There are days at Casa Adora when the fridge is doing its best impression of a monk's cell — sparse, austere, and quietly judgmental. This is the burger I make on those days. Dried red lentils, a tin of white beans, a handful of things that live permanently in the cupboard, and twenty minutes of actual effort. The result is a proper patty — crisp outside, soft and savoury within — served in a bun with a few sliced red onions, a couple of lettuce leaves, and a generous hit of my Fruity Almería Red Fermented Hot Sauce. The result is a proper patty — and the best red lentil burger recipe I've landed on for one person. Simple. Satisfying. No apology needed.

Ingredients

• 50g dried red lentils
• 100g white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 egg
• 1–2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Small handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil, for frying

To serve

• 1 burger bun
• A few slices of red onion
• A couple of lettuce leaves
• Fermented hot sauce (or whatever you have)

How to Make This Red Lentil Burger Recipe

Rinse the lentils and cook them in unsalted water for around 15–18 minutes until completely tender. Drain well and leave to steam-dry in the colander for a few minutes — you don't want excess moisture in the mix.

While the lentils cook, heat a small splash of olive oil in a frying pan and soften the onion, garlic, and chilli over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until sweet and fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.

Tip the white beans into a bowl and mash with a fork, leaving a bit of texture — this isn't hummus. Add the cooked lentils, the sautéed onion mixture, cumin, herbs, egg, and one tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper, then mix everything together. The mixture should hold its shape when pressed. If it feels too loose, add the second tablespoon of breadcrumbs.

Shape into a single patty — roughly the diameter of your bun. Heat a thin film of olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and cook the patty for 4–5 minutes on each side until deeply golden and firm. Don't rush it or it'll fall apart on the flip.

Serve in the bun with red onion, lettuce, and hot sauce. Eat immediately.

Notes

White beans give a creamier, milder base than chickpeas — but if chickpeas are what you have, they work fine, just mash them a little more thoroughly. The patty mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated for a couple of hours if you want to get it ready in advance; it actually holds together better once it's had time to firm up in the fridge.

This red lentil burger recipe is part of my Veg, Fruit & Pulses Hub — a growing collection of vegetable, fruit and pulse recipes for the flexible cook. It also features in my Gut Health Recipes collection — real food from a rural Andalucían kitchen, built around fermented foods, high-fibre pulses, wholegrains and prebiotic-rich ingredients.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper produce, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef