These Vegan Lentil Burgers are the kind of recipe you’ll want to keep in rotation. They’re loaded with savory flavor, cook up beautifully, and make weeknight dinner’s something to actually look forward to.
PREP TIME
20 minutes
COOK TIME
10 minutes
TOTAL TIME
30 minutes
SERVINGS
4 servings
Easy Homemade Vegan Lentil Burgers
If you’re looking for a veggie burger with real flavor and a satisfying bite, these Vegan Lentil Burgers deliver. Cooked lentils, tomato paste, and spices come together in a savory patty that is delicious, and can be served within 30 minutes.
They’re also wonderfully flexible. Serve them the classic way on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and your favorite sauce, or skip the bun and pair them with roasted vegetables, salad, potatoes, or a grain bowl. Many people choose to use our Tzatziki sauce for a tasty choice. Make a batch for dinner, tuck a few away for meal prep, or freeze extras for an easy meal later.
About This Recipe
RECIPE TYPE
Burger, dinner, lunch, main course
BEST SEASONS
All season
STAR INGREDIENTS
Lentils
BEST FOR
Weeknight dinners, meal prep, cookouts, casual lunches
HIGHLIGHTS
Recipe Notes
- Use brown or green lentils. They hold their shape better than red lentils and give the burgers a heartier texture. Rinse and drain the canned lentils.
- Don’t mash the lentils completely smooth. Leave some whole or partially mashed lentils for better texture and a more substantial bite.
- Watch the moisture, not just the measurements. The mixture should feel moist but hold together easily when pressed into a patty. If it seems dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- The flax mixture is optional. If your patties already hold together well, you may not need it. Add it when you want a firmer, sturdier burger or your mixture feels a little loose.
- Finely chop the onion. Smaller pieces blend into the patties better and help them hold together while cooking.
- Let the mixture rest before shaping. A short rest gives the oat flour time to absorb moisture and makes the patties easier to form.
- Shape firmly but gently. Press the mixture together enough to hold its shape without packing the burgers too tightly.
- For a good golden crust, let the pan and oil heat before adding the patties, then avoid moving them around too much while the first side cooks.
- Make them gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oat flour and tamari or coconut aminos instead of regular soy sauce.
- Make them your own. Add chopped herbs, extra smoked paprika, chili flakes, or your favorite burger seasonings depending on the flavor you’re craving.
What to serve with Vegan Lentil Burgers
Go traditional and serve French Fries or Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
Coleslaw is a refreshingly nice contrast to the lentil burger.
Grilled Vegetables. Fire up the grill and cook a medley of vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, or corn on the cob.
Quinoa Chickpea Salad with a zesting dressing adds more flavor and nutrition to the meal.
Avocado Salad is a dreamy side with this burger.
Salad: Choose a simple side salad or something more savory and filling. If you use a Mediterranean sauce on your burger, such as tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce, then serve a Greek Salad with it.
Pickles: Add some tanginess to your meal with a side of pickles or pickled vegetables.
Guacamole and Chips: Whip up a batch of homemade guacamole and serve it alongside crispy tortilla chips with the lentil burgers.
Baked Beans: Makes a comforting and hearty side dish that complement the lentils burger goodness!
Easy Vegan Potato Salad: Is the perfect side to lentil burgers. For barbecues, picnics and gatherings, this side compliments lentil burgers.
Soup: Serve a soup on the side with your burgers. There are so many delicious ones to try! They can be made ahead of time and heated up when making the burgers.
For a more traditional style dinner, serve burgers by themselves with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. To bring the dinner up a notch, serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy. For a complete meal add a vegetable, such as Garlic String Beans, or Roasted Carrots.
Vegan Lentil Burger Recipe FAQs
Can I use canned lentils for these burgers?
Yes. Canned lentils make this recipe even quicker. Drain and rinse them well, then let any excess moisture drip off before measuring.
What kind of lentils are best for lentil burgers?
Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape while still being easy to mash. Red lentils become much softer and can make the burger mixture too mushy.
Why are my lentil burgers falling apart?
