Most restaurants in Los Angeles, regardless of type, will typically offer some kind of vegetarian or vegan option. If it’s not a burger from the Impossible world, it’s some kind of vegetable or bean burger. If I’m being honest, most of them taste like trash. Many veggie or bean burgers are treated as more of an afterthought in a restaurant that offers them as alternatives, rather than the shining stars that they have the potential to be. I never opt for them if I’m out because I’ve been disappointed so many times. Instead (as is normally the case in my world), I’ll learn how to do it myself and truly do it justice.
My personal lentil burger recipe came from trying to find hearty protein replacements for my newly vegan husband (he came to the veggie side about a year after me) that didn’t involve processed ‘meat-like’ products. So I started with beans. I’ve made this recipe from red beans and black beans, but I find that they make the most sense with lentils. That way they don’t taste too ‘beany’ and they are filling and satisfying as the main course of any meal. Since neither of us eat bread, he’ll typically wrap his burgers in some kind of leaf, and I’ll eat them dressed with any combination of pickled onions, tomato and avocado.
This recipe makes about 15 burgers. It’s perfect for any kind of meal prep (or for keeping the husband well fed while the wife is traveling lol). Remember that you can swap the lentils out for any kind of bean, and alter the spices to suit your personal tastes. Sometimes I’ll even add a bit of smoked paprika and swap out the bell for a serrano pepper to switch things up. Here’s hoping you love these burgers as much as we do!