Lentil & Walnut Burgers

Happy August friends! With lots of fun coming up, I’m pumped for the month to start.  For starters, I  head back to London in 10 days (WOOT!) and I’m already looking forward to catching up with friends all the delicious food I’m planning to eat.  Along with getting my fix of old favourites, my list of ‘New Places to Try’ keeps extending by the day!  Black Roe, Yorica, Molé Taco Bar, Farmacy…ah I can just go on so stay tuned for some fun restaurant recaps.  One food in particular that tops the list? A good ol’ beef burger in all its glory!  I love Bombay for all that it is but the city’s beef ban is really not on.  Although I’m not too much of a fan of steaks, burgers are a whole other ball game.  More than the bun or fries, the patty & toppings are what make the burger for me!  Oh Shake Shack, we will be meeting super soon!

Although they don’t light a candle to the real deal, I’ve recently developed a strong appreciation for vegan burgers…provided they are made well. When I say well, I mean they need to both flavourful and full of texture.  I meal prepped a huge batch of Lentil & Walnut Burgers last week for quick lunches and fortunately they ticked both boxes.  Whereas most of the flavour comes from the use of various herbs, the walnuts add a nice crunch.  I also used 3 types of lentils which did wonders for the overall texture.  

Would I say these are equivalent to a beef burger?  No chance…but they are flippin’ delicious in their own right.  I’ve recently been trying to to add more plant-based meals to my diet and these bad boys have made it pretty damn easy.  Vegan or not, I am almost certain you will love ’em too.  And what better day than Meatless Monday to share the recipe for these hearty Lentil & Walnut Burgers:

Lentil & Walnut Burgers – Yields 8 small burgers (=4 servings)

Ingredients

• 150g dry lentils*
• Cooking spray or olive oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 60g raw quick-cooking oats
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts, toasted 

Method

1. Place the lentils in a small saucepan and cover with 1-inch of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Cook until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 18-20 minutes.  Drain well and allow lentils to cool.
2.  In the meanwhile, place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray (or olive oil).  Once heated, add in the red bell pepper, onion and carrot.  Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are fragrant.  Transfer veggies to a large mixing bowl.
3. Once lentils have cooled, transfer to a food processor & pulse until coarsely smooth- some whole lentils should still remain.
4. Add lentils to the veggies.  Stir in the oats, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, salt & walnuts. Mix to combine well.  
5. Divide mixture into 8 equal parts, roll into balls and flatten with the palm of your hands into ¾-inch burgers.  Add burgers to a plate and cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  This will allow the burgers to firm up.
6. Place a large (preferably flat) nonstick skillet over medium-low heat & coat with cooking spray (or olive oil).  Add the burgers and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, until crisped and browned.  
7. Serve burgers with your choice of condiments & sides.  Store remaining burgers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.**

Notes

*I used a mix of red, yellow & black gram lentils but use whatever is handy.

**To ensure they keep longer, store burgers in the freezer. 

Go on love, you know you want to make them ;)!

What’s one food/meal you can’t resist?

What’s your favourite kind of burger? Condiment?