Lentil Sweet Potato Sriracha Burgers
Easy, spicy, and plantifully flavorful, these mix, press, and bake burgers hold their own!
Summer! Time for poolside picnics and backyard barbeques galore. But you don’t actually have to get your grill on to sink your teeth into that fired-up for summer free feeling. These nutrient-rich, protein-packed burgers are both simple to prep and amenable to possibilities: they’re great for serving straight away, making ahead, and freezing, too.
When making these burgers, the soft, squishy mixture may remind you of previous homemade vegan burger blends that resulted in mushy piles seeping out of buns. No need to worry! Packed with hearty lentils cozily bound by rich sweet potato, oats, and (optionally) psyllium, and infused with the fiery kick of Sriracha and fresh, peppery Thai basil, these patties may surprise you in just how structurally sound they are. In fact, last time they were served at our house, my husband thought they’d come from a box (in a good way)! Plus, unlike boxed products they are completely made from clean, powerful, plant-based ingredients, as well as being gluten-free.
Superfood Spotlight: Nutritional Benefits of the Key Ingredients
Better burgers aren’t just comfort food, they’re fuel. Here’s a taste of what the humbly potent players have to offer:
Soaked Lentils
A protein powerhouse, lentils are also a great source of iron and potassium. Soaking lentils beforehand helps neutralize phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that binds to minerals. This quick extra step does wonders in both reducing cooking time needed and improving digestion while unlocking the bioavailability of essential nutrients like iron and zinc. Lentils further lend a firm, mouthwatering "meatiness”. I’m partial to red lentils here for their sunny color, but brown and green work great!
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes lend a gorgeous color and subtle sweetness, but they are also a nutritional goldmine. They are bursting with beta-carotene (which your body converts to Vitamin A), supporting eye health, glowing skin, and a robust immune system. Be advised, it’s sooo worthwhile baking your sweet potato, so you’ll want to factor that time in ahead. While boiling introduces water and makes things soggy, baking concentrates the natural starches and sugars, creating a sweet stickiness that aids in binding and enhanes flavor.
oats
In place of flour or breadcrumbs, rolled oats assist in binding while bolstering gut-healthy soluble fiber, a little more plant-based protein, and minerals.
Sriracha & Thai Basil
Sriracha doesn't just add a beautiful, garlicky heat; the capsaicin in chili peppers is known to temporarily boost metabolism and reduce inflammation. Meanwhile, fresh Thai basil brings a distinct anise-and-clove flavor profile that is packed with essential oils and antioxidants.
In addition to all of the above, I add a tablespoon of whole husk psyllium because, why not? We don’t need it for binding, but it does lend a hand. And, this bulk-forming laxative honestly is your digestive system’s best friend, supporting regularity while also helping to stabilize blood sugar, promote heart health, and more.
How to Make these Lentil Sweet Potato Sriracha Burgers
Honestly, these burgers are among the most easy-peasy I’ve ever made! Like I mentioned before, you’ll want to plan ahead for baking your sweet potato. You’ll need to soak the lentils, too. Luckily, both of these measures are nearly effortless—the key is just remembering them well in advance.
Once the sweet potato meat has cooled slightly, prep the base. Pulse, don’t puree, all the ingredients in a food processor, guesstimating the amount of sea salt and pepper for seasoning based on your preference. While you’ll want the consistency to be well combined, make sure not to overdo it. Pause a few times and scrape the sides with a spatula as needed. As you do so, check for “shapeability”. When everything’s combined, you should be able to form the mixture into 6 good-sized patties. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet—no need to chill! You can, if you want to, however. I haven’t found it’s necessary, but if it’s more convenient to wait, it definitely won’t hurt. In fact, chilling relaxes the starches and further ensures they won't fall apart when cooking.
Bake to crispy, golden-ish perfection and serve right away or reheat, covered loosely with foil and warming through. You can absolutely go ahead and top with the traditional ketchup, pickles, the works. Or, match the Southeast Asian-inspired flavors of the Thai basil and Sriracha with a quick sriracha mayo or spicy avocado crema, pickled curcumbers and carrots (Bahn Mi style), and fresh cilantro. These work well wrapped in a sturdy lettuce leaf for a low-carb option, too! Happy summer, friends! xo
Lentil Sweet Potato Sriracha Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup lentils, soaked 2 or more hours
- 1 cup baked sweet potato “meat” (about 1 large sweet potato)
- ½ cup cooked chickpeas
- ⅓ Cup diced red onion
- ¼ Cup Thai basil
- 1 Tablespoon tamari sauce
- 1-2 Tablespoons sriracha to taste
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor to form a thick batter.
- Form into patties and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, carefully turning with a spatula after 20 minutes. If the patties seem too soft after 40 minutes, allow to sit in the warm oven up to an hour longer.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
325Fat
1 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
57 gFiber
25 gNet carbs
32 gSugar
5 gProtein
22 gSodium
453 mgCholesterol
0 mg