These savory red lentil patties are packed with nutrients, incredibly versatile, and surprisingly flavorful – perfect as burgers, in wraps, or alongside salads.
I love this recipe especially because of how easily it scales up for meal prep. If you love these patties, you might also like my red lentil falafels for another delicious way to enjoy this nutritious legume. 🧡
📝 Ingredients for these Red Lentil Patties
To create these red lentil patties you need to gather:
- Red lentils: 1 cup of dried red lentils, to be cooked until just tender.
- Bay leaf: one, to infuse the lentils as they cook.
- Sunflower seeds: ½ cup.
- White wine: 1 cup, used to cook the sunflower seeds.
- Garlic: 2 cloves, minced.
- Onion: 1 small onion, finely chopped.
- Oats: 3 tablespoons.
- Spices: ½ teaspoon each of cumin, thyme, and paprika, and ⅓ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Parsley: 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.
- Mint: 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint leaves.
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon.
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons, plus extra for lightly coating the pan.
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon.
👨🏻🍳 How to make these Red Lentil Patties
I began by rinsing 1 cup of red lentils under cold water until the water ran clear.
I placed them in a pot with water and 1 bay leaf, cooking them over low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until they became just tender while still holding their shape. The key was avoiding overcooking, as I wanted them to maintain their structure for better texture in the final patties.
After draining them well and removing the bay leaf, I set them aside to cool completely.
While the lentils were cooking, I prepared ½ cup of sunflower seeds using an interesting technique I’d learned – cooking them in 1 cup of white wine for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.
This method softened the typically hard seeds while infusing them with a subtle wine flavor as the liquid reduced and became mostly absorbed. I then drained and allowed them to cool alongside the lentils.
It was time for the food processor work.
First, I added the cooled lentils and pulsed them briefly to break them down partially, being mindful to preserve some texture rather than creating a smooth paste.
Next, I incorporated the wine-softened sunflower seeds and pulsed again to break them apart while maintaining chunky elements for some texture.
I then added all the remaining ingredients in one go:
2 minced garlic cloves, 1 small finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons of oats, ½ teaspoon each of cumin, thyme, and paprika, ⅓ teaspoon of black pepper, 4 tablespoons each of chopped parsley and mint leaves, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
I pulsed everything together until it was well combined but still had some texture.
The mixture shaped easily into small patties at this stage.
I lightly oiled a pan with olive oil and heated it over medium heat. Then I fried the patties gently until they were golden brown and crispy on both sides.
I served them warm with a tahini dipping sauce and a fresh salad. But you could also pair them with some veggies and burger sauce to make mini burgers—or even wrap them in tortillas for a tasty wrap.
More Red Lentil Recipes:
💬 Questions people ask
Can I skip the mint or parsley?
If you don’t like one of the herbs, feel free to leave it out and add a bit more of the other. The herbs bring freshness and brightness to the earthy red lentils, so I wouldn’t skip them entirely.
How do I know when the lentils are “just tender”?
They’ll still hold shape if you press one between your fingers, but won’t feel chalky. Almost falling apart, but not mushy.
Can I make them in an air fryer?
Oh, I wish I had an air fryer with me right now — I am sure these would turn out amazing. I’d brush them with a little olive oil and flip them halfway through.
Are these patties gluten-free?
They can be, if you use certified gluten-free oats and either a gluten-free soy sauce or an alternative like tamari or coconut aminos.
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Red Lentil Patties
Equipment
- Food processor (affiliate)
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils dried
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 tbsp oats
- ½ tsp cumin ground
- ½ tsp thyme ground
- ½ tsp paprika ground
- ⅓ tsp black pepper ground
- 4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 4 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the washed red lentils with water and the bay leaf over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well, remove the bay leaf, and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, simmer sunflower seeds in wine over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until softened. Drain well and cool.
- In a food processor, pulse the cooled lentils briefly to break them down partially. Add the sunflower seeds and pulse again to break them apart partially. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined but still textured.
- Shape the mixture into small patties with your hands. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat and fry patties until golden brown on both sides.
🌟 Enjoyed this recipe? I’d love to hear about it!
I’d love to get your feedback on this recipe! Feel free to leave a comment below detailing your experience— and let others know how you feel about it!
Of course, you can also ask any questions you may have about the recipe— and we’ll try to respond ASAP.
