Black Bean & Red Lentil Burgers (Vegan + Grain-Free)

vegan black bean and red lentil burgers

GRAIN-FREE, OIL-FREE, and of course, VEGAN! These burgers are made with a mixture of black beans and tender red lentils, flavorful spices, and are oven-baked for crispy-ness. Top with greens, avocado slices, and ketchup for a carnivore-approved veggie burger!

Remember when the only “mainstream” veggie burger options were Boca and Morning Star? Well friends, long gone are the days of settling for processed, rubbery soy burgers. Not only is there now a plethora of healthier options out there, but we can also build our own burgers out of whole plant foods (we have the technology. lol). Who woulda thought, right?!

My go-to store-bought veggie burgers are Hilary’s because number one, they’re friggin’ delicious. Seriously, they taste sinful. Number two, they are organic and whole food plant-based. They’re ideal for an easy meal when I don’t have the time to cook or have nothing prepared. 

However, there is something to be said about a fresh veggie burger made from scratch. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a total control freak when it comes to ingredients. I wanna know everything that’s in there and why it’s in there. It’s one of the reasons I love to create my own recipes and cook/bake at home. 

 

veganblack bean and red lentil burgers

One of the best things about this recipe is that it requires relatively simple ingredients and minimal prep work. Because honestly, I don’t want to plan my dinner 3 days in advance. I prefer to go with the flow, ya feel?

The one extra step I do recommend though is soaking your lentils overnight. You don’t have to do this by any means, and the recipe will work just fine if you skip this step. But the reason I recommend doing this is because soaking any dry legume, bean, seed, or nut in water for a certain amount of time helps to remove enzyme inhibitors and lectins, which prevent us from properly digesting these foods. This is why most of us tend to feel gassy and bloated after eating them.

If you are short on time or tend to forget to soak your beans and legumes, you can buy them pre-sprouted in many grocery stores and just skip the soaking step entirely. I like to keep a bag of sprouted lentils and mung beans on hand.

You can use any type of lentil in this recipe, but I recommend red lentils because they tend to have a softer, more tender consistency than other lentils when cooked, therefore making them easier to work with and form into patties.

This recipe is baked in the oven which I find helps create a nice even form and crispy-ness, but you can try cooking in a skillet as well. I would imagine you would get a similar result, but the burgers may be a little softer more difficult to work with. Experiment and see which method works for you!

These burgers are delicious topped with some tomato and avocado slices, leafy greens, vegan mayo or cheese, paleo ketchup, etc. Try them out and tell me YOUR favorite way to eat these babies! 😉

Finally, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram, friends! ENJOY!

vegan black bean and red lentil burgers
vegan black bean and red lentil burgers
veganblack bean and red lentil burgers
black vegan bean and red lentil burgers

vegan black bean and red lentil burgers
Black Bean & Red Lentil Burgers (Vegan + Grain-Free)
Print Recipe
GRAIN-FREE, OIL-FREE, and of course, VEGAN! Made with a mixture of black beans, tender red lentils, and flavorful spices, these burgers are oven-baked for crispy-ness. Top with greens, avocado slices, and ketchup for a carnivore-approved veggie burger!
Servings Prep Time
6 burgers 10-15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 burgers 10-15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
vegan black bean and red lentil burgers
Black Bean & Red Lentil Burgers (Vegan + Grain-Free)
Print Recipe
GRAIN-FREE, OIL-FREE, and of course, VEGAN! Made with a mixture of black beans, tender red lentils, and flavorful spices, these burgers are oven-baked for crispy-ness. Top with greens, avocado slices, and ketchup for a carnivore-approved veggie burger!
Servings Prep Time
6 burgers 10-15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
6 burgers 10-15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans
  • 1/2 cup soaked red lentils see Notes*
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 flax egg see Notes**
  • 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp himalayan pink salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch black pepper
Servings: burgers
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Drain and rinse soaked lentils (or just use pre-sprouted lentils and skip the soaking), add water to cover lentils, and cook in a medium saucepan until tender (until the lentils have absorbed all the water).
  3. Chop onions and sauté in a skillet over medium heat. To keep recipe oil-free, add water to skillet as needed to sauté.
  4. Drain and rinse black beans. Transfer lentils and beans to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until slightly chunky. Then mix in flax egg, onions, ACV, nutritional yeast, and spices.
  5. With wet hands, form six patties. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each patty carefully with a spatula. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until crispy. Optional to broil on high for 1-2 minutes before removing from oven. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

*Soaking your lentils overnight in water helps to remove some of the enzyme inhibitors and lectins, making them easier to digest. If you’re using dry beans, you can soak them as well. Beans and legumes can also be purchased pre-sprouted so you can skip this step!

**To make the flax egg, grind up 1 tablespoon whole flax seeds in a blender or spice grinder and put in small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water, stir mixture and let sit for 10 minutes until it forms a “gel-like” consistency. This can also be done with chia seeds in the exact same way. I like to do this before everything else so the flax/chia egg has time to set.

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