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)

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: Burger
  • Cuisine: American

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

Method

Make the slaw.

  1. Slice mango, carrot and cabbage.
  2. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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)
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

  1. Layer lettuce/greens, bbq sauce, red onion slices/pickled onion, slaw and burger patty.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.