Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Just the scent of the spices alone is enough to make your mouth water. The spicy burger is perfectly balanced by the tangy, fresh yogurt sauce. Texture: I was really nervous about the texture because I don’t like the squishiness of foods like beans, peas, or sometimes lentils. Fortunately these patties have a crisp crust and thick, craveable inside. Ease: Not quite as simple as making burgers from store-bought ground meat but still doable. You can cook the lentils, toast the walnuts, and make the yogurt sauce ahead of time. Appearance: Alright so this recipe doesn’t produce the prettiest of meals. Pros: Healthy, flavorful. Cons: None. Would I make this again? Yes.This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
I feel as though I should preface this recipe post by saying – don’t go! Stay. I know a “lentil walnut” burger sounds… strange. Believe me, I like my burgers to contain meat. Nearly every vegetarian burger I’ve ever tasted has been rubbery, crumbly, bland, or just plain dissatisfying. Needless to say I was apprehensive to try out this recipe. But, I put my trust in Martha and I’m so grateful I did. These burgers are utterly flavorful with a caramelized crust and toothsome interior. The yogurt sauce on top is refreshing and bright, enhancing all the flavors from the Middle-Eastern inspired spices of the burgers.
The nutrition value of this recipe is tremendous. It actually excites me to think about how much good it does for my body. Lentils are full of fiber and minerals that help your body run smoothly. Walnuts contain Vitamin E and good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids. Not to mention the yogurt is rich in calcium and aids in digestion. Your body and taste buds will like these burgers.
Spicy Lentil-Walnut Burgers
Ingredients
For the burgers:
- 3/4 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons coriandor
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large egg
For the yogurt cilantro sauce
- 3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
- whole wheat pita bread or whole wheat buns
- tomato, bell pepper, red onion, etc. for topping (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the lentils in a small saucepan, cover with 1-inch of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and let cool.
- Meanwhile, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly darkened. Let cool.
- In a food processor, combing toasted walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Process until finely ground. Add the lentils and 1 tablespoon of the oil and pulse until coarsely chopped (some whole lentils should remain).
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the lentil-walnut mixture, mix well. Divide mixture into 4 equal parts, roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hands into 3/4-inch thick patties.
- Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisped and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8-10 minutes per side. Once cooked transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Serve burger patties on pita bread, top with yogurt sauce (recipe below) and other desired toppings.
For the sauce:
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk yogurt, cilantro, and lemon juice together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I made these a few nights ago and they were delicious! I used French lentils and stretched it out to five burgers, and they were still a decent size.
I don't have a food processor, so I wasn't able to get the mixture very finely chopped – hence, the burgers were a little crumbly once cooked. Next time I might add two eggs to try to bind them together a little more. Or maybe try the blender to make the mixture more sticky!
Thanks for the great recipe, I'll be making it again 🙂
These look delicious! I've been looking for a good lentil burger that doesn't turn to mush and admit I've been a little nervous about that. Can't wait to try them– thanks!
I made these last night and they were SO good! I'm usually not a big fan of meatless burgers but these were great…and surprisingly meaty! Thanks for such a good recipe!
Ive been looking for a veggie burger recipe- and now this recipe is frying behind me! cant wait to try them!
Yay! Hope you enjoyed 🙂
I'm on a mission to find the perfect veggie burger, so these will definitely get made this weekend! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
That looks amazingly delicious! I eat meat, but veggie burgers just taste better to me. I'll be giving this one a try soon!
Can it get any better than this..? I love the flavours n spices u used:-)
This is going to be my Sunday Brunch this weekend..
Can u tell me which lentil did u use? Coz here we get a lot of variety of lentils..
I believe they were brown lentils – in the picture of my ingredients they are on the bottom left.
What a great recipe, I've never even imagined a lentil walnut burger!
Perfect for any lunch or dinner. I like them a lot and I'm sure I'll make these lentil burgers.
Cheers!
when I made lentil burgers recently, we loved them! i didn't include walnuts though so I want to try that next time!
I try to make the majority of our dinners vegetarian and this just added itself to my list. Love it!
Looks very very delicious. Love the health benfit as well!