Lentil Veggie Burger Recipe

Hunger-satisfying veggie burgers with toasted sunflower seeds & oats

The original recipe works well. As long as you stick with the basic ingredients & proportions, you can't go wrong. We made a few changes and added some options - because we can't help playing with our recipes! Feel free to do the same.

First we halved the recipe. Then we cooked the lentils with a veggie bouillon cube, sautééed the veggies and spices in oil, added some paprika and gr. flax seed, threw in some minced fresh basil, used fresh ginger instead of dried.

Makes 8-10 hearty lentil burgers. Double the recipe to feed a crowd

Ingredients:

• 1 cups brown lentils
• 2 cups water
• Optional: 1 vegan veggie bouillon cube
• 3/4 cups sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cups quick oats
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 1 tsp cumin
• Optional: 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried ginger, OR 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• Optional: 1/4 cup shredded carrot or minced red bell pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp paprika
• Optional: 1/8 tsp cayenne or black pepper
• Optional: 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
• Optional: 1/4 cup minced fresh basil or parsley

Directions:

1. Soak lentils in hot water for 2 hours
2. Drain and rinse lentils
3. Place drained lentils in a 4 quart pot with 2 cups of water, and optional veggie cube
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 1 hour
5. Remove lid and turn heat up to medium, stirring occasionally, until remaining liquid has been absorbed. Mash lentils with a potato masher, stick blender or fork
6. While the lentils are cooking, place the sunflower seeds in a large shallow pan. Toast in a 275 degree oven for 1/2 an hour stirring once or twice until golden brown
7. Chop onions, garlic, and ginger plus any optional veggies
8. Optional: sauté onion, garlic & pepper or carrot, if using, with oil in a frying pan until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and any optional spices. Stir for another 2 minutes, and remove from heat
9. Grind toasted sunflower seeds to a coarse meal in a food processor or blender, leaving some large chunks
10. Place oats, sunflower seeds, mashed lentils, veggies, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl
11. Add nutritional yeast, along with minced basil or parley, & ground flax seeds if using
12. Stir together with your hands to make a stiff mixture. Let stand for 1/2 an hour to allow the oats to absorb moisture and bind the mixture together
13. Heat a little cooking oil in a frying pan on medium heat, shape the lentil mixture into patties and fry 10 minutes on each side until nice and crispy brown