These vegan lentil burgers contain no soy, nuts, gluten or oil and are made with natural ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. Mushrooms add umami!
I had a craving for a burger burger. Not a beet burger, or a falafel burger, or a black bean burger, or a curried eggplant burger–just a plain old veggie burger that I could put on a bun with ketchup and pickles and not have the flavors clash or my daughter give me that look that says, “Okay, what does this one taste like.” The kind that tastes like a burger. A lentil burger, that is.
So if you’ve also been craving a regular–but delicious– veggie burger that contains no soy or nuts or gluten and that you can make with ingredients that you can pronounce (and that you probably have in your kitchen right this minute), you’ve come to the right place.
I love these burgers’ lightly herbal flavor all on its own, but I couldn’t resist serving them with a little chipotle mayo just for a bit of kick. Chipotle mayo is the easiest thing in the world to make if you have my tofu-cashew mayo on hand and a can of chipotles or some frozen chipotle cubes.
Whenever I open a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, I puree whatever I don’t use in the blender and then freeze it in an ice cube tray; then I pop the cubes out into a freezer bag to keep frozen until I need them. To make chipotle mayo, I defrost one cube (two tablespoons pureed chipotles) and add mayo to taste–in my case, I used about 1/2 cup of mayo for a pretty spicy sauce.
I served the lentil burgers on buns with all the usual accompaniments along with steamed broccoli and some oven fries. (I followed this hash brown recipe but cut Yukon gold potatoes into fry shapes and baked them for about 30 minutes). Leftovers were great for lunch the next day served bun-less atop lettuce and tomato with a little of the chipotle mayo, and if you can’t eat 6 of them within a week, they should freeze well.
If you’re wondering how kid-friendly they are, I can tell you that my daughter liked them more than frozen burgers from the grocery store, which, for a teenager, is high praise indeed.
Find all of my vegan burger recipes here!
Savory Lentil-Mushroom Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 1 medium onion
- 6 ounces mushrooms , washed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups cooked lentils (green or brown), well drained
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats (certified gluten-free, if necessary)
- 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or wheat-free tamari (omit for soy-free)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Generous grating black pepper
Instructions
- Mix the chia seeds and warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the onion finely. Place the mushrooms into the food processor and pulse until they are finely minced. Mince the garlic.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown, adding a splash of water if they begin to stick. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and another splash of water. Cover and cook until the mushrooms soften (about 2-3 minutes), stirring often.
- When the mushrooms have softened, transfer them to the food processor and add the lentils. Pulse until the lentils are just combined with the mushrooms. Add the chia seed mixture and all remaining ingredients and pulse to combine well. It’s okay if a few lentils remain whole, but the mixture should be more sticky than crumbly. If it seems too wet, add a little more oats.
- Scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or with parchment paper.
- Shape the burger mixture into 6 patties, each about 3 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick. Place them on the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Since ovens can vary, check them after 25 minutes to make sure they are firm in the middle but not burning and give extra time if necessary.
- Use a spatula to remove the burgers from the baking sheet. Serve at once or refrigerate for later use.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share!
LGS
September 12, 2012 at 12:53 pmDo you need the chia seeds? I don’t have any on hand but have all other ingredients!
LGS
September 12, 2012 at 12:57 pmWould flax work?
Susan Voisin
September 12, 2012 at 12:58 pmThe chia seeds act as a bit of a binder and add moisture. If you have ground flax seed, you could use it instead. If not, I would leave both the seeds and the water out completely.
Lina
November 11, 2012 at 5:03 amHmm, i didnt have chia seeds and didnt add any cornstarch and mixed everything at the end without food processor (i just added mushrooms and other ingredients to the pot where lentils were cooking and pressed everything with a spoon till the mixture became more or less homogen). They were still very fine and didnt fall apart. My omnivorous flatmate also liked them.
