These savory lentil burgers are healthy, packed with flavor, and super easy to make! Pair them up with your favorite toppings for a scrumptious vegan meal that's perfect for feeding a crowd, but also easy enough for a weeknight.
- 1 cup dried brown lentils
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup chopped red onion (or substitute yellow onion if you run out, like I did when I made the video. Oops!)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar-based hot sauce (such as Cholula), plus more to taste (I use 2 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, or high-heat oil of choice
- 4 burger buns
- Toppings of choice, such as vegan mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, vegan cheese, ketchup and mustard
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Place the lentils into a medium saucepan and cover them with a few inches of water.
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Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
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Lower the heat and allow the lentils to boil until they're still just a tiny bit firm, about 25 minutes.
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Drain the lentils into a colander. Be sure to drain them well to avoid the burgers coming out soggy.
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Place the oats and sunflower seeds into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade and blend them to a powder.
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Add 2 cups of the cooked lentils (you should have a bit leftover — save them for another use), onion, garlic, soy sauce, hot sauce, cumin, and chives to the food processor.
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Pulse the food processor once or twice.
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Remove the lid from the food processor and take a look at the mixture to determine if it needs more blending. Also have a taste to see if any seasonings need adjusting. Add some salt and pepper if desired.
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Pulse the mixture a few more times if desired, being careful to avoid overblending.
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Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with oil and place it over medium heat.
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Shape the lentil mixture into patties, and once the oil is hot, add as many as you can fit into the skillet without crowding. Cook the rest in a second batch.
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Cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
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Stuff the patties into buns and top with toppings of choice. Serve.