Veggie burgers are a staple around here. They are not the easiest recipe to perfect, however. Let me tell you all about how I perfected this lentil beet veggie burgers recipe!
First of all, veggie burgers should not have too many carbs. You are going to put it on a bun, afterall. Secondly, veggie burgers should not be devoid of protein. They are a main dish.
My lentil beet veggie burgers recipe hits both of these marks. The beets and carrots make up most of the bulk of the burger, keeping them from being too carb heavy. Finally, the lentils and sunflower seeds add protein to make these burgers filling.
What about the texture? They are not fall-apart crumbly, and they are not mushy either. The sunflower seeds and brown rice add lots of texture, and the egg and flour hold everything together!
Tips and Tricks for the Lentil Beet Veggie Burgers Recipe:
- Gluten Free: Use chickpea flour in place of whole wheat flour, and serve over a bed of greens, or simply sans bun!
- Beets and Carrots: The sweetness of the carrot and the earthiness of the beet really balance each other. You can be flexible with the amounts, however. Only have 3/4 cup beet? Fill in the rest with extra carrot and vice versa!
- If you can only find salted sunflower seeds, cut back on the salt in the recipe so that you don’t over do it!
- Dijon can be replaced with another thick sauce of your choice. Try ketchup or BBQ!
- ½ cup onion
- Splash olive oil
- 1 TBS white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup each: grated peeled beet and grated carrot
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ½ cup each: cooked brown rice and roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
- 3 TBS sesame seeds (white and/or black)
- 3 TBS whole wheat flour or chickpea flour
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp each: ground cumin and salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 6 whole wheat buns
- Lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo ketchup, Dijon etc.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- In a skillet, cook the onion with a splash of olive oil until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine vinegar.
- Meanwhile, cover lentils with water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the beet, carrot, Parmesan, rice, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whole wheat flour, Dijon, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the cooked onion, lentils and the egg, stirring to combine.
- Form the mixture into 6 patties and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Recipe adapted from Eating Well.
