It’s burger o’clock! Maybe you caught this recipe over on my instastories (@hookedonplants)? I completely wung it, and it completely worked out (love when that happens). These red lentil rice veggie burgers are not only a complete protein, but also packed with flavour and easy to whip up.
There’s a few things you should always have in the fridge, ready to grab:
- A cooked grain
- A cooked legume
- A sauce
- Greens
Have these 4 magical ingredients ready to go, and the whole ‘last minute dinner’ freak out thing is a lot less dramatic.
And the possibility of last minute creations like this actually come into fruition is at an all time high.
The universal problem with veggie burgers is:
The squish-outta-the-bun issue. Know what I mean?
They can taste amazing, but the texture just isn’t there.
Well, after the pan-fry, the longer you leave these patties in the oven, the stiffer the texture you will have to bite down on.
The first round we did 20 minutes, without flipping half way. Not enough.
30 minutes (flipping half way through) did the trick, but 40 minutes gives you even more of a stay-together kinda patty. Crispy outside, soft inside. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Burger Patties:- 2 cups brown rice, cooked
- 2 cups red lentils, cooked
- 2 cloves, garlic
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Extra:- 1 tsp coconut oil
Burger Sauce:- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup vegan mayo (from Hellmans or Veganaise or Sir Kensington's)
- 1 tbsp onion powder (or chipotle!)
Burger fixin's:- Buns (or use a collard green wrap)
- Vegan Cheese (I use Violife or sliced Gusta Blockor Sheese Cheese ~ all of the melt deliciously)
- Tomato, sliced
- Avocado, sliced
- Sprouts of choice
- Romaine or spinach
- Sauerkraut
- Pickles, sliced
Caramelized Balsamic Oil-Free Onions (optional):- 3-4 sweet onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup balsamic
- ½ cup water (might not need it all, but have it on hand if it's sticking)
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°F
- Make caramelized onions (optional and not included in cooking time (yummy but takes some time): heat a wide pot or deep pan to medium heat. Throw in all of the onions and let brown for a few minutes. De-glaze with a bit of water. Do this a couple of times. Add balsamic vinegar. Turn heat down to low. Let them simmer for up to 1 hour (could just go for 15 minutes, but the longer you go, the deeper the caramelization). Check them every 15 minutes. If they're sticking to the bottom of the pot, just add a bit more water or balsamic.
- Blend all burger ingredients (except for ½ cup of the red lentils) together until nearly smooth in your food processor. Add the rest of the lentils at the end and pulse.
- Form the mixture into 6 patties on a parchment covered baking sheet.
- Heat a pan to medium heat, and melt the coconut oil.
- Fry the patties for 3 minutes on each side.
- Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway. Go for 40 minutes if you want a dryer, stiffer patty!
- For the last 2-3 minutes of baking, place cheese slices on the patties to melt and the sliced buns on the pan to get toasty.
- Assemble the burger to your liking!
Tag me if you make it ( @hookedonplants on instagram)! I love seeing your recipes.
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