Vegan French Onion Burgers with Herbed Cashew Cheese

Vegan French onion burger with lettuce and tomato slices.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan French Onion Burgers with Herbed Cashew Cheese

These vegan French onion burgers are made with savory caramelized onion and lentil patties, topped with an extra layer of caramelized onions and creamy herbed cashew cheese.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Calories: 522kcal

Author: Alissa

Ingredients

For the Patties and Caramelized Onion Topping

2 tablespoons olive oil plus a little extra for grilling the patties
1 ½ pounds yellow onions about 3 medium, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves minced
1 ¼ cup rolled oats
2 cups cooked brown lentils see note
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Herbed Cashew Cheese

1 cup raw cashews soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove minced
¼ cup unflavored unsweetened soy or almond milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

For Serving

4-6 burger buns or crusty French rolls
Lettuce tomato, and any other burger toppings of your choice

Instructions

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place it over medium-low heat. Add the onion and stir a few times to coat with the oil. Allow to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned and caramelized. Stir in the garlic, raise heat to medium, and cook for another minute, until very fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer the onions to a plate.
Place the oats into the bowl of a food processor and blend to a flour. Add in the lentils, walnuts, parsley, thyme, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and about ⅔ of the caramelized onions. Pulse until the ingredients are well mixed, being careful not to overdo it. Taste-test and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Make the cashew cheese by placing the cashews, garlic, red wine vinegar, milk, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and blending until smooth. Add in the herbs and pulse a few times until finely chopped and well mixed. Scoop the mixture into a bowl.
To make the burgers, shape the lentil mixture into 4 to 6 patties. Add a touch more oil to the skillet you used for the onions and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the patties and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until browned.
Stuff the patties into buns or rolls and top with the cashew cheese, remaining caramelized onions, and any other toppings you like. Serve.

Notes

You can use canned lentils, or cook up some dried lentils while the onions caramelize. If using dried, place ¾ cup into a saucepan and cover with about 3 cups of water. Boil until the lentils are tender, about 35 minutes, then remove from heat and drain any excess water. If you forget to soak your cashews, you can just boil them in water for about 15 minutes.

Nutrition