What started out as a Weight Watchers Lentil Casserole recipe turned into the most amazing Lentil Burgers the next day.
We've never found a great homemade veggie burger until this experiment and oh my gosh is it good!
The Lentil Casserole is super easy to make and amazing by itself. A good hearty meal for your family and friends.
It was just the two of us so the next day we had so much leftover I decided to play with it and see if it could turn into a good burger. We tweaked it a few times and now I feel pretty good sharing the concept here.
Prep, Cook, Servings for the Lentil Casserole
Prep: 10 min. Cook: 20 min. rest.
Servings: 8
Ingredients for the Lentil Casserole
1 cup ( s ) dry lentils, rinsed 1/2 cup ( s ) uncooked long-grain brown rice 2 cup ( s ) uncooked carrot(s), shredded 3 cup ( s ) water 1 packet onion soup mix, reduced-sodium preferred 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp olive oil
Additional ingredients for the Lentil Burger - Amounts in the instructions.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Eggs
Breadcrumbs
Grated Cheese - We use Pecorino Romano or Locatelli.
Lentil Casserole Instructions
Rinse lentils.
Place all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and cook until rice is done, about 20 minutes.
Yields 1 cup per serving.
Yep, that's it! SUPER easy!
Lentil Burger Instructions - Makes 3 to 4 Burgers depending on the size.
Add 1 cup of the finished casserole to a medium-sized bowl. Add an additional 1/3 cup of the finished casserole to a food processor or grinder and blend. Add to the same bowl. Add about 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs to the bowl. I do the breadcrumbs by feel, you might want to add more after mixing.
Add at least 1/2 cup of grated cheese to the bowl. More to taste. Add one egg to the bowl.
Add at least 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl. More to taste. Mix well with a fork or spoon or your hands.
The mixture is going to be wet but should not be soaked. If it feels soaked, add a bit more breadcrumbs. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cooking tray. Form burger patties in your hands and place them on the parchment paper. Place the burgers in the freezer for at least 15 min to firm up. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Let the oil get good and hot. Add the patties and let cook at least 2 minutes before disturbing. You want a good sear on the outside.
Lift one slightly to see if it's a good golden to dark brown on the bottom. Flip the burger and cook another 2 or 3 minutes until both sides are good and brown.
Cooking Notes
Top with provolone cheese, blue cheese or any cheese along with lettuce and tomato.
Floating the buns or the bread adds a real nice buttery flavor to the bread.
I've used horseradish sauce on the bun along with sriracha and it's awesome.
Once the burgers are frozen you can put them into baggies for use at a later date.
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