Smoky lentil & chestnut mushroom vegetarian burgers
Hearty, smoky lentil and chestnut mushroom burgers with a lemon-yoghurt sauce — filling, quick to make and brilliant for BBQs or midweek suppers.
These smoky lentil and chestnut mushroom burgers are proper comfort food — meaty texture without meat. They char beautifully in a frying pan and hold up well for a picnic, barbecue or a no-fuss midweek tea.
They hinge on two tricks: drying the veg so the patties bind, and chilling them before cooking. Make the patties ahead and chill for the best results; they’ll need just a quick sizzle before assembly.
Ingredients
- 150 g red lentils, dried
- 400 ml water
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — about 150 g
- 3 garlic cloves
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms
- 1 carrot — about 100 g, grated
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 30 ml soy sauce — or tamari for gluten-free
- 60 g rolled oats
- 30 g plain flour
- 60 g mature vegetarian cheddar — grated
- 1 egg
- 5 ml salt
- 5 ml black pepper
- 4 burger buns
- 80 g baby spinach
- 100 g natural yoghurt
- 15 g fresh coriander — finely chopped
- 1 lemon — juice only
Equipment
- food processor
Instructions
Rinse the red lentils under cold water until the water runs clear. Put the lentils in a medium saucepan with 400 ml water and ½ tsp of the salt. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped brown onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the crushed garlic, finely chopped chestnut mushrooms and grated carrot to the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the mixture is fairly dry, 6–8 minutes.
Stir in the smoked paprika, ground cumin and soy sauce, cook for 1–2 minutes to let the spices bloom, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Put the cooked lentils and the cooled vegetable mixture into a food processor. Add the rolled oats, plain flour, grated mature vegetarian cheddar, egg and the remaining ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Pulse briefly — just enough to bring everything together into a coarse, sticky mixture (about 20–30 seconds).
Turn the mixture into a bowl, divide into four, and shape into even patties (about 150 g each). Place the patties on a baking tray, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Fry the chilled patties for 4–5 minutes on each side, turning once, until a deep golden crust forms and they are cooked through (about 10 minutes total).
While the patties finish, split the burger buns and toast cut-side down in the dry frying pan for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
Make the lemon-yoghurt sauce: mix the natural yoghurt with the juice of the lemon, chopped fresh coriander and a small pinch of salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assemble the burgers: spread a little lemon-yoghurt sauce on each bun base, add a handful of baby spinach, a lentil and mushroom patty, more sauce if liked, then the bun top. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Pulse the mixture only briefly in the food processor — stop when it holds together to avoid a pasty texture.
- If the mixture feels too wet, add another tablespoon of plain flour or 1–2 tbsp extra oats; if too dry, a splash of water or an extra egg white will help.
- Make the patties a day ahead and chill; they develop better flavour and are much easier to fry.
- To keep burgers intact while turning, slide a spatula under and flip with a second spatula for support.
- Freeze cooked patties individually on a tray then bag; reheat in a pan from frozen for 6–8 minutes each side.
Substitutions
soy sauce → tamari, same quantity
Stays closeegg → flax 'egg' (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water; leave 10 minutes), use 1 flax mix
Noticeably differentmature vegetarian cheddar → 50 g grated halloumi or 30 g nutritional yeast for a dairy-free bite
Noticeably differentplain flour → gluten-free plain flour, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 532
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 66 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these burgers vegan?
Yes — replace the egg with a flax 'egg' (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, left 10 minutes) and swap the mature vegetarian cheddar for 2 tbsp nutritional yeast or omit. Texture will be slightly different but still very good.
How do I stop the patties falling apart?
Key steps: evaporate the veg moisture in step 3, pulse only briefly in the processor, and chill the shaped patties for at least 30 minutes so they firm up before frying.
Can I bake or grill the patties instead of frying?
Yes — bake on a lightly oiled baking tray at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 15–18 minutes, turning once. They won’t get quite as crisp as frying but will cook through.
Can I use tinned lentils?
You can, but drain and blot them dry. Use two tins (about 400 g drained) and reduce the oats slightly, as tinned lentils are softer and wetter than cooked dried lentils.
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