Vegan Lentil and Mushroom Burgers
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 10, 2020
Time
2 hours, plus 30 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
¾ cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsedSalt ½ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed1 pound cremini mushroom, trimmed and sliced thin2 onions, chopped fine1 celery rib, minced1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine and washed thoroughly (½ cup)2 garlic cloves, minced¾ cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed1 cup raw cashews ⅓ cup aquafaba 2 cups panko bread crumbs 12 burger buns
Before You Begin
Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups water, lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils just begin to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Drain lentils, transfer to paper towel–lined baking sheet, and pat dry.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in onions, celery, leek, and garlic and cook until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to sheet with lentils and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Combine 2 cups water, bulgur, and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl and microwave, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain bulgur in fine-mesh strainer and press with rubber spatula to remove excess moisture; let cool slightly. Pulse cashews in food processor until finely ground, about 25 pulses.
- Combine lentil mixture, bulgur, ground cashews, and aquafaba in bowl. Pulse half of bulgur mixture in now-empty food processor until coarsely ground but cohesive, about 15 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Repeat with remaining bulgur mixture and transfer to bowl. Stir in panko and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and pack into 4-inch-wide patties.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Gently lay 4 patties in skillet and cook until crisp and well browned on first side, about 4 minutes. Gently flip patties and cook until crisp and well browned on second side, about 4 minutes, adding extra oil if skillet looks dry.
- Transfer burgers to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat in 2 batches with remaining oil and remaining patties. Transfer to buns and serve.
Time
2 hours, plus 30 minutes coolingYield
Serves 12Ingredients
¾ cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
Salt
½ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 pound cremini mushroom, trimmed and sliced thin
2 onions, chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine and washed thoroughly (½ cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup raw cashews
⅓ cup aquafaba
2 cups panko bread crumbs
12 burger buns
Ingredients
¾ cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
Salt
½ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 pound cremini mushroom, trimmed and sliced thin
2 onions, chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine and washed thoroughly (½ cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup raw cashews
⅓ cup aquafaba
2 cups panko bread crumbs
12 burger buns
Ingredients
¾ cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
Salt
½ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 pound cremini mushroom, trimmed and sliced thin
2 onions, chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped fine and washed thoroughly (½ cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed
1 cup raw cashews
⅓ cup aquafaba
2 cups panko bread crumbs
12 burger buns
Why This Recipe Works
Store-bought frozen veggie burgers—both vegan and not—are convenient but so often bland, stodgy, mushy, and just not worth it. We wanted to create a homemade vegan veggie burger that was worth the effort. Lentils gave our burgers earthy flavor, and bulgur further bulked them and absorbed any excess moisture that the lentils retained after cooking. Some well-browned mushrooms added meatiness, but tasters still craved an umami boost. We knew from previous testing that ground nuts could provide this, so we incorporated mild cashews. They added savory richness without disturbing the flavors. Our final obstacle was binding the ingredients; many veggie burgers call for an egg. Ground flaxseed imparted a muddy flavor; using a decent amount—⅓ cup—of aquafaba, plus panko bread crumbs, gave us excellent cohesion.
Before You Begin
Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe.
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups water, lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils just begin to fall apart, about 25 minutes. Drain lentils, transfer to paper towel–lined baking sheet, and pat dry.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in onions, celery, leek, and garlic and cook until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to sheet with lentils and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Combine 2 cups water, bulgur, and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl and microwave, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain bulgur in fine-mesh strainer and press with rubber spatula to remove excess moisture; let cool slightly. Pulse cashews in food processor until finely ground, about 25 pulses.
- Combine lentil mixture, bulgur, ground cashews, and aquafaba in bowl. Pulse half of bulgur mixture in now-empty food processor until coarsely ground but cohesive, about 15 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Repeat with remaining bulgur mixture and transfer to bowl. Stir in panko and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions and pack into 4-inch-wide patties.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Gently lay 4 patties in skillet and cook until crisp and well browned on first side, about 4 minutes. Gently flip patties and cook until crisp and well browned on second side, about 4 minutes, adding extra oil if skillet looks dry.
- Transfer burgers to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and repeat in 2 batches with remaining oil and remaining patties. Transfer to buns and serve.
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