Jain
June 28, 2016 at 3:14 amLina, I love the ideas of using one pan and using a spoon instead of my food processor (love the processor; hate the extra clean-up). It’s years later and you’ll probably never see this, but thanks for posting!
Katie
September 12, 2012 at 12:55 pmCould you use chana dal for these?
Susan Voisin
September 12, 2012 at 12:57 pmChana dal is going to be more moist and wet than brown lentils. You would probably need to add more oatmeal and maybe more starch.
Katie
September 12, 2012 at 12:57 pmGreat idea for the chipotle peppers as I never use them all up and end up throwing them out after two weeks 🙁 I love lentils and mushrooms so this simple recipe will be made this weekend! Will update with results! Thank you for recipe!
Janae @ Bring-Joy
September 12, 2012 at 1:51 pmThis is dinner tonight, seriously. I have been craving something hearty & meaty, & I just returned from the grocery store, saddened at the lack of variety of veggie burgers (only vegan ones in my small town are Boca) & astonished at how expensive. These are much better, cheaper, & look mouthwatering.
(I love how you add chia–what a great addition!)
Shelley
September 12, 2012 at 2:04 pmBrilliant idea on the chipotles! I normally freeze my leftovers too but never in ice cube trays. I can’t wait to make these burgers which will yield three meals in my house. Bargain! 🙂
Monica
September 12, 2012 at 2:18 pmHi
After making them, can you freeze them and then pull them out and barbecue them? Thanks.
Shirley
September 12, 2012 at 2:32 pmI have all those ingredients in my kitchen right now and I will be making these for dinner this week for sure.
Vicky (Sweet and Healthy Living)
September 12, 2012 at 2:42 pmGorgeous photography! You definitely know what you are doing! The burger looks delicious!
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance
September 12, 2012 at 3:07 pmI’ve been wanting to try a new burger recipe than used something other than black beans or chickpeas . . . why didn’t I think of lentils! Do you think the oatmeal is necessary though?
Susan Voisin
September 12, 2012 at 3:13 pmThe oatmeal is pretty important. If you don’t use it, you’ll need cooked rice or another grain, and I’m not sure how that will affect the moisture balance.
Louisa Fox
September 12, 2012 at 4:20 pmI cant stand mushrooms.. would other veg work? Maybe courgettes?
stephanie
September 12, 2012 at 5:15 pmOh my, Susan, you’ve done it again! (Blown my mouth-mind, that is!) Those are some good lookin’ buns! Erm, hamburger buns. I bet you made them yourself!
Sue Flood
September 12, 2012 at 7:43 pmThis looks delicious! I’m doing this tomorrow.
Laina
September 12, 2012 at 8:03 pmI almost bought mushrooms today. Should have listened to that soft voice. 🙂 I am so looking forward to trying these. I love making burgers and freezing the leftovers for a quick meal when I don’t want to cook.
I love your red-bean burgers. https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/01/red-bean-chipotle-burgers.html. How do they compare?
Love your recipes!!!
Laina 🙂
CLEVegan
September 12, 2012 at 8:12 pmThis looks fabulous! I have everything but green or brown lentils. Will red lentils work?
Susan Voisin
September 12, 2012 at 9:11 pmRed lentils will work, but you’ll need to play with the amounts of oats and starch because they’re wetter than brown lentils.
veganamericanprincess
September 12, 2012 at 8:43 pmCoincidentally, creating a mushroom-lentil burger was at the top of my to-do list but you beat me to it. This looks great! I’m so glad you incorporated chia seeds into the recipe. Won’t the oats hold the burger together?
