Crispy lentil patties recipe
Easy to make, and even easier to eat, these crispy lentil patties use pantry basics like brown lentils, and they come together in under 30 minutes. Filled with Mediterranean flavors and spices, they are served with a cool and refreshing feta yogurt dip.
They would make a great side dish, afternoon snack, or lunch. The recipe makes 10 patties, or 5 servings, and is easily scaled up or down.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my original veggie cakes and my vegan veggie cakes recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my veggie cake recipes in one place.
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Lentil patties recipe
Why do we need another lentil patty recipe in the universe? Because I’ve never seen one with these Mediterranean flavors, and also, this one tastes really good. The feta yogurt dip is not to be missed. It compliments the lentil patties perfectly, and ties all the flavors together.
This would be a perfect lunch for the work week. They can be eaten warm, or room temperature. In one serving, you get 26 grams of fiber and 29 grams of protein. Enough to fill you up, and avoid the afternoon slump.
Ingredients
For the best lentil patties, I use brown lentils. They hold their shape and will not make your patties mushy.
- Brown lentils – I always have these in my cupboard. They are used in soups and cold lentil salads. They are a pantry basic and so versatile. Brown lentils are also inexpensive.
- Substitution: Green lentils are the perfect swap if you don’t have brown. I’m not talking about the fancy French Puy lentils, just plain old green lentils.
- Chickpea flour – Also known as garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, or besan, it packs more thickening power and a high protein content.
- Substitution: You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have chickpea flour.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – I prefer the oil-packed julienne cut. The tomatoes packed in oil are softer than those that are vacuum-packed. They give these lentil cakes a Mediterranean flavor.
- Carrot – I added a bit of carrot for sweetness and texture. Plus, they are good for you.
- Garlic and onion – These are non-negotiable. They give the lentil patties a ton of flavor.
- Spices – To keep with the Mediterranean flavor profile, I used oregano and dill. You could swap them out for other herbs, like basil or mint, to change up the flavors.
How to make lentil patties
Here’s a quick summary of how to make crispy lentil patties. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Prep – Cook the lentils until just tender. Do not cook all the way until soft. Drain and spread them out on a sheet pan to cool. Meanwhile, prep all of your remaining ingredients.
- Mix – Add everything to the food processor and pulse until mixture is uniform. It should still have some texture, don’t blend until totally smooth.
- Form – The mixture for the lentil cakes should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand. Form them into patties (like small burgers) and place them on a sheet pan.
- Cook – Heat a little olive oil or avocado oil in a skillet and cook for 3 – 4 minutes per side.
Feta and yogurt dipping sauce
This is not to be missed. Honestly, this dip goes so well with the lentil cakes, it would be a shame to skip it. To me, it’s a mix of a tzatziki and a raita (with a bit of cheese thrown in), and it’s delicious!
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To make it, you’ll add the feta cheese, yogurt, olive oil and spices to a mini food processor (or blender), then blitz it up until it’s smooth. Fold in the finely diced, or shredded, cucumber and red onion. That’s it!
Chef tips & tricks for success
Making these lentil patties isn’t difficult at all, but there are a couple of tips that will guarantee success.
First, don’t cook your lentils until they are completely soft. They will end up making your patties mushy, and no one wants that. Cook them for 10 minutes, which is half of the recommended cooking time. They will finish cooking in the skillet.
Secondly, when flipping the patties over in the skillet, be gentle. They are soft when they’re cooking. The patties firm up as they cool.
Variations and substitutions
- Make it bigger – Make a brown lentil burger recipe by simply making the patties a little bigger.
- Appetizer size – Make the patties half the regular size and dollop a bit of sauce on top of each one, and serve as snacks for your next get-together.
- Dairy-free / vegan – Use vegan feta and yogurt for the dipping sauce.
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Crispy lentil patties
Equipment
- 1 Scoop holds 3 tbsps. or 1.5 ounces
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown lentils cooked
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, in oil diced
- 2 tbsp. chickpea flour
- 1 tsp. dried oregano or 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
- 1 tsp. dried dill or 1 tbsp. fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium carrot peeled and grated, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 small onion finely diced or grated
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
For the feta yogurt dipping sauce
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt whole milk or reduced fat, not fat-free
- 6 oz. feta cheese
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried dill or 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill
- 1/3 cup English cucumber grated or very finely diced
- 2 tbsp. red onion very finely diced
Instructions
- Cook lentils for 10 minutes. They should be soft, but still have texture.
- Drain the lentils and spread them out on a baking sheet to cool slightly. They do not need to be completely cooled, just not hot.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpea flour, dill, oregano, pepper, grated carrot, garlic, and onion. Pulse until mixture is uniform. I prefer the mixture to have some texture, pulse until you are happy with the consistency of your mixture.
- The lentil mixture should hold together when you form it into a ball. If yours is too dry, add a tablespoon of water and pulse again until it begins to hold together. If it is too wet, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon – 1 tablespoon of chickpea flour and pulse again.Once you're happy with the consistency, portion out the lentil mixture into 10 patties. I use a scoop to ensure they are all the same size. They should be just shy of 1/4 cup ( 1 1/2 oz.) each.
- Form them into patties and place on a baking sheet. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side. Take care when flipping, as patties are soft when warm (they will firm up as they cool slightly).
- Remove from pan and set aside to cool slightly. Serve with whipped feta and yogurt dipping sauce.
Whipped feta yogurt dipping sauce
- Add feta, yogurt, olive oil, pepper, and dill to a small food processor. Pulse to break up the feta, then run for 3 – 4 minutes until mixture is smooth.
- Add dip to a small mixing bowl, then fold in the diced red onion and cucumber. Stir until thoroughly combined. Top with additional diced onion and cucumber, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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