I was asked to participate in the #SpringCleanse campaign, sponsored by Lentils.org. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.
Lentil Burger Sliders with chimichurri yogurt sauce and dijon slaw, yum!
Why is it that every time spring comes along you just have this urge to cleanse! Your home, your life, your diet? That’s exactly how I have been these last few weeks. I have really been trying to cleanse my whole routine!
I’ve been keeping a little secret from you. We are moving! Yes, we recently sold our house and bought one on some acreage, we are so excited! But, along with moving comes packing.. and unpacking. And, I have to say I am so ready to PURGE a ton of… things…. that just somehow decided to drop themselves off at my house, how rude!
It just feels so good to load up the car with things we no longer need and just get rid of them. Along with all this baggage, I’ve really been trying to cleanse myself. After the winter and eating tons of not-so-good-for-me foods, I just need to get my diet back on track.
I’ve always loved lentils. They are so versatile. I normally incorporate them into soups or stews but since I’ve been revamping my diet in general, I needed more ways to use this nutritious pulse crop. A pulse crop is the dried, edible seeds of legumes!
I’ve really been on a sandwich kick lately. I’m not sure why, but I just have. I knew I wanted to make some more yummy main dishes to incorporate lentils while keeping them handheld. Lentil burger sliders? Yes, please!
The burgers are made from red lentils. Although, you can use whatever variety of lentil your prefer. Packaged lentils (dry or canned) keep easily on your cupboard shelf or pantry in a dry, dark, cool location for up to one year. If you are purchasing your lentils in bulk or have open packages, transfer them to an airtight container to take advantage of the one-year shelf life.
So that these burgers would shine, I wanted to make the topping simple. After tasting this chimichurri yogurt sauce though, it’s anything but simple…. it’s a knockout! Wow, I can literally eat this on anything, salads to tacos to…. sandwiches! The addition of dijon slaw; thinly sliced red cabbage and onions tossed in a dijon vinaigrette, is the perfect accompaniment to this sandwich. The burgers really need that crunch from the slaw, wow!
- 1½ cup Italian parsley, loose packed
- 3 cloves garlic, rough chop
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage
- ¼ cup yellow onion, thinly julienne
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- ¾ cup red lentils (or lentils of your choice)
- ½ cup yellow onion, small dice
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, small dice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons parsley, fine chop
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- cooking spray
- slider buns
- Place parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper into a blender. Pulse until smooth. Set aside in the fridge for at least one hour, but best if overnight. Mix with remaining ingredients.
- Place the cabbage and onion in a large bowl, set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, toss with the cabbage until coated. Set aside in the fridge for at least one hour, up to overnight.
- Place lentils in a small stock pot, cover with cold water two inches above lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes. Drain well and let cool to the touch.
- While lentils are cooking, saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper with the olive oil until translucent over medium-low heat. About 5 minutes, set aside.
- Add the lentils to a large bowl, add in the onion mixture, and remaining ingredients except for the cooking spray. Mix well.
- Preheat broil on highest heat. Form patties from the lentil mixture in ¼ cup measurements. Place patties on a foil-lined sheet tray that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the patties as well.
- Broil 5 minutes each side, until slightly golden brown. Top slider buns with yogurt sauce, lentil burgers, and dijon slaw.
The lentil burgers themselves have a very satisfying texture to them. They are hearty and surprisingly filling. Take a sneak peek at how to make them with this video:
Pshew, I know that recipe looks like a lot. But, it’s actually really simple. The sauce and slaw need to be made ahead of time. Just do one recipe at a time and you’ll be good to go!
These burgers would be amazing without the bun too, just slather on that yogurt sauce and slaw and you have one yummy meal!
Lentils.org is hosting a really fun giveaway as well with the #SpringCleanse Sweepstakes! Prizes for the sweepstakes will include five #SpringCleanse prize packs and the grand prize of a $2,000 #SpringCleanse shopping spree, good luck!
#SpringCleanse Canadian Lentils Sweepstakes
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lentils.org. The opinions and text are all mine.
Available now:
Order My Cookbook!
For more yummy inspiration make sure to follow my food board on Pinterest!
I love lentils, never tried them this. It looks delicious ?
Extremely pleased with the end result! We would definitely make this once again.
Yay! I’m so glad you liked them too. I’ve had them for lunches 3 weeks in a row now, lol!