Vegan lentil burgers (Italian meatball-flavored)

Vegan lentil burger topped with kale, onion, and pizza sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan lentil burgers (Italian meatball-flavored)

This hearty burger will fulfill any meat lover. Stuffed with greens and loads of protein, then topped with pizza sauce, it’s an all-in-one type of meal!

From the first bite to the last, you’ll love the warm, comforting flavor of this burger, kind of like being wrapped in your favorite cozy blanket.

Makes 4 to 5 burgers

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Resting Time20

Total Time1 15

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: lentil burger, vegan sandwiches, veggie burger

Servings: people

Calories: 459kcal

Author: Sophia DeSantis

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

Optional baking instructions
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