Vegan lentil burgers have a robust taste that’s similar to Italian meatballs. They’re packed with whole food ingredients like mushrooms, kale, oats, and walnuts. Plus, they have 20 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber.
Lately, I've been craving a vegan burger that I could really sink my teeth into.
Sure, there are lots of pre-made veggie burger options out there. However, the great thing about making them at home versus a store-bought option is that you know exactly what goes into them.
So when I saw this lentil burger recipe in Vegan Burgers & Burritos by Sophia DeSantis, I knew it was just what I was craving.
These meatball flavored vegan lentil burgers are filled with all kinds of good-for-you ingredients like mushrooms, kale, oats, and walnuts, and seasoned with thyme, basil, oregano, and sautéed garlic.
Finally, they are finished with a spread of pizza sauce.
For the pizza sauce: Use homemade, or grab some pasta sauce, marinara, or pizza sauce from the pantry, and save a step.
In this post:
Lentil burgers with a meatball flavor
So often veggie burgers are made from black beans, pintos, or vital wheat gluten. But vegan lentil burgers really appeal to a lentil-lover like me.
You can make your own lentils from scratch, or save a step and buy pre-made.
When buying pre-cooked lentils, I especially like the steamed lentils at Trader Joe’s. (You won’t need to use the entire package for this recipe.)
Make them your own
These meatball-flavored burgers have a wonderful, savory flavor. I can only imagine they'd also be perfect rolled into balls, browned, and served with vegan lasagna or on a meatball sub. It's the recipe that keeps on giving!
Adding a big dollop of tofu ricotta on top would not go amiss here!
Serving suggestions
Serve these pantry-friendly vegan lentil burgers with any of the following side dishes:
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Vegan lentil burgers (Italian meatball-flavored)
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped kale stems removed
- 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
- Drizzle of avocado oil for sautéing
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils brown or green
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup oats (gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
To serve
- 4 to 5 buns
- Pizza sauce or marinara (optional topping)
- Chopped sautéed kale (optional topping)
Instructions
- Sauté the mushrooms, kale and garlic with broth or oil over medium heat until the mushrooms are soft and any liquid has evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Place the the lentils, breadcrumbs, oats, walnuts, sauce, thyme, basil, oregano and salt in a food processor and pulse until well chopped. You want a crumble like texture. Check to make sure the mixture sticks together, and if it doesn't, pulse some more, but make sure it doesn't turn into a purée. You can also add a bit more pizza sauce if it doesn't stick yet, however, you don't want it to be too wet.
- Place the mushrooms, kale and garlic into the processor, making sure not to add any leftover juices, and pulse a few times until everything is well chopped and incorporated. If the ingredients aren't mixed after a few pulses, put the mixture in a bowl and mix it with your hands.
- Place the mixture into a bowl, and put it in the fridge for at least 20 minutes; an hour is best. Making this the day before and letting it sit overnight is optimal. This helps all flavors marinate and leads to a sturdier burger.
- To cook, shape the mixture into patties.
- If you're not using a nonstick pan, then you may want to prepare the pan by brushing it with a tad of oil to avoid sticking. Place the patties in a pan over medium heat for 15 minutes on each side. Pans and stovetops vary, so begin to check the patties at 10 minutes. If you try to slide your spatula under a patty and it won't give, then it isn't ready and needs to cook longer.
- Serve on buns with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
If you’d prefer to bake the lentil burgers rather than pan fry, bake the patties on a parchment-lined cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes on each side. Allow the patties to cool and set for 5 to 7 minutes. For kids: Make patties into a smaller slider size or into nuggets. Serve sauce on the side as a dipper. Reprinted with permission from Vegan Burgers and Burritos by Sophia DeSantis, Page Street Publishing Co. 2017. In the book they are called The Ultimate Meatball Burgers.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Vegan Burgers & Burritos for review.
Ameera
Now this is a burger! Wow, it looks and sounds so delicious! Love that it is made with lentils, I simply can’t get enough of those yummy little legumes! Definitely need to look into this cookbook! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Cadry
I agree! I’m all about the lentils too. I hope you enjoy the burger!
Don
Thanks for the tip on her book. Ordering it right now via your link. We love burgers and burritos.
Today I had a beet burger at a great new little vegan coffeehouse in KC. It was fabulous.
Don
Oops….should’ve named the coffeehouse. It’s called Pirates Bone.
Cadry
I’m so happy to hear that Kansas City has a new vegan coffeehouse! I was sad when I heard that FUD had closed for good. I’ll be excited to visit Pirates Bone the next time I’m in the area.
Amber
This looks so delicious! And reminds me I need to get started cooking my way through her book! I practically drooled my way through it when I first received it, but you know… then I got lazy. 😉
Cadry
Haha! Yes, that’s a problem. Once laziness sets in, it’s hard to fight against it. Luckily, most of the recipes look really weeknight-friendly.
Shell
What a hearty looking burger! Makes me miss New World Café.
Cadry
Ah, yes, I wish Des Moines still had New World Cafe!
Anthony Lamb
When do you add the pizza sauce?
Cadry
It’s in the second step when you’re adding the lentils, bread crumbs, and oats to the food processor. Then you can add more sauce to the top of the burger when serving.