Delicious Vegetarian Burgers for a Healthier Cookout

These easy Vegetarian Burgers combine lentils and mushrooms for a quick and easy weeknight meal or as a cookout alternative for those that don't eat meat.

Top it with a simple homemade barbecue sauce that cooks up while you are making the burgers to give this the perfect tangy, spicy sweet touch.

Do these vegetarian burgers taste like ground beef?

I am going to be honest with you, no one is going to be fooled into thinking this is a ground beef burger.

Please don't even try. Your kids will know you are lying and not trust you again.

But, just because it doesn't taste like beef doesn't mean they aren't scrumptious! The mushrooms add a bit of a crunch so it isn't a mush patty like some meatless burgers. And the simple barbecue sauce bursts with flavor.

Grill up some extra mushrooms and onions to add on top for even more deliciousness.

Vegan Burger Option

The recipe calls for one egg as a binder for the burgers. If you want to make it completely vegan you can substitute:

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas)
• tapioca starch, cornstarch, or arrowroot
• liquid or powdered egg substitute product

Bodacious Burger Recipes

This week on Our Family Table we are making burgers. And the creations made from the others in the group have me drooling.

• Burgers with Bacon Bourbon Burger Sauce by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Meatloaf Burgers by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mushroom Beef Burger by Art of Natural Living
• Oklahoma Fried Onion Short Rib Burgers by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pepperoni Pizza Burger by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Rabbit Sausage Burger with Carrot Horseradish Aioli by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• The Ultimate Taco Burger by Our Good Life

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Recipe

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Ingredients

 

Sauce

• 8 ounce low sodium tomato sauce
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder (more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon low sodium seasoning "salt"

Burgers

• 1 cup dry lentils
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup mushrooms, diced (plus extra for topping the burgers if desired)
• ¼ cup onions, diced (plus extra for topping the burgers if desired)
• 1 large egg (or vegan substitute)
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten free if desired)
• 1 teaspoon low sodium seasoning "salt"
• 4 hamburger buns (gluten free if desired)

Instructions

 

• In a small sauce pan combine all sauce ingredients and simmer over low heat.
• In a medium pot cook lentils in water per package directions until very soft, 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool
• While lentils cook, saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Combine lentils, mushroom and onions, egg, panko and seasoning in a medium bowl and form into 4 patties.
• Cook on an oiled cast iron griddle/pan for about 5 minutes aside.
• Serve burger on buns with barbecue sauce and additional burger toppings.

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