The simple and delicious Turkish red lentil-bulgur wheat mercimek kofte dish is the inspiration behind this veggie burger recipe. Here, I substitute farro for the bulgur and bake the patties so they take on more of a veggie burger feel.
You can put these veggie burgers into a bun and treat them like any other burger, or serve them wrapped in lettuce (the traditional kofte way), or eat them by themselves, they’re that good.
This is a nice meal for warmer evenings as the red lentils and farro are light in texture but fully satisfying. Because they are so light, they are not ideal for the grill, but they can be served on a grilled bun or with a side of grilled veggies. Grilled eggplant would be especially yummy atop these burgers.
Vegan Red Lentil Farro Veggie Burger Recipe with Sriracha Aioli
Makes about 6 burgers
Burger Ingredients
2 cups cooked farro
1½ cup cooked red lentils (they should be soft)
2 tablespoons olive oil, separated
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Vegan Sriracha Aioli Ingredients
1 cup Vegenaise vegan mayonnaise
half of a large lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
With one tablespoon of the olive oil, lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. If the lentils are soft enough, they should lose their shape and bind together with the farro and other ingredients.
If you like a smoother burger, puree half of the mixture and mix together.
Once combined, scoop about ¼ cup of the mixture at a time onto the baking sheet and flatten into a burger shape.
Bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes, gently flipping the burgers once.
While the burgers are baking, prepare the Sriracha aioli. Mix together all ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
The burgers will be delicate, especially when first removed from the oven, so handle with care. Top with Sriracha aioli. Enjoy!
Burger image via Shutterstock