The mixture may be too wet or may need a little more time to rest. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes so the oat flour can absorb the moisture. If it still feels loose, add a little more oat flour or use the optional flax mixture for extra binding.
Do I need to use the flax mixture?
Not always. If your burger mixture holds together easily when pressed into a patty, you can leave it out. The flax mixture is helpful when the mixture feels softer or when you want especially sturdy burgers.
Can I make these lentil burgers gluten-free?
Yes. Use certified gluten-free oat flour and choose tamari or coconut aminos instead of regular soy sauce.
Can I bake the burgers instead of pan-frying them?
Yes. Place the patties on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet and bake until firm and lightly browned, flipping partway through. Pan-frying will give you a crispier exterior, while baking is an easy hands-off option.
Can I make smaller lentil patties instead of full-size burgers?
Absolutely. Shape the mixture into smaller patties for sliders, wraps, bowls, or appetizer-size portions. Smaller patties will cook a little faster, so keep an eye on them.
What should the lentil burger mixture feel like?
It should be moist and easy to shape without sticking excessively to your hands or crumbling apart. Think soft but sturdy—it should hold together when pressed into a patty without feeling dry or doughy.
Planning Ahead Tips
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Editor’s Note
Lentil burgers are one of those recipes I like to keep in rotation because they’re easy to make, filling, and flexible enough to use in more than one meal. Sometimes I serve them the traditional way on a bun with all the toppings, and other times I skip the bun completely and serve them as patties with a side of rice, potatoes, vegetables, or a salad.
I also like making extra patties for the refrigerator or freezer. They reheat well, and I’ll often use leftovers in a wrap, crumble one over a bowl, or make smaller patties for an easy lunch. I’ve also mashed up leftover lentil burgers and mixed them with a little salsa or cayenne to make quick tacos and burritos. It’s the kind of recipe that makes meal prep feel a little less repetitive.
Tried this recipe? We’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below.
Vegan Lentil Burger
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 fork or potato masher
- 1 food processor if grinding rolled oats into oat flour
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 skillet or pan
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups cooked lentils (green or brown) or 1 -15 oz. can lentils drained
- 3/4 cups Oat flour (or blend rolled oats in food processor)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tablespoons water to make "flax egg" (optional to form sturdier burger)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon coconut amino, tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional for heat)
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, mash the cooked lentils using a fork or potato masher until they are partially mashed but still have some texture.
- Add oat flours, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, flax egg, soy sauce or coconut aminos, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder, and cayenne, salt to the bowl. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
- Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some moisture and bind the mixture together. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of water if it needs to be more moist.
- Form the mixture into patties of desired size and thickness.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the lentil burgers for about 4-5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and firm. (for baking instructions see recipe notes below)
- Serve the lentil burgers on buns with your favorite toppings and condiments.
These were really good.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Delicious! Made double and froze the extra.
Glad you liked it!
Would you mind sharing the sauce recipe on these burgers in your photo? I am making these burgers tonight for dinner.
Wonderful! Hope you enjoy them. It’s Tzatziki Sauce. Here’s the LINK to the recipe: https://veganfocus.com/vegan-tzatziki-sauce/
Hi! I just came across this recipe as I have been diagnosed with lots of allergies but I can eat lentils!! I can’t have oats though…can I use bread crumbs or what else could be used in this recipe do you think? Thanks!!
Hi there! Thanks for reaching out. I’m so glad you found this recipe—it can definitely be tricky cooking with allergies, but it’s great that lentils are an option for you!
You can absolutely substitute the oat flour with bread crumbs in this recipe. If you’re looking for other options, here are some alternatives I like to use: almond flour, rice flour, quinoa flour, or chickpea flour. Just a heads-up, almond flour doesn’t absorb as much moisture, and rice flour can sometimes make things a bit flat and dry, so I usually combine them with something else rather than using them on their own.
A little trick I love when making substitutions is to add a few tablespoons of arrowroot powder or 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain mashed potatoes to the mix. It gives the burgers a fuller texture and helps hold everything together nicely.
I’d suggest experimenting with a half batch first to see what works best for you. Let me know how it turns out or if you have any other questions—I’m happy to help!