Red Lentil Veggie Burgers
I love a good bean burger. Even more so when I find one where no bun is required. Lentil-based burgers are my fav, and red lentils are even better; they cook up quickly and have a nice earthy flavor. I tested this recipe over the weekend and I’m still eating them today!
Warning: this recipe makes quite a few burgers! I didn’t realize it until I was forming them — they make 16 burgers (I even went on the larger side and still got 12). The volume worked out for me, I’ve been eating them for lunch this week. Although the ingredient list is lengthy, they came together quick and easy. It definitely helped to use my Pampered Chef food chopper to “finely chop” the carrot and onion; the rest was just mixing the ingredients together and forming the patties. I also LOVE that these burgers cooked up so well in the broiler (and kept my stove clean).
Oh, and don’t skimp on the yogurt sauce…it’s perfect with these burgers!
Do you have a favorite bean or veggie burger? If so, please share your best recipe with me, I’d love to try it!
Red Lentil Veggie Burgers
(adapted from Food & Wine magazine)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups red lentils
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil + more for basting burgers
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves {I used ~2 Tbsp dry}
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt {I used sour cream}
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler. In a large saucepan, cover the lentils with cold water by 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until carrots carrots begin to soften. Stir in the cumin and cayenne and remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine onion/carrot mixture, lentils, bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons of the parsley, eggs, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into burgers.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Brush the foil and tops of burgers with olive oil. Broil about 3-4 minutes on one side (or until golden brown) then flip burgers, brush with oil, and broil for 3-4 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the yogurt {I was out of plain yogurt and had to use sour cream –which was perfectly fine} with the lemon juice and the remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Serve the burgers with the sauce on the side.
