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.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
I LOVE the combination of mushrooms and lentils. I recently made lettuce wraps with the two and they turned out SO good. I cannot wait to try them in burger form :).
Kiersten says
Ooh, lettuce wraps with mushrooms and lentils sound so good!
Joy // For the Love of Leaves says
Now I'm especially happy I bought mushrooms yesterday! I think this might be dinner.
Caitlin says
these look perfect. lentils are so great for veggie burgers. can't wait to make these!
JulieD says
Wow these look soooo good!! Must make soon!
Christine @ Gotta Eat Green says
I make a burger that is actually quite similar to this one (lentils and mushrooms are the stars). I love the flavours that you paired in your recipe. And I'm with you on the texture thing.. the more chunks the better.
Holly Waterfall says
I have a love affair with lentils and love using them in burgers, meatballs, and meat loafs, so I know I'd love these. And I have to say, I love your creativity with your plates 🙂
Kiersten says
Thank you! As soon as I saw those planks at the store, I had visions of photographing veggie burgers on them. 🙂
Maria says
My kind of burger!
Erin says
I love this recipe. I have made the meatballs a couple times now and I can't wait to make it into a burger!
Kiersten says
I hope you like them in burger form too! 😀
Holly says
I wouldn't normally choose a lentil burger but yours looks great. Love the plate/platter that you've used in this photograph. Did you make those yourself or buy them? Holly
Kiersten says
I bought them at Crate & Barrel: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/set-of-2-gourmet-sugar-maple-grilling-planks/s632333. They're for grilling meat, but I bought them because I knew I could use them as plates. 😉
dixya| food, pleasure, and health says
i need to make this ASAP!
marysia says
I love the burger idea! And I adore the plates....very nice touch!
Kiersten says
Thank you! They're grilling planks: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/set-of-2-gourmet-sugar-maple-grilling-planks/s632333.
Merryn says
SO pumped! I made the lentil meatballs a few weeks ago and they were fantastic... can't wait to try them in burger form!
Kiersten says
Well, if you loved them in meatball form, you will love them in burger form too! 😀
Maria Tadic says
I love the combo of lentils and mushrooms - I always use it when I'm making burgers. Like you said, it totally gives it great texture and flavor. So satisfying!
Kiersten says
Yup, it's meaty without being meaty. 🙂
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
Holy moly I am SO excited about these. I'm already in love with the cauliflower burgers you posted last month...can't wait for the monthly veggie burgs!
Kiersten says
Now that I said I'm doing monthly burgers, the pressure is on. 🙂 Maybe I should have left that part out!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
This is brilliant! Can't wait to try it.
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
We are totally on the same page - I made lentil mushroom 'meatballs' last weekend! And I'm right there with you with wanting texture in my burgers, I tried putting in a chia 'egg' to hold all the good stuff in place and it worked out really well, yum!
P.S. Love the photos and the tree-trunk burger platter!
Kiersten says
They're actually the little planks of wood they sell to grill meat on. 😀 I saw them at Crate & Barrel and I immediately knew I could use them as a plate in my photos because I'm weird like that.
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
Woo hoo for a veggie burger a month! I'm obsessed with veggie burgers. They're so awesome. And these look incredible!
natalie@thesweetslife says
I'll be making these soon!!
Suzanne says
Your photography is stunning! Awesome 🙂
Kiersten says
Thank you! 🙂
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
One of my favorite places in KC to eat was a burger place and my favorite was not a beef burger but the spiced lentil burger...so good. I can't wait to try this one!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
These look like such tasty burgers, love the seasonings you added!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Kiersten, these look fantastic! I so agree - I'm not a fan of meatless burgers that try to pretend they're hamburgers. So much better to have a hearty, chunky veggie burger filled with earthy mushrooms and other veggies that are perfectly happy just being veggies - no pretending to be meat! I am also totally stoked to try your cashew mayonnaise - I adore cashews and have a long-standing love affair with cashew cream sauce on pasta! Fabulous post! Love your blog - can't wait to read more!
Kiersten says
Yes! I'm a sucker for remakes of meat-based dishes, but I still don't want the taste and texture of meat in them. That just weirds me out.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
My hubby's been really into healthy burgers lately because he has a race coming up...he'd love this!!
[email protected] says
Oh, these looks delicious! I love veggie burgers, and since it´s BBQ-season, I´ve been eating tons of it :p Beautiful pictures 🙂
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
A scrumptious dish that I'm going to make this weekend: I'm a veggie burger lover! The combination lentils and mushrooms is new to me. It intrigues me so much!
Kiersten says
I hope you like it! 😀