These easy vegetarian lentil patties are lightly spicy, veggie-packed, and freezable. They are easy to make on the stove-top or in the oven, vegan-optional, and ready in just about 30 minutes.
Homemade veggie burgers and veggie patties are a staple recipe for plant-based eaters. There are classic black bean burgers and sweet potato burgers, but sometimes you might want something a little different.
That’s where these gently spicy, flavor-packed red lentil patties come in. They feature cooked red lentils, garlic chili sauce, and fresh vegetables.
This recipe is vegetarian but can easily be modified to be egg-free and vegan.
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Why this recipe works
- Flavorful: Cumin and garlic chili sauce lend a lightly spicy, warming flavor inspired by Instant Pot lentil curry.
- Simple and budget-friendly: Lentil patties rely on a combination of pantry staples and fresh but inexpensive vegetables.
- Versatile: Lentil patties can be made burger-sized or falafel-sized, and they can be baked in the oven or on the stove-top. They are a great way to add protein to bowls, salads, and andwiches. The patties also freeze well and can be pan-fried or baked.
- Dietary features: This recipe is vegetarian, vegan optional, soy-free, and nut-free. Simply use certified gluten-free rolled oats to make this recipe gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Red lentils: Not to be confused with green or brown lentils, these cook much more quickly and are less firm. Orange lentils also work.
- Chili garlic sauce: This is garlicky, spicy, and the flavor backbone of the patties. I use Huy Fong foods brand, which is available in the international aisle of most grocery stores and is mildly spicy. Chili garlic sauce has a wide variety of spice levels, with some being quite spicy. Adjust accordingly.
- Vegetables: Matchstick carrots, green bell peppers, and green onions (AKA scallions) are sauteed until softened.
- Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats): This is what holds the lentil patties together. I have not tested this recipe with instant or quick oats or 1-minute oats, but they should work.
- Eggs: I tested this recipe with an egg and a flax egg. Both work, though the lentil patties do hold together better with eggs than flax eggs.
Not sure how to use leftover ingredients? Red lentils go well in red lentil pasta sauce and red lentil stew. Chili garlic sauce is one of the main ingredients in peanut sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cook the red lentils until softened. Cover one cup of red lentils with two cups of water to make two cups of cooked lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover. The lentils should be softened in just 8 to 10 minutes.
Step two: Transfer the cooked lentils to a fine mesh sieve to drain. Lightly pat with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, but not hard enough to push the lentils through the colander.
Don't have a sieve? Line a regular pasta strainer with paper towels. Add the drained lentils and pat gently with more paper towels to remove excess moisture without pushing the lentils through the strainer holes.
Step three. While the lentils are cooking, sauté the peppers, carrots, and green onions until softened.
Step four: Stir all of the ingredients together to form a cohesive mixture.
Testing note: I tested patties using both chilled and unchilled batter. Chilling the red lentil mixture for 30 minutes improves the texture only slightly. I don't find the difference significant enough to recommend chilling the red lentil patty mixture before cooking it.
Step five: Use a ½ cup measure to form six lentil patties. Gently press down with the back of a spatula to flatten the patties to about ½ inch thickness. This allows the inside to cook more evenly.
Cook on a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden.
Variations
How to bake the patties
These burgers can be baked instead of pan-fried, but this method does yield slightly drier patties. Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (parchment is optional, otherwise just lightly oil the pan) and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Egg-free/vegan option
I tested this recipe with both eggs and a flax egg. Flax egg patties don't hold together as well as egg patties, but they do still work.
To make vegan, make a flaxseed egg by combining 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
How to make fritters
This recipe makes 12 smaller "fritters" similar to these curry chickpea fritters. These are great on greens in salads, in grain bowls, or as an appetizer.
To make fritters, simply form patties from ¼ cup of the mixture instead of ½ cup. Cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
FAQ
This is likely because the patties were overcooked or not enough liquid was used in the patty mixture. To avoid drying out the patties, saute them over medium heat in a skillet or at 350 degrees in the oven. The patty mixture should be wet to the touch, but malleable enough to form into patties.
There are a few reasons that veggie burgers fall apart.
First, it's possible that the lentils are too wet. Make sure to gently pat the lentils with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Secondly, use two types of binding ingredients: an egg (or flax egg) and rolled oats.
Thirdly, cook the patties on medium heat. Cooking them on medium-high or high causes the outside of the patty to cook too quickly, while the inside will still be soft and thus likely to fall apart.
Storage notes
To make in advance: The lentil patty mixture can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Leftovers: Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. I prefer to cook all of the patties at once and then reheat them on the stove, but you can also store them uncooked.
How to freeze: I recommend forming individual patties and cooking them on the stove before freezing. This way you can take them out of the freezer and thaw them on the stove instead of having to thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Store patties between layers of wax paper to prevent them from sticking together. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
More easy vegetarian dinners
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Recipe
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Easy Red Lentil Patties
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry red lentils rinsed and sorted
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon table salt divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or other neutral oil
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- ¾ cup rolled oats AKA old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 and ½ tablespoons chili garlic sauce see note #1
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 large egg whisked until smooth; see note #2
- For serving: burger buns, spinach, guacamole
Instructions
- Combine lentils, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small pot. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Transfer the cooked lentils to a fine mesh sieve to drain. Gently pat with a paper towel enough to remove excess moisture, but not hard enough to push the lentils through the sieve.
- While the lentils are cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil. Once hot, add the diced peppers, carrots, and green onions. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
- Transfer all ingredients to a large mixing bowl: cooked red lentils, cooked bell pepper, carrots, green onion, rolled oats, cilantro, chili garlic sauce, cumin, optional red pepper flakes, and whisked egg. Stir to combine.
- Use a ½ cup measure to form six patties about the width of your palm. For best results, make sure the burger is no more than ½ inch thick.
- Cook on a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden.
- Serve on burger buns with your favorite fixings, such as spinach, tomatoes, and guacamole. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chili garlic sauce: I use Huy Fong brand, which is found in the international aisle at most major grocery stores. It is gently spicy, whereas other brands can be very spicy. If using another brand I recommend adjusting this ingredient to taste. Add an extra pinch of red chili flakes for a spicier patty.
- Egg: One large egg can be replaced with one flax egg to make this recipe vegan. To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes before using. The vegan patties hold together, but not as well as egg-based patties.
- Leftovers and reheating: Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for up to 3-4 days. Cook per recipe instructions.
- Freezing patties: Freeze individual cooked or uncooked patties for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or let thaw completely in the fridge overnight.
- Oven instructions: Line patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (optional) and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. Flip halfway through. This method will yield slightly dryer patties.
Jenny says
Delish and will make again! Mine were crumbly too but next time I’ll try the recommendations above. Would a second egg help hold together?
Cassidy Reeser says
A second egg would definitely help, as could extra oats. I'll have to make these again soon to try to figure out why they are crumbly for some! Thanks for the review 🙂
Carolyn says
The flavor was great but I couldn’t get them to stay together. I tried frying. And I tried baking.
Cassidy Reeser says
I'm curious if you used the egg or flax egg? It sounds like the lentils may have been too wet. But thank you for trying the recipe!
If anyone has this issue in the future, I recommend adding extra oats to help bind the patties.