Vegan Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers are the ultimate high-protein, plant-based burgers. Kid-friendly using affordable ingredients. Foolproof recipe. Oil-free option and gluten-free.
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I was inspired to make a simple vegan burger that actually holds together. So many fall apart and use multiple ingredients. These turn out perfectly every time.
For more easy burger recipes on my site, try these Easy Vegan Chipotle Burgers, and High-Protein Gluten-Free Tofu Burgers. These burgers pair well with my tasty Crispy Roasted Potato Bites.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Dried Red Lentils
- Shallot
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Cilantro
- Salt & Pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Instructions
Soak the red lentils in enough water to cover by about 2 inches for 2 hours. Drain well.
Squeeze the grated carrots between paper towels to remove excess liquid.
Add the ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are combined and hold together when squeezed with your hands. Do not overdo. The mixture will feel a bit sticky but don't panic. The texture changes when they are cooked.
Using ¼ cup measurement for each, form 12 equal-sized patties.
Option 1 (oil-free): Bake Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers on a large nonstick baking sheet in a single layer at 400ºF for 10 minutes.
Option 2: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. (Test that the oil is hot by dropping a small amount of the batter into the skillet and see that it sizzles.)
Cook the patties in a single layer, with enough space to flip, for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. (You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.)
Transfer the cooked burgers to a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil.
🥕 Substitutions
Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers are versatile:
- Carrots - instead of carrots, you can use grated sweet potato or zucchini, or chopped spinach using the same measurements
- Cilantro - instead of cilantro, use a variety of fresh herbs as desired
- Falafel - instead of burgers, use 2 tablespoons of the lentil mixture for each, and make 24 falafels
🌶 Variations
- Spicy - add minced jalapeño to the food processor with the other ingredients
- For more of a kick - use red onions in place of the shallots
🔪 Equipment
Make sure to use a food processor with a pulse button to combine the ingredients. Do not use a blender.
⏱ Storage
Refrigerate any remaining patties in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
These cooked patties stand up well to freezing. Wrap each individually in parchment paper to avoid sticking and place in a freezer bag.
💡 Top Tip
To ensure that the red lentils cook fully, soak them for at least 2 hours before using. Pan-fry the patties in enough oil to reach halfway up the sides.
Lentils typically do not require soaking before cooking. However, they do require soaking in this recipe as they are not being cooked in water.
Make sure to wash your lentils thoroughly before using.
Not all lentils are created equal. Red lentils are especially rich in protein. Plus, they have the added benefit of the shortest cooking time. One half cup of uncooked lentils boasts 22g of plant-based protein.
Easy 6-Ingredient Lentil Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried red lentils
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 large shallot or 1 small onion, small dice (about ⅓ cup)
- ⅓ cup grated carrots about 3 small
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Neutral flavored cooking oil for pan frying (optional)
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Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Soak the lentils in enough water to cover by about 2 inches for two hours. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
- Place the ingredients into a canister: Add the drained lentils, garlic, shallot, carrot, tomato paste, cilantro, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture holds together, scraping the sides of the canister as needed.
- Shape the patties: Scoop out ¼ cup of the mixture at a time. Shape into patties, about ½ inch thick.
- Option 1 Bake: Bake the patties for 10 minutes. Flip them over and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until crispy on both sides.
- Option 2 Pan-Fry: Heat enough oil in a large nonstick skillet to reach about halfway up the sides of the patties. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. (You may need to do this in batches so as not to overcrowd the skillet.) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- For serving: Serve with a bun and desired toppings; a side salad; or oven roasted potatoes.
Notes
- To ensure that the red lentils cook fully, soak them for at least 2 hours before using. Pan-fry the patties in enough oil to reach halfway up the sides.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
Jess says
Love these! Can you point out what dressing recipe would go well with these?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes I love them with this: https://cookingforpeanuts.com/chipotle-sauce/
Fatima says
Turned out perfect! I omitted the tomato paste because I have interstitial cystitis but the patties still taste great.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Glad to hear they were still tasty! Thank you for sharing that!
Callie says
I'm interested in trying this recipe but needed a meatless ground meat. Do you think I could process the mixture a little less and pan fry it like ground meat?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Try this one: https://cookingforpeanuts.com/easy-tofu-ground-beef/
Rachael says
Lovely fat free dinner as baked in oven. I did cook them a little longer as I flipped them half way through to crisp up the bottom a bit. They held together and went down very well for dinner with some sweet potato wedges and an avocado green salad. Next time I will be more adventurous with the spices I think.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Such a yummy combo! Thank you for leaving a comment. So glad you enjoyed these burgers!
