Lentil Veggie Burgers
These are a flavorful and easy alternative to traditional burgers, very adaptable to your palate, and customizable with a few different ingredients. Cook them with cheese, put them between buns with your favorite toppings, and be amazed at the flavor!
Servings 6 burgers
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice I use whole wheat, but any type works
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped carrot
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped celery
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika or to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup oats depending on the size of the eggs you might need more
- 1 cup cooked lentils from dried or a can
- ½ garlic clove optional
- extra oatmeal to cook and store the burgers
- 6 buns store-bought or homemade hamburger buns
Instructions
- Process ⅓ cup coarsely chopped onion, ⅓ cup coarsely chopped carrot and ⅓ cup coarsely chopped celery until they are mixed but don't start to turn into a paste.
- Add 1 cup cooked rice, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Process until it's all mixed, but with texture; don't turn it into a paste.
- Add 2 eggs and process until combined. It will be soupy or at least very thin.
- Add ¼ cup oats. Process using on/off just to mix a bit. It has to come together, but not be completely integrated.
- Only now add 1 cup cooked lentils (see Notes below) and ½ garlic clove if using, and process until you have a thick mixture and can it mounds well on a spoon. Don't process the lentils. The whole mixture should be integrated, but not a paste or very smooth. It has texture.
- Sprinkle oatmeal on a plate. Form the hamburgers by scooping a portion, forming it into a ball, and flattening it into a patty.
- Place on top of the oats, add some extra oats to the top of the patties and press slightly to adhere on both sides.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, well wrapped or in a container with a lid. Or freeze up to a month, individually wrapping each one and putting them in a container so they keep their shape while freezing.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Put the burgers on an oiled baking sheet, and drizzle with some oil. I use olive oil, but any type will do.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes and turn, cooking an extra 5-10 minutes until done.
- Pizza-style burgers: When you turn them over, top the cooked side with tomato sauce and melty cheese (as you would a pizza). Continue baking until the burger is done (egg cooked) and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Lentils: they can turn slightly bitter when you process them too much. So make sure you add them at the end and process only until it's all mixed and thick enough. Don't overprocess after adding them!
Measuring: I use a cup of each ingredient and two eggs, so using a larger container to measure or to cut the recipe in half is easy. Simply adjust the number of eggs that you will use.
Flavor: I strongly recommend adjusting the seasonings to your and your family's palate. This basic recipe is highly customizable when it comes to taste.
Ingredients: some can be substituted, like chickpeas for the rice, spices and parsley, and bread crumbs for the oats.
