Tag Archives: red lentil vegetable burgers

Red Lentil Vegetable Patties

Red Lentil Vegetable Patties

Looking for a veggie burger recipe that’s easy to make YOUR way? Well…you’ve found it! This recipe is extremely flexible and an easy way to use up some leftover cooked potatoes or vegetables you’re just not sure what to do with. It’s SO flexible, you can use cooked potatoes or rice, and vegetables that are cooked, frozen, or raw! How convenient is that? If that’s not enough, the burgers can be pan-fried or baked in the oven without any added oil. Something for everyone 🙂

Below is a demonstration of how to make the patties. The written recipe is below the video. I hope this helps!

Enjoy,
Judi

Red Lentil Vegetable Patties
Makes 10 Patties (1/2 cup of mixture in each)

This recipe makes delicious veggie burgers that easily include leftover cooked vegetables or extra veggies that you have on-hand, whether fresh or frozen. The flavor will change a bit based on which veggies you use, but that’s the fun of this recipe! Experiment with it and enjoy! jk

1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
1-1/4 cup oats (any type), or more if needed
1 cup cooked rice of choice, or cooked potatoes (any kind)
2 cups any combination vegetables of choice, raw, cooked or frozen (and thawed)*
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp garlic powder
ÂĽ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt, or to taste (use less of including cooked vegetables that were already salted)
Water, as needed
1 to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, optional (use if pan frying the patties)

Place the red lentils in a pot with the 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with a lid cocked on the pot, or until the lentils are tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer oats to a large bowl; set aside. Add the cooked rice to the bowl, if using it. Or, if using mashed potatoes, add them to the bowl. If using other cooked potatoes that are in pieces, place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the 2 cups vegetables of choice (see note below) to the food processor and pulse until finely grated (but not pureed). Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the oats.

Transfer the cooled lentils to the bowl with the oats and vegetables. Add in the tomato paste and seasonings; stir well to combine. Add water as needed to make a mixture that holds together when lightly pressed together. If the mixture is too soft from too much liquid, add more processed oats until the mixture sticks together. If the mixture is too dry and will not hold together, add a little more water, until the mixture holds together when lightly pressed.

To bake the patties: Measure the mixture by ½-cup increments onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Lightly press the mixture with your moist (from water or oil) fingers to form patties. Bake them in a 400°F oven until lightly browned on the first side, about 25 to 30 minutes. Flip the patties over and bake another 15 to 18 minutes, until the patties are lightly browned on the second side, and are firm to the touch, but still have a slight “give” when lightly pressed. Serve.

To pan fry the patties: Measure the mixture by ½-cup increments and place them on a plate or tray. Lightly press the mixture with your moist (from water or oil) fingers to form patties. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the 1 or 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Transfer patties into the heated skillet and sauté on medium to medium-low heat, until the first side is brown and patties are starting to firm up. Watch them closely, as they can easily get overly browned.  Flip the patties over and continue cooking until both sides are browned and the patties are firm to the touch. They may take about 30 minutes to cook, since they do better at lower heat so they don’t burn. They may be flipped more than once, if needed.

The patties are excellent served with ketchup, salsa, kimchi, or any sauce of your choice, like garlic herb tahini sauce, Sriracha tahini sauce, tomato sauce, yogurt sauce, mustard sauce, or any other sauce you enjoy with a veggie burger.

Store extra patties in a covered container in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days. Patties may be frozen individually then transferred to a freezer container for later use. Use frozen patties within 6 months.

* If using raw vegetables, choose something that cooks quickly like zucchini, yellow squash or spinach. Place the raw vegetables in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. When using frozen vegetables, place them in a colander under running water to thaw them out. Allow them to drain well, then add them to the food processor. If using already cooked vegetables, drain off any extra water before adding them to the food processor.

Some suggested vegetables that work well in this recipe would be raw zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, and/or spinach or baby greens. Already cooked vegetables that would work well include carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, parsnips, stir-fry blends, California blend, mixed vegetables, green beans, kale, or other cooked vegetables or blends that you enjoy. Just about any frozen and thawed vegetable or vegetable blend would work well as long as it can be eaten in the blanched state that it was in before being frozen. Frozen potatoes or other such vegetables that should not be eaten unless thoroughly cooked should not be used as a frozen and thawed item (unless you cook it before using it in the recipe).

About Judi

Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.