Main Dishes

Half-Veggie Burgers

Name: Half-Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 cups lentils or beans (cooked); 1 cup bell pepper (or other vegetable that can stand up to cooking) (finely chopped); 1 pound ground beef or other ground meat; 1 egg (optional); salt and pepper; 8 buns (optional)

A lighter burger patty made with a savory blend of ground beef, hearty lentils, and bell peppers.

Recipe by by Leanne Brown

Close up of a burger with a black bean and beef patty, tomato, guacamole, sprouts, and red onion on a bun.

Cost per servingPer serving$0.92

Makes8 servings

Total timeTotal20

Prep 10 Cook 10

Print Recipe

Equipment

Grill - optional

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings. Check items off as you go.

▢ 3 cups lentils or beans cooked
▢ 1 cup bell pepper (or other vegetable that can stand up to cooking) finely chopped
▢ 1 pound ground beef or other ground meat
▢ 1 egg optional
▢ salt and pepper
▢ 8 buns optional

Directions

Roughly mash the lentils. Make sure the vegetables are either small to begin with (like corn or peas) or finely chopped so that they cook evenly.
Mix the lentils, veggies, and meat with your hands in a large bowl. If you’re going to barbecue, add an egg to keep them from crumbling. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 8 patties.
Grill the patties either on the barbecue or a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Sear until dark brown on one side, then flip ’em and do the same on the other side.
Serve, on toasted buns, if using, with your favorite condiments and fresh vegetables.
If you won’t eat all the burgers at once, wrap the raw patties in plastic. Refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Cost per serving is an estimate based on average Michigan grocery prices and may vary.