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Recipe: Lentil–Walnut Burgers with Cheesy Sauce

Healthy lentil-walnut burgers with a smoky cheesy cheddar sauce—delicious, hearty, and easy to make!

Lentils and walnuts make hearty and delicious burgers, and this cheesy, smoky, cheddar sauce is perfection. Here's a tip for you: Be sure your cooked lentils are not wet. You can blot them dry or place them in a skillet over medium heat, tossing to get out any moisture. Alternatively, you can spread them on a baking sheet and bake them for a few minutes at 350°F (175°C) to dry them out.

INGREDIENTS:
BURGERS
⅓ cup (35g) chopped walnuts
⅓ cup (40g) chopped red onion
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon white miso paste
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon sodium-free salt substitute (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground pippali or black pepper
1 tablespoon Roasted Garlic (optional)
1½ cups (300g) cooked (not wet) brown lentils
½ cup (50g) rolled oats, or more as needed

FOR SERVING
Whole-grain burger buns or tortillas (optional)
Optional toppings: lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced red onion
Cheesy Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:
FOR THE BURGERS: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a sheet of parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, red onion, flaxseed mixture, parsley, miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, sodium-free salt substitute (if using), and pippali. Pulse to combine, leaving some texture.

Add the Roasted Garlic (if using), lentils, and oats. Pulse to mix together while leaving some texture. Pinch off a bit of the mixture and press it in your hand to make sure it holds together. If it's too wet, add more oats; if it's too dry, add some water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste to adjust the seasonings, it needed.

Shape the lentil mixture tightly into six burgers about ½-inch (1-cm) thick. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, turning once, about 8 minutes per side.

TO SERVE: When the burgers are ready to serve, arrange them on a plate or on buns or tortillas (if using) along with any toppings you choose. Top with the Cheesy Sauce.
VARIATION: For Southwest Black Bean Burgers: Substitute black beans for the lentils, pepitas for the walnuts, and fresh cilantro for the parsley.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of chili powder, ¼ cup (30g) of minced red bell pepper, and 2 tablespoons of chopped green onion, then proceed with the recipe.

Cheesy Sauce
This Cheesy Sauce is wonderful on the Lentil–Walnut Burgers from The How Not to Age Cookbook, as well as its Kale and Millet–Stuffed Bell Peppers. It is also a great topping for baked potatoes and tacos. It freezes well, so you can double the recipe to have some on hand.

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup (60g) raw cashews
⅓ cup (80ml) water
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small saucepan, combine the cashews with enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.

Drain the cashews, then transfer to a high-powered blender or food processor. Add the water for the cheese sauce and the nutritional yeast, miso paste, vinegar, turmeric, and paprika. Process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Store any leftover Cheesy Sauce in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to l week or freeze it for up to 3 months.

For more recipes, see our recipe page ( ).

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-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

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