Caramelized Onion & Lentil Veggie Burgers

If you are cooking your lentils and brown rice: In one saucepan, add 3/4 cup lentils and 3 cups vegetable stock. In another saucepan, add 1/2 cup brown rice and 1 cup vegetable stock. Cover, bring both to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer both until rice is cooked (20-25 minutes) and lentils are completely soft (25-30 minutes). If liquid in lentils evaporates too quickly, add water. Once done, drain lentils completely. Put 3/4 cup cooked brown rice and 1 cup cooked lentils into a large mixing bowl.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil and very thinly sliced onions. Sprinkle with sea salt, smoked paprika, and balsamic vinegar, and stir to evenly distribute seasoning. Stir every few minutes, turning onions from the bottom of the pan to the top, and vice versa. Sauté until deep brown and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Scoop onions into a fine mesh strainer held over the frying pan, and use a spoon or spatula to press out as much excess oil and liquid as you can back into the pan. Place drained onions into the mixing bowl with lentils Add sliced mushrooms and sauté 5-7 minutes, until mushrooms are soft and have released liquid. Drain off liquid, and add mushrooms to mixing bowl with other ingredients.

Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and just beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and crush with a mortar and pestle or finely chop. Add to mixing bowl, along with minced garlic and shredded mozzarella. Stir to incorporate ingredients, then add smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper, and corn starch. Stir again to incorporate fully, making sure there are no clumps of corn starch anywhere.

Transfer mixture to food processor or blender, and pulse, scraping ingredients down from the sides with a spatula, until you have a half-smooth, half-chunky mixture (or according to your texture preference).

Preheat oven to 300ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out burger mixture in 1/2 cup scoops, forming into patties of desired thickness and shape. I like about 1/2”-3/4” patties, but shape as you please. Let sit for 10 minutes.

After patties been sitting 7-8 minutes, heat a large cast-iron or non-stick frying pan over medium flame with a small amount of oil. When thoroughly heated (1-2 minutes), add two or three patties at a time and let cook 5-6 minutes on each side (10-12 minutes total, flipping halfway through). You should get a nice, crispy sear on both sides. Return to parchment paper and once all are cooked, place in oven to keep warm until ready to eat.