Lentil Burgers

I like to use canned lentils for ease and convenience, but you can boil your own from dry if you prefer. Lentils typically double or triple in size, so I recommend cooking 1 cup dried lentils, then measure out 2 cups of cooked lentils for the recipe.

Pick through lentils, place in a sieve and rinse. Add dried lentils to a pot of water (enough to cover by an inch or two) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low/medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until they are tender but still retaining their shape. It's very important not to overcook them! If the lentils are mushy, it will be hard to achieve the right texture with your burgers.

Pour lentils into a sieve or colander and allow to drain thoroughly. We don't want extra moisture in our veggie burger mix. This will also give them an opportunity to cool.

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions, mushrooms, and garlic, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 5-8 minutes. The goal here is to cook off as much extra moisture from the mushrooms as possible. Add extra time as needed if there is still extra liquid in the pan.

Add in tomato paste and stir to coat ingredients. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens from a vibrant red color to a deep rust color. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

To a food processor, add your cooked and thoroughly drained lentils, along with the sautéed mushroom mixture. Add in the remaining ingredients: sunflower seeds, soy sauce, paprika, and black pepper to preference. Process until mixture is well-combined but still has a little bit of texture. Scrape down the bowl of the food processor as needed to ensure the texture is consistent.

Add breadcrumbs and stir to combine. (You can do this directly in your food processor if there is room, or transfer to a bowl if you need extra space to mix.) Stir to evenly distribute the breadcrumbs.

The mixture should be moist enough that it sticks together and doesn't crumble. However, it shouldn't be so wet that it sticks to your hands. If the mixture is still a little on the wet side, add in additional breadcrumbs a few tablespoons at a time and mix well between additions. Go by feel — the exact amount you need will depend heavily on the texture of your cooked lentils, and how much moisture you cooked out of your mushrooms.

Divide mixture and shape into patties. Typically I shape mine into 4-6 medium-sized burgers, but you can make them larger or smaller as you prefer. You can even shape them into meatballs.

Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (or other vegetable oil) to a nonstick skillet or cast iron over medium heat. (I recommend using a pan that is quite heavy/thick to keep the heat nice and even.) Heat until the oil glistens.

Pan-fry the patties 2-3 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Typically using my 10" skillet, I can fry 3 patties at a time. Between batches, I like to wipe down my pan with a paper towel (to clear out any stray breadcrumbs or bits that might burn). Then I add another tablespoon or two of fresh oil and heat it again before adding more patties.