Savory Lentil Walnut Burger
Who doesn’t love a good burger? These protein-packed patties are nutritious and full of flavor, making them perfect for impressing your friends at cookouts or keeping in the freezer for a quick add-on to weekday meals. They are hearty, flavorful, fabulously textured, and perfectly umami, giving store-bought vegan burgers a run for their money.
I mean…just look at that texture. It’s meaty, yet meatless. It’s stovetop alchemy and you’ve gotta try it. I love topping mine with the classics: vegan cheese, mayo, avocado, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and onion. You could totally get fancy with some caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and braised kale, or you could just plop it on top of your favorite salad for a lighter meal.
- Servings: about 6 burgers
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup lentils
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp ketchup or tomato paste + syrup
- 2 tbsp flax seed
- ¾ cup oats
Directions
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is clear.
- Add lentils and walnuts and sauté lightly.
- Add the water and bring to a bowl. Then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir in miso paste, shredded zucchini, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and continue to cook on medium low until lentils are soft (about 15 minutes).
- In the meantime, process oats in a blender to create a coarse flour. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Once the lentil mixture is cooked, transfer to blender and add liquid smoke, nutritional yeast, ketchup, and flax seeds. Pulse mixture so that it is thoroughly combined, but not a puree. It should still be very textured.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in the oat flour by hand.
- Cover and let set in the refrigerator for one to two hours (overnight is fine too).
- Form your patties by making a small ball and flattening.
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan (I love cast iron) and cook for about 6 minutes (it should be brown on the bottom and easy to lift off the pan with a spatula).
- Flip and cook on the other side for about 6 minutes, covering halfway through.
- Serve with your favorite burger toppings and enjoy.
Note:
- The burger mixture may seem too wet when you put it in the fridge, but the moisture will absorb as it sits. You can add more oat flour if needed when it comes out, but be careful not to add too much flour or they will become very dry when cooked.