroot and Halloumi Burgers on Flatbread with Tangy Slaw

Vegetarian beetroot and Halloumi cheese burger on pitta bread

I fell in love with this vegetarian dish at first bite. Lately my children keep asking for these beetroot and Halloumi cheeseburgers, so I finally put the recipe on the blog. Kids are honest critics — whenever they ask for a recipe again and again, I know it’s worth sharing.

This recipe came about one Friday evening when we fancied burgers for an early dinner. I had beef mince in the fridge and a great beef burger recipe in mind, but the vegetables I had on hand didn’t seem like the best match for a beef patty. I had leftover cauliflower and broccoli stalks, some partially cooked beets and a block of Halloumi cheese. I decided to turn those ingredients into a vegetarian burger — and it worked beautifully.

How the Halloumi cheeseburgers idea came about

The mix of roasted beets and salty Halloumi felt like a natural pairing. I like to use every part of the vegetables I buy, so the broccoli stalk and cauliflower leaves went into the mix too. With a bit of grated courgette and leek for moisture and texture, eggs to bind, and a few warm spices, the patties came together quickly. These burgers have become a repeat request at our house, and they’re equally good in pita, flatbread or buns.

Ingredients for Halloumi cheeseburgers

2 eggs — for binding
3 small beets, baked for best flavour
1 courgette / zucchini, grated
350 g Halloumi cheese, grated
½ cauliflower head — leaves included, finely chopped or processed
1 broccoli stalk, chopped
1 medium leek (or substitute red onion)
1 tbsp mixed sesame seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
Small pinch cayenne pepper (or red chilli flakes)
Pinch nutmeg (optional — recommended for depth)
2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
2 handfuls salad leaves, chopped
2 tbsp yoghurt for drizzling (optional: mix with tahini, lemon and zaatar)

Tips:

This recipe makes about 8 small patties (enough as a starter or side) or 4 larger portions as a main course. I don’t add extra salt because Halloumi is naturally salty; adjust to taste if you prefer more. You can also use cauliflower and broccoli florets instead of stalks.

If you prefer baking, place the patties on parchment paper and bake for 20–25 minutes at 190°C (preheated). Serve in pita, warm flatbread or naan with a simple yoghurt, mint and cumin sauce for a delicious meal.

Below is the detailed recipe card with ingredients, instructions and nutrition information.

Beetroot and Halloumi cheeseburgers on flatbread

A quick, flavourful vegetarian burger made with roasted beets and salty Halloumi — perfect on flatbread or pita.

5 from 4 votes

Course: Lunch, Main Course, Starter

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 262kcal

Author: Ramona Sebastian

Cost: £5

Ingredients

2 eggs large
3 small beets (baked)
1 courgette / zucchini
350 g Halloumi cheese
½ cauliflower head (leaves included)
1 broccoli stalk
1 medium leek
1 tablespoon mixed sesame seeds
pinch freshly ground black pepper
small pinch cayenne pepper
pinch nutmeg (optional)
2 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)
2 handful salad leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoon yoghurt (optional: mix with tahini)

Metric – US Imperial

Instructions

Use a food processor with the grating blade (or a hand grater) to grate the cooked beets, courgette and Halloumi. Place the grated mixture into a large bowl.
Swap to the chopping blade and roughly chop the leek, broccoli stalk and cauliflower (including leaves). Pulse until the pieces are rice-sized, then add them to the grated mixture and combine well.
Take handfuls of the mix and squeeze over a deep plate to remove excess juice. Collect the squeezed mixture in a separate bowl. You can use a kitchen towel, but squeezing by hand works well to remove as much liquid as possible.
Season with cayenne, freshly ground pepper, sesame seeds and nutmeg (if using). Add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Shape the mixture into patties by flattening spoonfuls in your palm.
Heat a non-stick pan with a little olive oil over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 2 minutes per side, until golden. You can prepare all the patties ahead and cook them when ready to serve.

Notes

Did you make this recipe?

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Nutrition

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