Lentil enthusiasts, these lentil burgers are just for you! These robust meat-free burgers are crafted with recognizable and nutritious ingredients, in contrast to many commercially available alternatives today. While my Favorite Veggie Burgers remain my primary choice, these lentil burgers take a close second.
These burgers are seasoned with shredded carrot, fresh cilantro or parsley, onion and garlic, along with spices like chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Including two eggs is optional (leave them out for vegan burgers), but they add moisture and create a lighter texture.
The recipe is easily prepared in the food processor. Similar to my veggie burgers, these lentil burgers are at their best when baked in the oven, offering a more convenient and less complicated approach than frying them in a skillet. They emerge beautifully golden and firm enough to maintain their form within a bun.
## Serving Suggestions for Lentil Burgers
These burgers are best enjoyed with strongly flavored toppings, such as an herbed avocado sauce and pickles. Alternatively, you might serve these burgers sans bread, perhaps on a green salad or atop cooked brown rice, farro, or quinoa, accompanied by some of the topping suggestions below. Keep any leftover burgers in the freezer for a quick protein and fiber-rich addition to future meals.
– Buns or bread of your choice, like hamburger buns, English muffins, or flatbread. Toast them lightly for added texture.
– Sauce options include guacamole, avocado pesto, avocado dip, green goddess tahini dip, ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard.
– Greens like crisp lettuce, arugula, or spinach.
– Add some crunch with dill pickles, quick-pickled red onions, or thinly sliced radishes or cucumbers.
– Ripe tomato slices, but only when tomatoes are in season!
## Tips for Lentils
This recipe requires 2 1/2 cups of regular greenish-brown lentils. You can prepare them yourself or use canned lentils or pre-steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s. Whichever cooking method you choose, be sure to spread them out on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture before use. If you have any leftover lentils, consider adding them to a green salad this week.
## Additional Hearty Meatless Main Dishes
Here are a few more recipes featuring beans and lentils that you might enjoy:
Please share how your lentil burgers turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this recipe becomes a new favorite for you.
## Lentil Vegetable Burgers
These meat-free lentil burgers are hearty, flavorful, and maintain their shape effectively. They come together effortlessly in the food processor. Bake them to a golden finish, and freeze the remaining burgers for later use. The recipe makes 8 veggie burgers.
### Ingredients
#### Lentil Burgers
– 2 1/2 cups cooked greenish-brown lentils
– 1/2 onion, halved
– 2 cloves garlic
– 2 eggs (optional for vegan)
– 1 cup oats
– A handful of fresh cilantro or parsley
– 1 teaspoon chili powder
– 1 teaspoon cumin
– Salt and black pepper to taste
– 1 grated carrot
#### Suggestions for Assembling Burgers
– 8 buns of your choice (hamburger buns, English muffins, or flatbread), toasted
– Sauce: Guacamole, Avocado Pesto, Avocado Dip, Green Goddess Tahini Dip, ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard
– Greens: Lettuce, arugula, or spinach
– To add crunch: Dill pickles, quick-pickled red onions, or thinly sliced radishes or cucumbers
– Sliced tomato
### Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Rinse the lentils thoroughly in a colander, then measure out 2 ½ cups and spread them on a lint-free tea towel or paper towels to dry (if you have any extras, save them for later).
3. To make the burgers: Slice the halved onion into several pieces before adding the onion and garlic cloves to the food processor. Pulse until the onions are coarsely chopped, but no more.
4. Add to the food processor: the dried lentils, eggs, oats, handful of herbs (optional), chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Process until the blend resembles chunky hummus (be cautious here). Stir in the grated carrot manually.
5. To form the burgers: Divide the lentil mix into 8 equal portions, using about ½ cup for each. Shape them into patties about 1-inch thick. (If your mixture is too wet to shape, mix in a couple of tablespoons of your choice of flour, or more if necessary.)
6. Generously brush oil on both sides of each patty and arrange them on