Vegan Lentil Walnut Burgers

Name: Vegan Lentil Walnut Burgers
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) dried green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over; 3 cups (720 ml) water, for cooking the lentils; 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves, unsalted; ¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml) for the skillet, 1 tbsp (15 ml) for brushing the patties; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup); 1 medium (80 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (about ½ cup); 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari; 1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard; 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed; 5 tbsp (75 ml) cold water, for the flaxseed binder; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 6 buns (330 g) vegan burger buns, split and lightly toasted; 6 leaves (60 g) lettuce leaves, washed and dried; 1 large (180 g) large ripe tomato, cut into 6 slices; ½ cup (70 g) dill pickle slices (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Hearty, smoky baked burgers made with tender green lentils, toasted walnuts and oats. They hold together, brown nicely in the oven and need no frying.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 2 hr 30 min
Makes: 6 burgers (about 4 inches / 10 cm wide)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the burgers
1 cup (200 g) dried green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 cups (720 ml) water, for cooking the lentils
1 cup (100 g) walnut halves, unsalted
¾ cup (70 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml) for the skillet, 1 tbsp (15 ml) for brushing the patties
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium (80 g) carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (about ½ cup)
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp (15 g) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed
5 tbsp (75 ml) cold water, for the flaxseed binder
¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For serving
6 buns (330 g) vegan burger buns, split and lightly toasted
6 leaves (60 g) lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 large (180 g) large ripe tomato, cut into 6 slices
½ cup (70 g) dill pickle slices (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large rimmed baking sheet, about 13×18 inches (33×46 cm)
Parchment paper
Medium saucepan with lid, 3-quart (3 L)
Large skillet, 10–12 inches (25–30 cm)
Food processor
Large mixing bowl
Fine-mesh sieve
Pastry brush
Wide spatula

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: the mixture must chill for 30 minutes before shaping, or the patties will be too soft to hold together.
Use green or brown lentils. Red lentils collapse into a paste and make the burgers gummy.
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (not wax paper).
Make sure your oats are certified gluten-free if you need the burgers gluten-free, and check the soy sauce too.

1
Toast the walnutsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the walnuts on the baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway.
- Tip them onto a plate to cool.
- Leave the oven off for now.
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Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and are a shade darker, with no dark brown spots
Tip: Walnuts burn quickly and turn bitter. Take them out as soon as they smell toasty.
2
Cook the lentils
- Put the lentils and 3 cups (720 ml) water in the medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook 25–30 minutes.
- Do not salt the water.
- Drain very well in the sieve, shaking out as much water as you can, and leave them to steam dry for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Lentils are tender all the way through but still hold their shape; you should get about 2¼ cups (450 g) cooked
Tip: Wet lentils make soggy burgers. Dry them well.
3
Make the flax binder
- While the lentils simmer, stir the ground flaxseed and 5 tbsp (75 ml) cold water together in a small bowl.
- Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick and slightly slimy, like beaten egg white
4
Sauté the vegetables
- Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the olive oil in the large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, for 6–7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Stir in the soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits, and remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, and the tomato paste has darkened to brick red
Tip: Keep stirring once the spices go in so they toast without burning.
5
Process walnuts and oats
- Put the cooled walnuts and the oats in the food processor.
- Pulse 8–10 times, in 1-second bursts, until you have a coarse, crumbly meal with some pea-sized pieces.
- Tip into the large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Mixture looks like coarse crumbs, not a smooth paste or butter
Tip: Over-processing releases the walnut oil and turns the mixture pasty.
6
Mix the burger mixture
- Add about two-thirds of the drained lentils to the bowl.
- Mash the remaining third in a separate bowl with a fork until mostly broken down, then add it too.
- Add the sautéed vegetables, flax gel, Dijon, salt and pepper.
- Mix firmly with your hands or a sturdy spoon for about 1 minute.
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Ready when: A spoonful pressed in your palm holds together in a ball without crumbling
Tip: If it feels too wet and sticky, stir in 1–2 tbsp more oats. If it crumbles, mash in a few more lentils.
7
Chill the mixture
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- The oats absorb moisture and the mixture firms up, which makes shaping much easier.
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Ready when: Mixture feels firm and less tacky
8
Shape the pattiesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line the baking sheet with parchment.
- With damp hands, divide the mixture into 6 portions of about 140 g (a generous ½ cup) each.
- Press each into a patty about 4 inches (10 cm) wide and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, pressing the edges smooth so they don't crack.
- Place them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the sheet and brush the tops with half of the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil.
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Ready when: Patties are even in thickness with smooth edges
Tip: Rewet your hands between patties to stop the mixture sticking to them.
9
Bake and flipOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan, brush the tops of the patties with the remaining oil, and carefully flip each with a wide spatula.
- Bake 12–15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Both sides are deeply browned, the edges are crisp, and the patties feel firm when pressed
Tip: Wait until the first side is browned and set before flipping, or the patties may break.
10
Rest and assemble
- Let the burgers rest on the pan for 5 minutes so they firm up.
- Build each burger on a toasted bun with a lettuce leaf, a patty, a tomato slice and pickles if using.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Patties lift off the parchment cleanly without sticking or breaking
Tip: Add your favorite sauce, such as vegan mayo, ketchup or mustard, for extra moisture.

Good to know

Tips

Dry lentils are the key to firm burgers; let them steam dry after draining.
Mash only part of the lentils so the burgers keep some texture but still bind.
Don't skip the chill; it is what lets the patties hold together when flipped.
For extra crisp edges, preheat the baking sheet in the oven and slide the parchment with the patties onto it.

Make ahead

Cook the lentils up to 3 days ahead and keep them refrigerated. The shaped, unbaked patties can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, or frozen on a tray, then bagged, for up to 3 months. Bake frozen patties at 400°F (200°C) for 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store baked patties in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from chilled in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or from frozen for 20 minutes, until hot throughout and crisp at the edges.

Substitutions

walnut halves → Pecans or sunflower seeds. Pecans give a similar rich flavor. Sunflower seeds make the burgers nut-free; toast them the same way for 6 minutes.
old-fashioned rolled oats → Plain dry breadcrumbs or quick oats. Use the same weight. Panko works but gives a slightly drier texture; skip the pulse step.
ground flaxseed → Ground chia seeds. Use 2 tbsp ground chia with 5 tbsp water, and let it gel for 10 minutes.
soy sauce or tamari → Coconut aminos. Slightly sweeter and less salty; add an extra pinch of salt if needed.