BBQ Lentil and Sweet Potato Burgers
Sweet potato and lentil veggie burgers loaded with smoky maple bbq flavor. Perfect to prep for a day of grilling out or to enjoy at home!
Summer is so close I can almost taste it. Barbecue, cold watermelon, fresh strawberry pie… Mmm, mmm.
We even had farm fresh zucchini at our dinner on Saturday. Apparently the warm winter made for an early harvest this year. I have plans to share more on that whole experience soon but I wanted to make sure to get the recipe for these lip smackin’ burgers up in time for any barbecues this weekend.
Y’all know I’m totally that girl who brings veggie burgers and sprouted whole grain buns to a barbecue. There’s no shame in my game! Especially when they taste as good as these do.
Sweet potato and lentils with smoky maple barbecue sauce is what cookout dreams are made of, my friends.
I even had a few of my very non-vegetarian coworkers ask me what I was eating as the scent wafted through the break room earlier this week. I think it went something like, “that smells hecka good!”. It’s funny, I had never heard anyone say hella or hecka until I moved to California but it seems to be a thing here.
Anyways, these tasty burgs are based off my favorite classic lentil burger with just a few modifications. Because the sweet potato sort of acts as a binder, I reduced the egg count to just one (or one flax egg for a vegan version) and added smoky maple barbecue sauce in place of the tomato paste and Worcestershire. I did keep the sunflower seeds and walnuts for an extra boost of protein and texture but if you prefer to make them nut-free you can always leave out the walnuts and substitute extra sunflower seeds.
Basically they can be made vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, if necessary. So that settles that. Veggie burgers for everyone! :)
Seriously though, if you like barbecue flavor, you absolutely have to try these! They rocked my veggie burger world.
Yield: 10 burgers
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 35

Ingredients:
- 2 and 1/2 cups cooked brown lentils (approx. 1 cup dry)
- 1 cup finely chopped onion (approx. 1 small onion)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (approx. 2 large carrots)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup walnuts (can also substitute extra sunflower seeds)
- 1 and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (whole wheat or gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup flour (I used brown rice flour)
- 1/4 cup golden flax meal
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup mashed sweet potato (approx. 1 medium-size sweet potato)
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons homemade vegan barbeque sauce (or store-bought)
- 1 egg (or 1 flax egg*)
- olive oil for cooking
- suggested toppings: lettuce, barbeque sauce, avocado, red onion
Directions:
Start by cooking the sweet potato by either microwaving on high for 7-8 minutes or baking in the oven at 400°F for about an hour. Set aside and allow to cool.
Using a food processor, finely chop the onion, carrots, garlic, walnuts and sunflower seeds then transfer to a large bowl. I prefer to process each ingredient individually to achieve the best texture.
Next add the cooked lentils to the food processor and pulse until they appear slightly pureed, then transfer them to the bowl as well. *Be careful not to over process the lentils. You don’t want them to turn to mush–there should still be some shape to at least half of them. See picture in the post as an example.
Once you have all of the vegetables, lentils, nuts and seeds in the bowl, add the sweet potato, breadcrumbs, herbs/paprika/salt&pepper, and the flax meal then stir everything together.
Next pour in the barbeque sauce and the egg or flax egg and stir until well-combined. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time as you continue to stir. If the mixture seems too wet, add more flour as needed.
Form eight individual patties with your hands, making sure to keep them somewhat flat with rounded edges and somewhat smaller than the bun. They will hold together better if they aren’t too thick or too big. At this point you can refrigerate them until you are ready to cook (for up to 2-3 days) or cook them right away.
When you’re ready to cook them, start by warming the olive oil over medium-heat in a skillet for at least five minutes. Once the skillet is thoroughly heated, cook the burgers on each side for about 5-6 minutes. I like the push the edges of the burger to the side of the pan as I cook them to make sure they are cooked on the sides as well. Serve on a warm bun with desired toppings and dig in!
*to make a flax egg combine 1 tablespoon ground flax seed + 3 tablespoons water and allow to thicken for five to ten minutes.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
Hi Sarah! Sweet potato burgers? Yes, please! And no, I’ve never heard the phrase “hecka” hahaha — but I like it. A more polite version than the other one for sure. Happy Wednesday!
These burgers sound amazing Sarah! I could even see myself eating them over a salad for lunch!
Oh yes, the ol’ hella and hecka…I’ve been told “hella” is a NorCal thing, and “hecka” is a SoCal thing. Plus, I hear it used in terms of quantity more than anything else…For instance, “daaaang, bra, they gave me hella fries with my burger!” You know…that kinda thing ;)
Deez burgz. I can totally see them being an every-person kind of burger…so filling and so full of flavor! I find adding BBQ sauce to veggie burgers really makes it seem more substantial..dunno what it is. Plus, BBQ sauce is the best thing ever…besides puppy sneezes ;)
Yum! I’ll be stocking my freezer with new veggie burgers this weekend now that I’m home from school and need to replenish the stash!
