There's a special kind of deliciousness that comes from these Mushroom Lentil Burgers. You're sure to enjoy these savory vegan burger patties made with lentils, mushrooms, and oats.
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While you're not going to mistake the texture of these patties for a beef burger (which, in my opinion, is a good thing!), the savory umami flavor from the mushrooms will definitely satisfy those of you who miss eating meat. In other words, this isn't a veggie burger that tastes like vegetables!
Last month I posted a recipe for Cauliflower Hummus Burgers and this month I'm posting these Lentil Mushroom Burgers because I've decided to do a burger recipe every month this summer. Woo hoo! It's the summer of burgers! It's like the summer of love, minus the hippies, plus delicious veggie burgers.
Recipe Inspiration
As I mentioned last week, things have been a little hectic around here lately with the additional work I'm doing for my book. This post was easy to write though, because it was your idea.
Well, okay, maybe not you you. But I've had some readers tell me they were making my meatball recipes into burgers. And I've had a few others ask me if it was something I thought would work out.
I guess I could have just added a line to my Lentil Mushroom Meatballs post saying, "Oh, and by the way, you can make these into burgers too!" But these Mushroom Lentil Burgers are worth having their own post.
Textured vs Smooth Veggie Burgers
I like texture in my veggie burgers, which makes forming patties (and getting them to stay together) a little bit tougher. It's easy to get a burger to stick together when it's made with pureed beans or veggies, but I don't like the feeling of biting into those kinds of burgers—I want to see what's in it, you know? (Yes, I am picky.)
Baking is the best way I've found to cook the kinds of veggie burgers I like. There's no flipping, no grates for the burger to fall through—it just works better.
This Mushroom Lentil Burgers recipe is...
- Tasty
- Textured
- Healthy
- Easy to make
- Baked
- Vegan
If you're on your way to a more plant based lifestyle, be sure to check out our Veggie Kickstart Kit. It's packed with easy and tasty vegetarian dinners, effortless packable lunches, and easy grab-and-go breakfasts. And they’re so good - you’ll never miss the meat again!
How to Make Mushroom Lentil Burgers
- Cook lentils in water.
- Use food processor to coarsely chop mushrooms and lentils.
- Heat oil in a skillet and add garlic.
- Add mushroom-lentil mixture and cook until browned.
- Add remaining ingredients and cook until liquid evaporates.
- Preheat oven.
- Form mixture into burger patties.
- Bake until done.
- Serve!
Full directions for how to make Mushroom Lentil Burgers are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Mushroom Lentil Burgers
Freeze for Later
Don't plan on eating 4 entire burgers this week? Or maybe you made a double batch? You can easily freeze these lentil burger patties to save for later!
Just bake them like normal, and let them cool completely. Once cool, you can place the burgers in freezer-safe baggies or containers. Store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Chop vs Puree
As I mentioned before, I'm a fan of burgers with lots of texture. However, if you're not a fan, you can make your burgers more smooth. To do this, simply puree the mushrooms and lentils together instead of merely chopping them in the food processor.
Mushroom Lentil Burgers FAQs
Does it matter what kind of lentils I use?
For this recipe, I used brown lentils. However, you can use pretty much any kind of lentils you prefer. Knowing the differences between lentil varieties will help you choose the best lentil option for your desired burger texture.
What toppings should I use on my mushroom lentil burgers?
The sky is the limit when it comes to topping your lentil burgers. We topped our burgers with the usual burger things like lettuce and pickles, cashew mayo, and caramelized onions.
While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!
Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown lentils rinsed and picked over
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup water
- 8 oz white mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp red wine
- ½ cup vegetable broth or mushroom broth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 burger buns plus lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and whatever else you like on your burgers
Instructions
- Combine lentils, bay leaf, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. (Yes, the lentils will be undercooked—don't cook them for the time indicated on the package!) Remove from heat, drain, and cool slightly. Discard bay leaf.
- Add mushrooms and lentils to food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), stirring constantly. Stir in mushroom-lentil mixture. Cook for about 4 minutes or until browned, stirring constantly.
- Add red wine to skillet and cook until evaporated. Stir in broth, soy sauce, oats, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray it with oil or cooking spray). Divide the burger mixture into 4 patties and pat them into shape on the baking sheet. You want them to be pretty tightly packed because that will help them hold their shape.
- Bake them for 20–30 minutes, or until the patties are browned and cooked through. Use a spatula to carefully transfer patties to buns, then top them with all of your fabulous burger toppings.
KT says
Never eat oats, can I sub with anything? I've got seeds, chia seeds, cheese, nuts, eggs...
namita monga says
try almond flour, cooked brown rice or quinoa