Hearty and satisfying, Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis’ lentil burgers are a delicious option for your next barbecue.
Loaded with beans, veggies, and a tangy vegan mayo dressing, this burger might become a new favorite.
De Laurentiis lentil burgers are a plant-based alternative to meat burgers
The chef’s recipe calls for extra virgin olive oil, minced shallots, kosher salt, ground black pepper, small diced button mushrooms, minced garlic, chopped fresh thyme, frozen green peas thawed, rinsed and drained, canned lentils, eggs complimentary mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice.
For the vegan mayonnaise that comes with the burgers, you’ll need store-bought vegan mayonnaise, “like vegenaise”, chopped fresh basil and lemon zest.
Finally, the lentil burgers, according to the chef, can be served on country bread with, if desired, sliced avocado, slices of Roma tomatoes and butter lettuce leaves.
The chef’s vegan burgers are easy to make
To start, the shallots are cooked in a non-stick pan with oil and “cooked until tender”. Mushrooms, garlic and thyme are added to the pan, salted and peppered. Once the mushrooms are tender, the mixture is set aside to cool.
The next step takes place in a blender: the peas and a can of lentils are blended together and then moved to a medium bowl. For this smooth mixture, another can of lentils, cornmeal, mayonnaise, lemon juice and cooked mushroom mixture are mixed together.
Measure “1/3 cup” of the burger mixture and shape into “11 three-quarter thick patties”.
De Laurentiis suggests sprinkling cornmeal on the baking sheet you’ll be placing the burgers on to keep them from sticking to the sheet. Arrange the raw burger patties over the cornmeal and sprinkle more cornmeal on top of the burgers.
As many reviewers on the Food Network site have noted, the crucial next step is to place the burgers in the fridge for “at least” 30 minutes. One home cook said, “Standing time in the fridge is important to keep them intact while cooking.”
Once the burgers are ready, the culinary personality says it’s time to cook them. The chef heats a quarter cup of oil in a skillet and the burgers are cooked until “brown, about four minutes per side”.
The mayonnaise mixture is made by mixing the basil and lemon zest “until smooth” and after that, De Laurentiis says, it’s spread on the toasted bread. Then the cooked patties are placed on the bread, along with the avocado slices, tomato slices and lettuce leaves, if any.
Get the full recipe, video and reviews on the Food Network website.
Critics loved De Laurentiis vegan burgers
The Simply Giada The star’s vegan alternative to beef burgers has been hailed by Food Network reviewers as an easy-to-prepare and delicious barbecue treat.
“I’ve tried several vegan burger recipes, but I think this one works. Put it in the fridge for 40 minutes. really firmed up. Then the cornmeal crust helped more. Too many recipes are soft. I also really liked the taste,” wrote one home cook.
Another reviewer added: “Delicious! The best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. The whole family, three teenagers and a carnivorous husband, loved them. I followed the recipe to the letter and they were a bit soft but the flavor was so good I wouldn’t change a thing. I will definitely make them again. The lemon-basil mayonnaise was delicious.
Finally, another person praised the burgers’ impressive similarity to meat burgers: “These are my favorite meatless burgers I’ve made so far. They were also the most welcomed by the family, especially my 13 year old son who was craving meat! They really have a meaty texture. The cornmeal on the outside adds a nice crunch when you bite into it. I really advise you not to do without it! In addition, the time spent in the refrigerator is important to keep them intact during cooking.
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