Thanks Rebecca! :)
I could live off of sweet potatoes- this recipe looks so yummy! Don’t laugh, but I just used my food processor for the first time since I received it as a shower gift last July…I was scared I wouldn’t know how to use it but its SO easy!
Yay! I’m so proud. ;) You will get so much use out of it. I couldn’t live without mine!
Oooh, how I love all kinds of veggie burgers! I need to bust out my grill for some veggie burger cookin’ – perhaps I should do so with these!
And yes I’m also dying at all of the delicious produce that’s coming into season. The owner at the farm down the street told me that he’s about to harvest his strawberries and tomatoes – I can’t wait! I’ve been eating California strawberries but there’s something special about eating strawberries from a tiny little farm down the road ya know? :)
These burgers look amazing! I will definitely be making this recipe soon. Probably this weekend for a Memorial Day BBQ :)
I SO need to make this burger! I love that it has sweet potatoes in it! this looks amazing! ;-)
This looks so good! It’s such a great option for when you are sick of a traditional burger.
Ooh, these look so delicious!! I actually was just thinking yesterday about what my strategy will be at friends’ barbecues this summer. I could totally see myself bringing this burger to a barbecue (and sparking jealousy from even non-vegetarian friends)! I love how you’ve paired sweet potato with barbecue sauce – absolutely perfect, Sarah!
First up, beautiful photos! And secondly, I NEED to make these! The flavor combo in these burgers sounds right up my alley. Yum!!
Thanks Ashley! :)
These burgers sound so amazing and delicious! What a perfect, healthy burger option! I will definitely have to make these. Yum!!!
LOVE this idea. I’ve been wanting to create my own veggie burgers and the addition of BBQ is awesome. Perfect for memorial day!!
Daaang, Sarah, you’re making me hangry!!! I love a good veggie burger and this one sounds perfect! Pairing sweet potato with lentils, then smoky paprika, chili pow and topping it with BBQ is just what I am craving! It’s packed with so many nourishing foods too… I won’t feel as bad when I pair it with baked french fries! Love this! Thank you, Sarah!
French fries are a must! ;)
Thanks, Traci!
Veggie burgers have been really hit or miss with JZ but I think with the BBQ flavour he would really like these. Can’t wait to give them a try!
Oh my gosh I love these!! Sweet potato in a burger is the best idea! haha Can you tell I like sweet potato??? And with the BBQ…. and now I’m hungry for lunch.
Those look hecka good, Sarah! ;) I definitely say hecka and still use hella way too much. It’s funny because I say awesome and cool a lot too. I even use it at work on the phone and sometimes I think I sound so Californian. I love that you bringing sprouted buns to a BBQ. I would appreciate that very much if we had a bbq together.
I tell you no lie….you’re the veg burger QUEEN. Can you come up with a frozen line because I want all of them in my face but am too lazy at the moment to make them? PINNING.
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Maybe this is how I can get my bf to eat sweet potato. He might not even realize that these delicious burgers contain sweet potatoes :) I like the idea of a smoky maple barbecue sauce in them.
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never mind just looking good.. I did actually make them and they are awesome!!
thanks for the great recipe.
I pan seared mine then on low heat on the BBQ… and whatta hit!
happy kids.. happy summer night~
Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! :)
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Hello,
I just made these tonight and they were absolutely delicious.
Just not sure though that they were cooked….they ended up crispy and brown on the outside but somewhat mushy on the inside….is that right?
I mean I know everything was pre-cooked, except the egg (which should have cooked in the time it was frying) right?
Thanks for the recipe :)
Hi Maroula! Yes, the egg should cook with the time in the frying pan. It’s normal for them to be a little soft in the center because of the sweet potato but they should taste cooked, as long as you didn’t make them too thick.
If you’re not a fan of softer texture you can try baking them. That usually helps dry it out a little. I hope that helps!
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Thanks Sarah,
No I don’t mind it. I thought they were so tasty, loved the smokey BBQ.
I just wanted to make sure.
They were probably thinner than the ones you have in the photo’s.
Thanks again :)
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I’m glad you linked to this recipe today ;-) It looks tasty and it’s gluten free – Perfect for me! It’s rare I get to eat burgers at all, most restaurants in Sweden have a poor selection of gluten free alternatives. Unless you go to McDonalds, but that’s not nearly the same thing. Thanks for the recipe =)
So sad. Today I used my last frozen Bbq Sweet Potato lentil burger. Delicious in every way and a nice change from bean burgers. Time to make a new batch!