These vegan lentil burgers are the perfect cookout main course! Flavorful, easy to make, and easily Top 9 Allergen Free. Can be baked for an oil free option too.
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Here’s the thing about lentil burgers—
The texture has to be just right or it all falls apart (literally and figuratively).
And after testing dozens of batches, I can confidently say: these work. The consistency is spot on—no crumbly mess, no mushy center. Just hearty, flavorful burgers that hold together from skillet to bun.
As a long-time vegan and food allergy-aware parents, I also made sure these lentil burgers are easy to make (hello, food processor!) and free from the Top 9 allergens. That means no soy, no nuts, no gluten, no stress—just simple, wholesome ingredients that work for a wide range of eaters.
They’re perfect for meal prep, freezer-friendly, and totally satisfying for everyone at the table—even the non-vegans.
Want more vegan burger recipes? Check out our vegan black bean burgers or vegan chickpea burgers!
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Lentil Burger Ingredients
Gather your ingredients!
Red Lentils
These are great for not only added protein but also because they had the perfect texture when cooking.
Substitute: We don’t recommend trying other types of lentils for this recipe at this time.
Vegetables
We’re adding onions, carrots, garlic, and cilantro to this recipe (as well as tomato paste). The ingredients add nutrients, but also help with flavor, binding, and color.
Substitute: You can swap the cilantro for parsley.
Spices
We’re using salt and pepper, as well as smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Substitute: The spices in this recipe are versatile. Swap in or out your favs or do a lend like bbq or italian to have something different every time.
Oil
This is totally optional and only needed if you plan to fry your burgers. You want a high heat oil. Otherwise, if you plan to bake, you can omit.
What are some topping ideas for vegan lentil burgers?
In the picture, the burgers are topped with a vegan tzatziki sauce, along with pickled red onions and cucumber slices.
Other topping ideas are:
- fried onions
- tomatoes
- vegan mayo
- homemade vegan BBQ sauce
- lettuce (or use spinach/arugula/spring mix)
- Guacamole (or just slice or mashed avocado)
- Vegan Cheese
- Vegan Bacon
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Onions
- Pickles
- and so much more!
OTHER MUST TRY VEGAN BURGERS:
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Lentil Burger Recipe (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried split red lentils*
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (½ cup)
- 1 small carrot, grated (⅓ cup)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped (can sub with parsley)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Neutral flavored cooking oil for pan frying, optional
Instructions
- Place dried lentils in a large bowl and pour enough water that they are covered by 2-3 inches as they will swell. Let soak for 2 hours, then drain and rinse them.When done if baking: Pre-heat the oven to 375°F (220˚C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Into a food processor add the drained lentils, onions, carrot, cilantro, garlic, tomato paste, and all the spices. Pulse until ingredients are a good moldable mixture, but still have some texture, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Evenly divide the mixture into the size desired (I used a scale for accuracy and did 6 patties). Shape each amount into a round patty shape.
- Option 1 Pan-Fry: In a large skillet, heat 1-2 inches of oil. Cook the patties for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Do not overcrowd.
- Option 2 Bake: Place patties on your parchment lined baking dish and place in the oven for 16-20 minutes, flipping halfway through to rotate.
- Add whatever toppings you prefer to your burgers and enjoy!
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is written to be Top 9 allergen free. If you are putting on buns, you do need to make sure that the buns are gluten free and vegan.
We’re using a Hamilton Beach 12 cup food processor. Any quality food processor should be able to handle making these burgers. If you are questionable about your particular brand, we recommended chopping up the onions and green peppers before putting in your food processor.
Once cooled, these are good in the fridge for up to 5 days as long as you store them in an air tight container.
Absolutely! Let cool completely then place on a parchment lined tray in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cut out parchment squares to stack with a layer of paper between them. Place in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 6 months.
This recipe was originally published on 7/3/2019 and updated on 6/7/2025. The recipe was completely redone for easier instructions, ingredients and clarification. If you preferred the older recipe, please e-mail us at [email protected] for help.
My veggie burger search is over. THIS. IS. THE. ONE. Thank you so much.
You’re so welcome, so happy to hear that!
Hey! My misture came out super wet- maybe I soaked the lentils too long? I did overnight. Any idea why this could happen and What can I do? Thanks!
Over-soaking lentils (especially overnight or for 2+ hours) can cause them to absorb much more water. Plus, a juicy onion adds extra moisture. If you run into a longer soaking time on purpose or perhaps by mistake, after draining the lentils, pat them dry. If still wet:
• Add ground oats, chickpea flour, or breadcrumbs.
• Chill the mixture before forming patties.
• Freezing them briefly (as you did) is great, and baking is a smart workaround!
This issue is common with lentil-based burgers— moisture balance is key. And always measure every ingredient. No guessing!
These look yummy and we are planning on make these tonight for supper. Question…at the top of the recipe it states “resting time 30 minutes,” but I don’t see any mention of resting time in the Instructions portion. Don’t want to throw this in the oven if they are supposed to rest first.
Thanks!
So sorry for any confusion. We updated this recipe from an older method and this no longer requires resting. Thanks for catching that, it’s been removed.
These look great – definitely want to try! You mentioned in today’s email that they’re perfect on the grill. Any tips for grilling them so that they don’t fall apart? (I’m new to grilling, still figuring this all out 😆). thanks!!
So we LOVE copper grill mats (https://amzn.to/45Dz5Tl – affiliate link) for grilling. It’s super easy to use to make sure nothing (veggies, veggie burgers, etc) don’t fall through. We typically do medium heat (around 425/450˚F) and then about 4-5 minutes on each side. Hope that helps
Any recommendations on a carrot substitute? Want to make these but don’t have any carrots.
Sweet Potatoes, grated would work!
We made these tonight and while they were super tasty and crazy easy, with pantry staples, our “dough” was very wet and nearly impossible to shape into a patty that held its shape. We wondered if perhaps it was the 2 hours and 20 minutes that the lentils soaked??? (I had to run to the store for fixings). Or, perhaps the really juicy sweet onion?
Anyway, we put the patties in the freezer for 15 minutes and decided to bake instead of fry.
It took 30 minutes of baking and 4 minutes under broiler, but they finally got crispy and hot throughout.
Truly great flavor. Will make again to figure out the moisture issue.
Thanks for a grain and oil free burger recipe.
Adding from another comment:
Over-soaking lentils (especially overnight or for 2+ hours) can cause them to absorb much more water. Plus, a juicy onion adds extra moisture. If you run into a longer soaking time on purpose or perhaps by mistake, after draining the lentils, pat them dry. If still wet:
• Add ground oats, chickpea flour, or breadcrumbs.
• Chill the mixture before forming patties.
• Freezing them briefly (as you did) is great, and baking is a smart workaround!
This issue is common with lentil-based burgers— moisture balance is key. And always measure every ingredient. No guessing!
I love this recipe because it’s truly so easy to follow while doing it and everything comes together so easily. No crumbles, fool proof and also: these are truly the BEST vegan lentil burgers. Cooking the lentils in vegetable stock is a GAME CHANGER. I didn’t have spinach or vegan worcestershire sauce, but the flavor was still on fire. Thank you so much Andrew and Larisha for yet another masterpiece!
yay! So glad to hear that
These were so simple to make, delicious to eat and I was able to whip them up with pantry staples – I made a large one right away and just had the patty with a salad. Then took the mixture back out the next day to have burger style for lunch. I will say, if you are pan frying, cook them low and slow so they are crispy on the outside and warm on the inside.
Thanks so much for leaving the tip and writing a review. We are excited that you loved them and appreciate your time! Have a great week