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A hearty BBQ lentil burger topped with quick and easy creamy coleslaw is a perfect summer meal! Serve in a bun or over a crisp salad. (nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options). This post was originally published May 6, 2013
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Hello summer! It’s time for all things BBQ, and this BBQ lentil burger combines so many summer flavors in one delicious dish.
The patties have split red lentils, which cook really quickly, and they are loaded with BBQ sauce, inside and out! You can make them on the stovetop or in the oven.
These burgers are also absolutely loaded with veggies! Finely chopped cauliflower, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper give the patties bulk, texture, and flavor. These are veggie veggie burgers. Not trying to be meat anything. Just lentils and veggies and celebrating them. These veggie patties are delicious as is as well!
Serve these with a simple, creamy slaw or your favorite burger toppings on a bun, or use them to top a green salad for a lighter meal. I love adding fruit to the slaw. The original recipe was written with mango in the slaw. Mango add some juicy sweet to the creamy, tangy, crunchy slaw for amazing balance of flavor.
Why You’ll Love BBQ Lentil Burgers
- veggie-packed!
- easy to make in the oven or on the stovetop
- loaded with so much amazing BBQ sauce flavor!
- versatile – Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings or add the patties to a salad.
- nut-free with easy soy-free and gluten-free options
More Burger Recipes
BBQ Lentil Burger (Vegan Red Lentil Veggie Burger)
Ingredients
Lentils and Veggies for patties:
- 3/4 cup split red lentils, pink or orange lentils
- 2 cups water
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
- 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper
Flavor for Burger patties:
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce, use soy-free if needed or my homemade BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon onion flakes, or powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon flaxmeal
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 to 4 tablespoons all purpose flour, or oat or other flour
Other Toppings
- burger toppings of choice, like sliced red onion, pickled onion, lettuce, tomato, bbq sauce, etc.
- burger buns, or greens, as needed
Burger glaze
- 2 tablespoons bbq sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
Mango Cabbage Slaw
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced mango or apple
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 3 to 4 tablespoon vegan mayo, or non dairy yogurt or Cashew cream
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- dashes of salt, pepper, celery seeds and herbs of choice
Instructions
Make the slaw.
- Slice mango, carrot and cabbage.
- Add the mayo or non dairy yogurt, vinegar, maple, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix well. Fold in the slaw. Taste and adjust and set aside . Add some lemon for extra tang if needed.
Make the burger patties.
- Wash the lentils and add to pan with water, garlic, and salt and cook over medium heat partially covered for 14-16 minutes or until cooked or al dente . Drain and add to a bowl.
- Add the cauliflower, ginger, garlic, carrot, and peppers to a food processor. Process to make a finely chopped meal. (I roughly chop the veggies and process them. You can also use a grater. Use sizes of veggies accordingly)
- Add veggies to the lentil bowl. Add in the spices, bbq sauce, flax seed meal and sesame seeds and mix in. Then fold in the breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons flour. Mix and let sit for for a few minutes. Check if the mixture isn’t too wet, when you press it, moisture shouldn’t leak and pool.
- Shape into patties by hand or by using a cookie cutter. In a small bowl mix the glaze: bbq sauce, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon or oil or water.
- To bake: place the burgers on parchment lined sheet. Brush with glaze. Bake at 400º F (205º C) for 20-25 minutes. Once the center is set, glaze again and remove from oven. Once baked, these patties can be grilled quickly for grill marks, if you like.
- To pan fry: Heat a skillet over high heat. Add oil, reduce heat to medium once hot. Place the burger patties in the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Glaze one side and remove from skillet.
Assemble the BBQ lentil burgers.
- Layer lettuce/greens, bbq sauce, red onion slices/pickled onion, slaw and burger patty.
Video
Notes
Add 1-2 teaspoon Sriracha to the patty mixture for a spicier patty. Nutritional values don’t include buns or toppings, since how you serve may vary. BBQ lentil burgers are naturally nut-free. For soy-free, choose a soy-free BBQ sauce and make sure your buns/toppings are soy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and oat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Make sure that your buns and toppings are all gluten-free. One of the keys to great flavor in these is a really good bbq sauces use your fave or make your own, like my home-made BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- split red lentils – These are the base for your burger. Make sure to rinse well and pick them over before cooking.
- dried spices – Season the lentils with garlic powder while cooking. For the patties, we will use chipotle powder and onion flakes or powder.
- veggies – We will be chopping up cauliflower, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper in a food processor for these lentil veggie burgers.
- BBQ sauce – You are adding BBQ sauce to the patties and using it to make a glaze on top with some hot sauce for maximum BBQ flavor. Use soy-free BBQ sauce, if needed. You can also add a little bit of sriracha to the patties for spicy lentil burgers.
- flax meal – This is your binder that holds the patties together.
- other mix-ins – Sesame seeds add a little extra protein and flavor. Breadcrumbs and flour help the burgers hold together. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and oat flour, if needed, for a gluten-free option.
In the picture above from 2013 , I used my rye almond buns with these burgers.
💡Tips
- The lentil mixture should be moist but not too wet. It shouldn’t leak liquid when you press it. Add more flour, as needed, until you get the right consistency.
- You can bake these lentil burgers or pan fry them. Pan frying does yield more crisp results. You can pop the baked patties onto the grill for a few minutes to crisp them up, if you like.
How to Make Lentil Veggie Burgers
Wash the lentils and add to a pan with water, garlic, and salt. Cook over medium heat, partially covered, for 14-16 minutes or until cooked or al dente.
Drain and add to a bowl.
Add the cauliflower, ginger, garlic, carrot, and peppers to a food processor. Process to make a finely chopped meal.
Add the veggie mixture to the lentil bowl.
Add in the spices, bbq sauce, flax seed meal and sesame seeds and mix in. Then fold in the breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons flour.
Mix and let sit for for a few minutes. Check if the mixture isn’t too wet. When you press it, moisture shouldn’t leak, and it shouldn’t feel very wet. Add more flour, if the dough is too wet.
Shape into patties, then make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the bbq sauce, hot sauce, and 1 teaspoon or oil or water. Set aside.
To bake: place the burgers on parchment lined sheet. Brush with glaze. Bake at 400° F/200º C for 20-25 minutes. Once the center is set, glaze again and remove from oven. Once baked, these patties can be grilled quickly for grill marks, if you like.
To pan fry: Heat a skillet over high heat. Add oil, and reduce the heat to medium once hot. Place the burger patties in the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Glaze one side and remove from skillet.
Serve in a toasted bun with your favorite burger toppings, like lettuce, tomato, onion, or creamy slaw. Or, serve these over crisp greens for a satisfying summer salad! Dress with thinned out bbq sauce or vegan ranch or mayo based dressing.
What to Serve with Lentil Burgers
These are great with your favorite grilled sides, like mac and cheese, pasta salad, bean salad etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
BBQ lentil burgers are naturally nut-free.
For soy-free, choose a soy-free BBQ sauce and make sure your buns/toppings are soy-free.
For gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and oat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Make sure that your buns and toppings are all gluten-free.
Great, love your vegan recipes, gives us options and recipes are clear easy to follow THANK YOU
Awesome!