Alison jdf says
Wow delicious though I was so worried about over blending I may of finished to early as the burgers are a bit crumbly but so delicious.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Glad you enjoyed them! they get better each time:)
Paul says
House hubby here...just made a batch and elected for the frying method...was very happy with the result. They held together beautifully and we're delectable. Will definitely make these again- thanks for sharing 😁
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear you house hubby enjoyed them:) Thank you for taking the time to comment.
K says
Do you have any suggestions to substitute for the cilantro? Personally I love it, but it tastes like soap to my daughter. Thanks
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
parsley!
TC says
I wonder if this would work with green lentils as well? Perhaps they might need a longer soaking time?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes, soak them for longer. I have not tested it but I believe some people have. See the comments.
Kiran says
This is an amazing recipe. I started my journey to eat clean but cooking as then I would know the true ingredients going in there. But I do not love cooking. But your recipes are easy to follow, especially this website can be a great guide for a grocery shopping and trying new recipees at easily at home. Thank you very much!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for your kind comment! I appreciate you being here and trying the burgers!
Emily Wright says
Your recipes are so good! This turned out delicious. Excited to make it again and will be added to our family rotation!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Truly do happy to hear! Thank you.
Valerie Jones says
Delicious and easy to prepare. Baking them in the oven worked well. I used red onion instead of shallots. I love the way you organize and present all of your recipes. Thank-you for sharing your knowledge and cooking experience.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad to hear you enjoyed them. Thank you.
Karen says
It wasn't done in the middle. I baked it for half an hour.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Depending on the size of your rolls, or variations between ovens, they might take a bit longer to bake.
Shayla says
The first time I made these, I didn't have any carrots, so I used sweet corn instead. (We process and freeze it ourselves) Plus a dash of cumin, and this became a family favorite. (I also had to add just a little flour to thicken it up, because the sweet corn makes it to moist to hold together otherwise.)
Even my picky two year old loves these. Thank you!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad they were a hit. Great additions.
Sally says
I hade to make a GF vegetarian burger for someone with no onion and garlic. I added some stock power to the mixture and they turned out great. Held together and tasty served with salad. Even my husband thought they were good and he’s not keen on lentil burgers. Definitely an easy recipe that’s tastes great, my new go to vegetarian burger recipe
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yay! So happy they worked out for you. Thank you for leaving a comment and sharing your adaptations.
cole says
this looks great! could you recommend which of your linked products blender/food processor you'd use for this recipe? i'm wondering which might be the most versatile, i can't really afford much now, but want to invest in one new cooking tool that will make it easier and therefore more pleasurable to make several nutritious recipes... not being able to test things before i buy them i'm unsure which machine to start with!
thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Sure. I like this one: https://amzn.to/3XRhkeU
Leslie says
Is it 18g of protein per pattie? Or every 4 patties?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Per serving.
Anna says
What is one serving?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
One-fourth of the total you make.
Rene Perrin says
Perhaps I made them too big or maybe they stay together better when pan fried as opposed to baking? Mine took a lot longer to cook in the oven and did not keep their shape. They still worked out and tasted good. Will try smaller patties and frying next time. Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes stick to the 1/4 cup measurement and they will work out much better!
Aiman says
I was shocked after the first bite it was so good Thankyou for such a healthy and good recipe it was really delicious
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yayyy, so glad to hear how much you enjoyed them! Thank you.
Mia says
Turned out great and very yummy! A bit like a falafel and it holds up well for freezing. I did them in the oven.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes I love freezing them for the month! So glad they worked out. Thanks.
Mark McKee says
These came together very easily. Once baked, they were delicious and made great sandwiches. Will make again!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad to hear! Have a great rest of the week.
Bev says
Love this recipe! I actually switched things up and turned these into “meatless balls” and served them on top of whole wheat pasta. Such great flavor!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Sounds so delicious! Thank you for commenting.
Van says
Is it 317 calories for each person?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
It is for one-quarter of the recipe. So if you made 8 burgers form this, it would be for 2.
Glenda says
Love it! First time making it and taste good! Do you have any suggestion of what dip should I use for these?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you! https://cookingforpeanuts.com/chipotle-sauce/ or https://cookingforpeanuts.com/spiced-yogurt-sauce/ or https://cookingforpeanuts.com/green-sauce-recipes/
Caroline says
So good!
Easiest meal prepping meal, straightforward and delicious!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for commenting. So happy to hear they worked out!