Lentil Patties

A quick and easy recipe for vegan, gluten-free Lentil Patties that calls for simple pantry ingredients and can be ready in about 35 minutes. Perfect for lunches, snacks, or a filling plant-based meal.

I’ve never been one to meal plan, but future me certainly feels grateful whenever I do. Enter these vegan lentil patties that are ridiculously easy to make and a joy to have in the fridge for easy meals throughout the week.

If you are having visions of lentil patties that are mushy, bland, with a long list of ingredients and a complicated preparation, these are nothing like that. Made with assertive spices and aromatics that load the patties with flavour, they’re perfectly crispy on the outside with a soft, yet textured interior.

I like to serve them alongside a salad, drizzled with a tangy creamy sauce. But they will work just as well served in a bun, wrapped in a warmed pita, or all on their own as a snack dipped in sauce.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Quick and Easy: In this recipe for lentil patties, we skip the step of precooking any of the veggies, and you can even you can use canned lentils to keep things easier and faster. There is also no pre-chilling of the patties required so you can have them prepared and cooked in about 30 minutes.
• They will hold together: Let me say that again a little louder: These lentil patties will hold together!! Nothing worse than patties that crumble apart before they go in your mouth. After a lot of testing and retesting, I nailed the formula so the patties hold together while they cook AND after they cook. If you follow the recipe as written, they should not fall apart.
• Nutritious: The base of these delicious vegan patties is made up of high-protein, high-fibre lentils so you know they’re good for you.
• Great for meal prep: I highly recommend you make a make a double batch of these lentil patties. They freeze beautifully and also reheat well.
• Make ahead: The patties are excellent for preparing ahead. In fact, they are almost better when cooked, chilled and reheated as this gives them more time to set and firm up.  Maybe it’s just me, but they also taste better the next day.
• Not mushy and not dry! Oh the dreaded dry and/or mushy veggie patties. Full disclosure, these veggie patties are not meant to replace a beef burger experience. Think of them more like falafels with a different flavor profile. They are crispy on the outside with a tender, moist interior that is soft but not mushy or dry.

Recipe Ingredient Notes 

For me, one of the biggest turn-offs with making lentil burger patties is the long ingredient list. This one is refreshingly short (by veggie-patty standards) and straightforward without comprising any flavour.

• Lentils: I recommend using brown or green lentils to make this lentil patties recipe. You can cook dry lentils, or use canned lentils. See section below on the best lentil variety to use.
• Carrots: A few carrots will add heft and a touch of sweetness to the patties.
• Shallots: I love the flavor of shallots in these patties but ed onion, or any other onion will work just as well.
• Tomato Paste: For adding more savory depth of flavor.
• Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic but granulated garlic will also work.
• Spices: These patties are super flavourful thanks to a good dose of smoked paprika, ground cumin and ground corinader. I also like to add dried parsley but you could also use dried thyme or dried dill or even an Italian seasoning blend.
• Soy sauce and balsamic vinegar: Again, these add savory depth of flavor to these patties. Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free soy sauce option. 
• Oat flour: You can use an all-purpose flour here but oat flour is a little more nutritious and makes these patties gluten-free. I haven’t tried it with chickpea flour but there is no reason it shouldn’t work. If you use chickpea flour, however, use a few tablespoons less as it absorbs a lot more moisture than oat flour.
• Salt and pepper: Earthy lentils like salt. Season the mixture generously so the patties don’t taste bland.
• Optional sauce: These lentil patties are best served with a good sauce for drizzling or dipping. You can make a simple lemon-garlic yogurt sauce (mix 1/2 cup plain yogurt with 1 crushed garlic clove, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and a pinch of salt) or make this deliciously creamy tahini sauce.

Substitutions And Additions:

• Add mushrooms: Sautéed mushrooms would be a fabulous addition to these veggie patties. Just make sure you chop them very small cook them long enough to remove all the excess moisture.
• Use ketchup: If you don’t have any tomato paste, you can use ketchup.
• Add walnuts or sunflower seeds. For more heft and texture, add some ground toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds.
• Use Worcestershire, in place of soy sauce or the balsamic.
• Fresh herbs: I like to keep these patties simple and easy by using dried herbs but fresh parsley, thyme, or dill would also be great.

What Is The Best Lentil Variety To Use?

Once cooked, every lentil variety will differ in texture which in turn will affect its use and application. To make these lentil patties, I recommend using green or brown lentils which are very meaty and mash up well but retain some texture.

Red lentils could work but when they are cooked they turned very, very mushy and will be too soft and wet to shape into patties. If all you have is red lentils, they should be soaked until soft, but not cooked so the recipe would be entirely different.

French lentils are one of my favorite but they they aren’t as meaty which makes it harder to get the patties to maintain their shape. The same goes for Beluga lentils or French du Puy.

How To Make Lentil Patties Step-By-Step

Step 1: Place the chopped onions, carrots and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add a little more than half of the cooked lentils to the onion-carrot mixture and pulse a few times, just until they are mashed but not a paste. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: In a small bow, mix the tomato paste, soy sauce, and balsamic until combined. Add it to to the lentil-carrot mixture along with the rest of the lentils, spices, oat flour, salt and pepper. Stir to combine until the patty mixture is sticking together.

Step 3: Using 1/2 cup measurement for each, form into 8 equal-sized patties.

Step 4: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. The pan should be hot but not smoking. Cook the patties in a single layer for about 3 minutes a side, or until crispy and golden brown. Do this in batches if necessary so you have room to flip and don’t overcrowd the skillet.

Step 5: Serve in buns or over a salad with a tahini or yogurt sauce, or any dip of your choice.

For a complete list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Can I Bake The Lentil Patties?

If you prefer to bake the patties, you absolutely can! Here’s what to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the tops of the patties with oil and bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for an extra 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.

More Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to serve these vegan lentil patties is on a fresh chopped salad or grain bowl with a creamy dressing or sauce drizzled over everything.

They would also be fantastic as part of a mezze platter with a few dips or spreads, like this hummus or this whipped feta dip.

You can also treat the patties as plant-based burgers served with small, toasted buns or lettuce wraps. Top them with the usual burger fixings like these pickled onions, sliced tomatoes, pickles, etc. These potato wedges would make a fabulous side to the veggie burgers.

How To Store

• Fridge: Leftover lentil patties can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
• Freeze: Once patties are completely cooled, layer in a freezer-safe container with layers of parchment paper between each. Freeze for up to one month and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat: For best results, reheat the patties in a warm skillet for a few minutes a side, or in a 350ºF preheated oven (or toaster oven) until warmed through.

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