I am a carnivore, there is no doubt about that, but I have always loved a good veggie burger. During my single, working-gal days I ate a lot of these, and more recently I've tried sampling different kinds of veggie burgers at restaurants. What I love most: a crispy exterior, a juicy interior that doesn't fall apart and a "burger" that actually tastes like the vegetables inside. It never occurred to me to make my own until yesterday, when I was perusing healthy cooking sites (because I've been feeling like a gigantic, pregnant cow lately) and saw a few recipes. Suddenly I found myself reading through at least 50 of them all over the web, and I settled on ingredients and a recipe of my own.
Can I tell you something? Can I shout it? All caps signifies that I'm screaming in your face, FYI.
I AM SO PROUD OF THIS BURGER. It was a major experiment and it worked! I truly believe that both carnivores and vegetarians will love this recipe. Mushrooms paired with Worcestershire tend to create a meaty flavor, and the lentils pack this burger with protein. It was very crispy on the outside, and the inside was juicy, rich and delicious. Served on a whole wheat bun with arugula, dijon mustard and melty Provolone cheese (which I put on top at the very end of the cooking process), it was perfect. PERFECT. I'M SHOUTING AT YOU AGAIN.
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped finely (I used my food processor)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup cooked lentils
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and sauté for roughly 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, and let cool briefly. In a large bowl, stir together mushroom mixture, lentils, bread crumbs, egg and salt and pepper. Form into four patties, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add burger patties, and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until nice and crispy.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and sauté for roughly 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, and let cool briefly. In a large bowl, stir together mushroom mixture, lentils, bread crumbs, egg and salt and pepper. Form into four patties, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add burger patties, and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until nice and crispy.
*I found pre-cooked lentils in the produce section of my regular grocery store.
**I only made two of the burgers, and I froze the other two patties for later : )
