Olive Lentil Burgers

Serves 6
Active time: 20 minutes || Total time: 45 minutes

These are some of the best lentil burgers I’ve ever made, and they’ve been on the site since 2010 for good reason. Briny Kalamata olives, meaty mushrooms, and a little hit of fresh lemon make them taste like the Mediterranean on a bun. They bake up with a golden crust and hold together perfectly.

I have a thing for veggie burgers that aren’t trying to be meat. Nothing wrong with a seitan burger, but sometimes you want a veggie burger that tastes like it. These are those burgers! Herby from the thyme and tarragon, briny from the olives, deliciously savory from the mushrooms.

The mixture comes together in a food processor in minutes and bakes off in the oven. You can fry them if you want (I give directions), but baked is how I usually do it. Easier, less cleanup, and they still get a nice crust.

These are great on a bun with classic fixings like lettuce, tomato, red onion, and dill pickles. But they really shine with Italian-inspired toppings. Roasted red pepper, a smear of pesto mayo, maybe some peppery arugula.

Why These Lentil Burgers Are The Best (Over 200 Comments Can’t Be Wrong)

This recipe has been on the site since 2010 and people keep coming back. The comments are full of readers who made them the first time fifteen years ago and are still making them. That kind of longevity is the real review.

Here’s what makes them work:

Olives are irresistible. Kalamata olives bring salt, brine, and a rich savory quality that you can’t replicate with any other single ingredient. They get pulsed separately before the rest of the ingredients go in, so you get visible olive bits throughout the burger instead of a uniform purple-brown paste.

The mushrooms add flavor and texture. Cremini mushrooms get sautéed down with garlic and fresh herbs, which concentrates their flavor and cooks off the moisture that would otherwise make the burgers fall apart. They also give the burgers a nice substantial bite.

The breadcrumbs do double duty. Half go in the food processor with everything else to absorb moisture. The other half get folded in at the end for texture.

Baked, Not Fried (But You Can Fry)

I bake these lentil burgers. It’s easier, cleaner, and you don’t have to stand over a pan flipping patties. A parchment-lined baking sheet, a little spray of oil on top, 30 minutes in a 350°F oven, and you get golden, crisp burgers that hold together.

That said, you can absolutely fry them in a pan with a little olive oil if that’s your preference. About 10 to 12 minutes total, flipping once, until the outside is crisp and golden brown.

If you like your burger with perfectly round, smooth sides, you can achieve that easily. Just pat your mixture into a 3-inch cookie cutter or a wide-mouth mason jar ring, press down to pack firmly, then lift the ring away, like this:

Don’t worry about fingerprints in the burgers. They’ll flatten out when you flip them halfway through baking.

How to Serve These Lentil Burgers

Once the burgers come out of the oven, the fun starts.

Grill the bun. Or toast it. A slightly charred bun is always better than a raw one. Brush with a little olive oil or vegan butter and warm it in a skillet or on a grill pan for about a minute.

Classic fixings. Butter lettuce or leaf spinach, sliced tomato, red onion, dill pickles, a smear of vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard. The whole deal.

Mediterranean style. This is where these burgers really shine. Roasted red peppers, a slather of pesto mayo (just mix pesto into vegan mayo, done), and a handful of peppery arugula or fresh parsley. For a Greek version, swap in a scoop of vegan tzatziki, a few extra Kalamata olives, sliced cucumber, and fresh dill.

Throw one on top of a salad. Skip the bun entirely. These are sturdy enough to sit on top of a big bowl of greens with whatever vinaigrette and veggies you have around. A Greek salad with one of these on top is a full meal.

Eat them cold. These are one of those rare veggie burgers that actually taste great at room temperature, so don’t feel locked into the hot-off-the-oven moment. Pack one for lunch the next day on a sandwich with a few extra fixings and call it the best desk lunch of your week.

Lentil Burger FAQ

Can I make these lentil burgers gluten-free? You can. Swap the regular breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs, or pulse gluten-free crackers or pretzels in the food processor until crumbly. Use a gluten-free bun to serve, obviously.

Can I use different lentils? Yes. Canned lentils are easiest, but you can use cooked brown lentils or French green lentils (about 1¼ cups cooked from dry). You might need to add a little extra breadcrumbs to get the right texture since cooked-from-dry lentils can be a bit wetter. Do not use red lentils. They turn to mush and the burgers won’t hold together.

Can I sub a different bean? Chickpeas work great here and give the burgers a slightly nuttier flavor. White beans also work. Black beans would be a flavor mismatch with the olives, but nothing is stopping you.

Can I skip the olives? You can, but then they’re just lentil mushroom burgers. If you need to swap, try sun-dried tomatoes for a similar briny punch, or roasted red peppers with a pinch of extra salt.

Can I skip the mushrooms? Sure. Finely chopped zucchini or eggplant work as substitutes. Sauté either down until most of the moisture is cooked off before adding.

Can I add walnuts? Yes, and they’re a great addition. Toast about ½ cup of finely chopped walnuts and fold them in with the second round of breadcrumbs. Adds richness and a little extra texture.

Can I freeze these? Absolutely. Cook first, then stack with squares of parchment paper between each burger so they don’t stick. Freeze in zip-top bags or containers. Reheat in a 375°F oven for about 10 minutes, or in a skillet with a little oil until warmed through and crispy again.

Can I double the recipe? Please do. These make great leftovers and freeze beautifully.

How did I end up here? You were probably searching for “lentil burgers,” “lentil burger recipe,” “olive lentil burgers,” or “mediterranean lentil burgers.” Maybe “vegan lentil burger” or “baked lentil burger.” This is the one that gets it right. You’re in the right place.

Olive Lentil Burgers

Isa Chandra

Mediterranean-inspired lentil burgers with Kalamata olives, cremini mushrooms, and fresh herbs. Baked with a golden crust. A reader favorite since 2010.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Burger, Sandwich

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Olive oil (from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, your choice)
• 1 pc small yellow onion diced medium
• 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• Fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (really, use any pitted olive you like)
• 1 15 oz can cooked lentils rinsed and drained (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs divided
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
• Cooking spray

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan non-stick (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat. Saute onion for about 3 minutes with a pinch of salt. Add mushroom, garlic, black pepper, thyme and tarragon and saute for 7 to 10 minutes, until mushroom is cooked.
• While mushroom is cooking, place olives in food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped (not pureed.) Remove from food processor and set aside. (No need to clean it out for the next step.)
• When mushrooms have cooked, add mushroom mixture to the food processor. Add all other ingredients except for 1/2 a cup of the breadcrumbs. (Did you hear me? Reserve 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs, this will give them better texture.) Pulse until mostly smooth, but there should still be a little texture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to the burger mixture, along with the chopped olives, and thoroughly combine.
• Divide burger mix into 6 equal pieces. An easy way to do this is divide it in half, then cut each half into 3 basically equal portions. You can do that right in the bowl if it’s large enough.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Form mixture into patties, spray with a little more cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Flip burgers and bake for 12 to 15 more minutes, until nicely browned.
• They taste great served immediately but they’re also excellent at room temperature so don’t be afraid to stuff into a sandwich and take as a lunch.

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