lentil walnut burger buns with creamy cashew pesto
Is it a patty, a bun, a burger, or a sandwich?! Whatever you want to call it, these lentil walnut burger buns with creamy cashew pesto are delicious!
Servings 4 small burgers
Ingredients
lentil walnut burger buns
- 1 C finely chopped onion (about 1 onion)
- ¾ C finely chopped carrot (about 1 carrot)
- 2 roughly chopped garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 C cooked or canned lentils
- ½ C raw whole walnuts
- ¼ C buckwheat flour
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- vegan cheese slices for stuffing in the burger patties (optional)
creamy cashew pesto
- 1 C raw whole cashews, soaked 20 minutes in hot water
- ⅓ C unsweetened nondairy milk
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ C packed basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse cashews from the soaking water and add to a high-powered blender with the remaining ingredients for the cashew pesto. Combine until very smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve the burgers.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and cook onions, carrots, and garlic for about 7 to 8 minutes until softer and slightly browned and caramelized. Add this mixture to a food processor with lentils and walnuts and process until it's a fine mince and nearly smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients for the burger buns and process until a smooth dough forms.
- Lightly oil your hands to form patties. Use about ¼ cup of the mixture for the whole patty. If you're going to stuff it with a vegan cheese, take half of that amount for one patty and flatten it in your hand, place cheese in the centre and then form the other half of the dough over top. Create a well sealed patty, flipping it back and forth in your hands and pressing the edges together.
- Place the burger buns on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Spread cashew pesto on one side of a burger bun, add toppings of your choice, and place another burger bun on top. Serve immediately.