Susan Voisin
September 12, 2012 at 9:12 pmI don’t think the chia seeds really do much to hold it together. I like using them because I believe they help hold in moisture so that the burgers don’t get too dry in the oven. So they’re sort of an oil substitute here.
moonwatcher
September 12, 2012 at 9:47 pmHI Susan,
These sound great! I have really been wanting to eat brown lentils in any form. And also enjoying burgers wrapped in big romaine leavese with whatever other”works” I want to put on them. Plus, I’ve been gathering mushrooms. So I have a feeling these are going to go right along with my other favorite burger recipes from you. Thanks!
xo
moonwatcher
Anne
September 13, 2012 at 1:11 amI’m excited about the burgers, for sure…but the bun looks incredible. Did you make them yourself? If yes, can you share the recipe? If no, where did they come from?
Thanks!
~Anne
Susan Voisin
September 13, 2012 at 2:47 pmWish I had a recipe for you, but I bought the bun at The Fresh Market.
Julie
September 13, 2012 at 1:39 amAre the chia seeds to help bind the mixture?
Can i substitute flax seeds?
Thanks,
love your site.
julie
Lisa @ The Raw Serenity
September 13, 2012 at 4:53 amI a vegie burger extremely similar to this last night!
So delicious ! I added some peas to the mix and they added a touch of sweetness. I love sweet & savory mixed 🙂
kathy
September 13, 2012 at 10:14 amLove the idea for freezing leftover chipotles! I always end up throwing them away because I can’t use them fast enough.
Suzy
September 13, 2012 at 10:37 amThis looks awesome. Thank you for adding this Soy, Nut and Gluten free recipe. I will try that out today:)
Janet T.
September 13, 2012 at 3:37 pmThis recipe really caught my attention and since I had all the ingredients I made it today. I just love it! I accidently put in 2 tablespoons chia seeds instead of 2 tsp. So I suppose the nutritional info is a bit different. The texture and taste was so good, I’m not sure I want to drop the amount of chia seeds. I used some green salsa for a topping and had it over lettuce to avoid the wheat in the bun. A real winner!
Rachel
September 13, 2012 at 6:28 pmThese were amazing! I have a toddler and still managed to make them, that is how easy they are. And they taste great! Definitely one for the repetoire! My daughter, my omni husband and I all loved them- thank you so much for sharing these Susan! This is why we love your blog!
Rachel from The Vegan Mishmash
September 13, 2012 at 8:01 pmThose look fantastic! I know what you mean about just wanting a plain, old burger with ketchup…nothing too fancy. I’ll have to try these sometime!
Karen
September 14, 2012 at 12:04 amI had some mushrooms to use up, so made this tonight. I made the lentils this morning, and was reminded how delicious they are and easy to cook! When I started putting it all together, it was looking like a big project (and I was regretting it), but it really was easy and fast. And they are absolutely delicious! I served them with Food For Life Ezekiel Sesame Burger Buns – I buy them by the case from Azure Standard.
Thanks for the recipe!
Susan Voisin
September 14, 2012 at 6:59 amI’m glad you liked them! Thanks for the tip about the buns. I’ll have to look into them.
Tom
September 15, 2012 at 9:47 pmThe Ezeikiel buns are great be they sesame or the sprouted wheat ones. And no oil in them. Check freezer section at whole foods.
Em
September 14, 2012 at 8:48 amoh man! I came here looking for the cabbage soup and as soon as I saw the photo of that burger I wanted it! My son is coming home with his friends this weekend from college so this is on the menu!-thanks! and btw !!!!
🙂
Bridget @ The Road Not Processed
September 14, 2012 at 5:21 pmOnce my lentils are done sprouting I will be making this asap!! looks phenomenal
Emily Stevenson
September 15, 2012 at 4:19 pmYUM! This sounds awesome! I am always looking for healthy energy packed recipes, as well as meals that will satisfy the carnivore that I am married to and our carno-veggie kids. 🙂 This will be a hit. Thanks for sharing this idea.
I also blog about recipes and the healthy vegetarian lifestyles at http://thelivelyvegetarian.blogspot.com/ if you are interested.
Thanks again!
Angie
September 15, 2012 at 8:17 pmMade these today. Awesome flavor. Mine came out a bit wet because I think I didn’t drain my lentils well enough. I just added more oats. They baked up well anyway. Will make them again for sure. Thanks.
