Meatless Lentil Patties
A tasty, filling dish for meatless days! These lentil patties are a hit with anyone eating plant-based, and they make a great stand-in for meat — perfect if you're watching what you eat, too. And honestly? They look just like the real thing!
Cooking method
-
Step 1:
How do you make lentil patties? Rinse the lentils and let them drain, then cover them with room-temperature water — enough to submerge them completely — and soak for at least 10 hours. Keep them somewhere warm. Over that time the lentils will swell up considerably.
-
Step 2:
Peel, rinse, and finely chop the onions, then sauté them in a skillet with a little vegetable oil until golden. Let them cool, add to the lentils, and stir.
-
Step 3:
Grind the lentils and onions together in a meat grinder or blender — I used a blender and worked in two batches. If the mixture turns out too stiff, add a splash of cooled boiled water at room temperature.
-
Step 4:
Stir the semolina into the mixture, season with salt, and mix well.
-
Step 5:
Shape the mixture into patties (they hold their shape really well, by the way). Pour vegetable oil into a skillet — a nonstick pan works best — and heat it up. Fry the patties for five minutes on one side, then flip them, cover the pan, and cook for another five minutes on the other side under the lid. Your meatless lentil patties are ready — enjoy!
- These patties genuinely surprised me. I made them for the first time and, to be honest, I was skeptical at first — what could you possibly get out of plain lentils? But they turned out really tasty and satisfying, and they even taste a little like meat. Every ingredient is easy to find, and the recipe makes quite a lot. I'm thinking that sautéing some carrot along with the onion and folding it into the lentil mixture would be delicious too. They pair beautifully with a fresh vegetable salad, boiled potatoes, pickles, fresh herbs, vinegret (a Russian beet salad), or sauerkraut. I've observed the fast more than once, and for a serious meat lover like me it's really hard — now I truly wish I'd found this recipe sooner! I'll definitely be making these again and again, and not just during the fast, but simply to shake up my everyday menu.
- Important! The wrong pan can ruin even the best recipe. For all the details on choosing the perfect skillet for different dishes, read more here.
- Every oil is only good up to a certain temperature — its smoke point — beyond which it starts to burn and form harmful compounds, including carcinogens. For how to gauge frying temperature, pick the best oil for the job, and know which oils to skip altogether, read more here.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Onion - 41 kcal/100g
- Semolina - 340 kcal/100g
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Dried, uncooked lentils - 340 kcal/100g
- Dried boiled lentils - 106 kcal/100g
- Lentils - 340 kcal/100g
- Vegetable oil - 873 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
