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Lentil Burgers

Round like pie, these lentil burgers are a staple at Pie Cottage.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Savory
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 -15
Author: Kate McDermott-Art of the Pie

Ingredients

For Lentils

  • 2 cups green lentils
  • Water
  • 1 box of organic chicken stock
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 2 teaspoons dry thyme or several fresh sprigs tied together
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Juice of one lemon

For the Burgers

  • Cooked Lentils from above
  • 2 medium onions chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed, and chopped
  • 1 cup pecans finely ground
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2-3 cups cornbread crumbs doesn't need to be exact

Instructions

For Lentils

  • Wash the lentils and cover with chicken broth and water so that it is about 2 inches above the lentils. (You may need to add more water as they cook.)
  • Add the garlic, thyme, pepper, chile flakes, and simmer for about 30 minutes in an uncovered pot. Check the pot every once in a while to make sure there is enough liquid in it. Add more as needed.
  • Add the lemon juice and salt to taste.

For the Burgers

  • Process the cooled lentils in a food processor to a paste and place in a large bowl.
  • Sauté the onions in ghee or butter until soft.
  • Add the onions, lemon zest, pecans, eggs, salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, mustard, and bread crumbs and mix together like you would meat loaf.
  • Let all ingredients chill in the fridge overnight or for a few hours at least so it will be easier to make the patties.
  • When chilled, form patties and saute in olive oil until nicely browned on the outside.
  • Serve on a bun or on top of a salad.
  • OR freeze the patties on a parchment lined sheet pan or cookie tin. When frozen place in a marked and dated zip lock bag or a airtight plastic container that can go in the freezer. You can pop them out and cook them up as needed.

Notes

Notes: I make a big pot of lentils a day or so ahead of time. They will hold in the fridge and you can use them for a number of things. Then I make a favorite corn bread recipe and leave the sugar out. After I've enjoyed a piece (or two!), I let it set out overnight to dry a bit so that it will be easier to make corn-bread crumbs later.