Joshua Parker
September 15, 2012 at 8:30 pmI’ve made other types of veggie burgers and found that they worked better pan fried rather than baked. Does it still hold together quite well when it is baked?
Susan Voisin
September 15, 2012 at 8:33 pmThis one holds together perfectly baked. I can’t imagine it could hold together any better fried. In fact, because it would have to be turned over in a frying pan, it would probably be more likely to have problems if pan fried.
Joshua Parker
September 15, 2012 at 8:40 pmOk, thanks.
Leanne
September 15, 2012 at 8:54 pmI made these tonight, they turned out tasty but mushy. I had to add more oatmeal and they were still mushy. I will try again though. Thanks for the recipe!!
Susan Voisin
September 15, 2012 at 9:29 pmSorry about that! It may have to do with how mushy the lentils are cooked (I stopped cooking mine as soon as they were just tender) and how drained they were. I put mine in a strainer and let them drip for a few minutes before measuring them.
moonsword
September 16, 2012 at 2:24 pmwowee…these look so superyumful! And it’s National Mushroom Month so yes, it’s mushroom burgerpalooza time! Thank you for sharing the recipe and your frozen chipotle tip…cheers!
Jodi Thom
September 16, 2012 at 4:18 pmYummy burgers! We thought they tasted like a pizza burger, so will try marinara sauce as a topping next time. My daughter loves these-and she doesn’t care for mushrooms. What she doesn’t know didn’t hurt her! 🙂
penny
September 16, 2012 at 6:34 pmhelp please–i would like vegan fatfree recipes for treating acid reflux i have been suffering with this 24-7 for 2 months am waiting to get in to see the specillist–and i dont know what to cook anymore that isnt going to get my gurd started.tell me where to go to get these recipes please and thank you
penny
Joshua Parker
September 16, 2012 at 7:07 pm@Penny, I suffer with GERD as well. Eat is easy to convert any of the recipes on this site to GERD friendly recipes with just a few adjustments. You should check out the book Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook & Cure. It gives you a great list of bad foods and a list of good foods. For me, I had to give up tomatoes, all citrus fruits, and the only tea I can drink is caffeine free chamomile. The book also has a two week regimen that helps you get back on track. Once the two weeks is over, you can start adding foods and see which ones actually give you trouble.
Michelle B
September 17, 2012 at 6:05 amHi Susan, I made these last night and they were amazing!!! Thanks for another great recipe! 🙂
P.s. I see some people had problems with the burgers being too mushy. I cooked 1 cup dry green lentils with 2 cups water until all the water was absorbed – about 30 minutes. It turned out perfectly, no draining required.
GetSkinnyGoVegan
September 17, 2012 at 9:19 amThese look so completely amazing!!!!
Karla
September 17, 2012 at 12:13 pmI made these, following the recipe pretty closely. However I think I failed to drain the lentils (or perhaps was over-generous with the mushrooms or cooked them too long), which made for a gooey mix. I also don’t have a food processor, and had to settle with mashing the lentils with a spoon. Amazingly, they formed into patties and baked up pretty nicely. I think I will increase the oatmeal, as someone already suggested, if it happens with the next batch. This recipe served as a great excuse to “invest” in smoked paprika! Didn’t have a real distinctive taste, so I might increase it a bit next time. It smells amazing! Thanks again, Susan, for another winning recipe!
Laurie@Aprons for Women
September 17, 2012 at 9:33 pmThese sound really good. We have also been in the mood for veggie burgers lately. I have tried some of the store bought variety, which are “ok” but just ok. I”d love to find a recipe that tastes good and holds together so you can pick it up and eat it like a sandwich.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
MK
September 18, 2012 at 6:53 amYum. I have everything to make these later this week, and they look so so good.
Jan
September 18, 2012 at 4:02 pmSusan – I’ve only got red lentils – what do you think?