Inspired by the chilled, spicy köfte I had in Turkey, I decided to make my own veggie burgers— and man, did they turn out wonderful. Easy recipe, filling, great tasting results— I think I have a new favorite food!
The allure of a package of veggie burgers in the fridge is two parts: the convenience and the taste. These patties deliver both, lovely rich flavor, easy to make and quite filling.
The base I used is red lentils and chickpeas, and they’re flavored with cumin. If you want to go spicier, I think curry would work well in these. I’ve been on a quest for good gluten-free veggie burgers— but now, I’ve discovered it’s also very easy to make my own.
A note on practical things: when you take out the gluten, you lose a good deal of consistency and binding, leading to crumbly patties that don’t hold together. Removing eggs as a binding agent furthers the crumbling. For this recipe, I used crushed flaxseeds, which worked wonderfully. They blended well, the patties were firm, and bonus— flax seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Also, when red lentils cook, they get verrrry tender, and quickly become almost porridge-like in consistency, making it easy to form patties from them. (Final note on binding agents: When I’m in the U.S., I’ve used xanthum gum as a binder, which works well.)
Next time, I’m going to double the batch and freeze some.
Time cook: 45 minutes; yield: 10 patties
Ingredients
-2 medium carrots, grated
-1 medium onion, diced
-1 cup chickpeas
-1 cup red lentils (uncooked)
-4 tablespoon flaxseeds
-2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (my top pick: chickpea flour)
-1 tablespoon cumin
-salt and pepper, to taste
-olive oil
-2 cups water (or vegetable stock)
Directions
1. Bring the water to a boil, then add the red lentils and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside to drain completely.
2. Saute the onions until transparent (about five minutes) then add the grated carrots and spices.
3. Remove the vegetables from the heat, and stir in the cooked lentils and chickpeas.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and begin to add the flaxseed and flour. (I find it’s easier to add it in a tablespoon at a time, to get it to mix evenly.)
5. Put the bowl in the fridge to let cool. (Note: if you’re busy, you can let the mixture set up for longer— several hours or even overnight.)
6. When the mixed lentils, vegetables and chickpeas are cool to the touch, form into 2” patties.
7. Dust each side with a little gluten-free flour, and fry on each side until crisp and golden.
8. Serve with cucumbers and vegan mayo.
Red lentil and chickpea veggie burgers
Ingredients
-2 medium carrots, grated
-1 medium onion, diced
-1 cup chickpeas
-1 cup red lentils (uncooked)
-4 tablespoon flaxseeds
-2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (my top pick: chickpea flour)
-1 tablespoon cumin
-salt and pepper, to taste
-olive oil
-2 cups water (or vegetable stock)
Directions
1. Bring the water to a boil, then add the red lentils and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside to drain completely.
2. Saute the onions until transparent (about five minutes) then add the grated carrots and spices.
3. Remove the vegetables from the heat, and stir in the cooked lentils and chickpeas.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and begin to add the flaxseed and flour. (I find it’s easier to add it in a tablespoon at a time, to get it to mix evenly.)
5. Put the bowl in the fridge to let cool. (Note: if you’re busy, you can let the mixture set up for longer— several hours or even overnight.)
6. When the mixed lentils, vegetables and chickpeas are cool to the touch, form into 2” patties.
7. Dust each side with a little gluten-free flour, and fry on each side until crisp and golden.
8. Serve with cucumbers and vegan mayo.
Detroiter in Poland 
This sounds like my favorite food to order when eating Turkish food- Red lentil soup, but in patty form! I love the idea and have to make them ASAP.
I was inspired by lentil soup and kofte both! Let me know how they turn out— and thanks for stopping by.