In a pan, sauté onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in grated beets, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beets are tender, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and garlic and sauté 1 more minute. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Place black beans in a large bowl and mash them slightly with a fork. Add beet-onion mixture, rice, lemon juice, parsley and thyme. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add flour and stir until thoroughly blended. Form into patties.

Working in batches, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet and brown the patties on one side until they have a nice crust, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the second side about 2 minutes more.

Serve on warm buns with a dollop of chèvre and a small handful of arugula or your favorite toppings.

Special notes:

Veggie burger tips

Forming the patties

Spray a 1/3 measuring cup with cooking spray. Fill the cup with the burger mixture, pressing gently so it will hold together. Invert onto work surface and gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty.

Let the patties rest

Most veggie burgers benefit from a little resting time between shaping and cooking. If you let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes (or refrigerate them for up to a few hours), they’ll be less likely to fall apart.

Fry, bake or grill

When pan-frying, oil a heavy skillet or grill pan and cook burgers over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side — the burgers will release easily from the pan when they’re nicely browned and ready to be turned.

Alternately, most veggie burgers can be baked in a 350° F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping midway until golden and crisp.

If you want to grill the burgers, brush a sheet of heavy-duty foil with olive oil. Place patties on foil, cover the grill and cook over medium-high heat, allowing them to sear on one side before turning. Allow 4 to 5 minutes per side and keep an eye on them — if you try to flip them too soon, they’ll fall apart, but if you wait too long, they’ll burn.