Sweet Potato Lentil Burgers
Earthy brown lentils and roasted sweet potato pressed into patties with a browned crust and a chew that actually holds together.
Servings 4 burgers
Ingredients
For the Burgers
- 1 large sweet potato roasted, about 1 cup mashed
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown or green lentils drained and patted dry
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup rolled oats blitzed to a coarse flour
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan
For the Lemon Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 small clove garlic grated
- 1 pinch salt
To Serve
- 4 soft burger buns
- 4 leaves lettuce
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
Prep the Base
- Prick the sweet potato all over and roast at 400F for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance.
- Split the potato, scoop the flesh into a wide bowl, mash it roughly, and spread it up the sides. Let it sit uncovered for 10 minutes to cool and release steam.
- Drain and rinse the lentils, spread them on a clean towel, and pat the tops dry.
- Mash half the lentils into the cooled sweet potato until the mixture is a thick coarse paste. Reserve the other half whole.
Mix and Shape
- Stir the red onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper into the mashed base until evenly colored.
- Beat in the egg, then add the oat flour and fold in the reserved whole lentils with a light hand so individual lentils stay visible.
- Squeeze a handful. If it slumps, add 2 more tablespoons of oat flour and wait 5 minutes before judging again.
- Divide into 4 and shape flat patties about 3 ½ inches wide and ¾ inch thick. Chill uncovered on a lined tray for 30 minutes.
Cook and Serve
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Lay the patties in with space between them.
- Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Flip once, press gently, and cook another 4 minutes.
- Stir the yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic, and a pinch of salt together for the sauce.
- Build each burger with lettuce, a patty, a spoonful of the lemon yogurt sauce, and thin red onion.
Notes
- Lentil choice: brown or green only. Red lentils cook down to puree and the patty loses all its chew.
- Do not skip the chill: 30 minutes in the fridge is what keeps the patties intact in the pan.
- One flip: leave the patties alone until a real crust forms, then turn them once.
- Freezing: freeze raw patties on a tray, then cook from frozen over medium low for about 6 minutes per side.