Cashew and Lentil Burgers with Caramelised Onions, Creamy Chipotle and Herby Slaw

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This is one of Nadia Lim’s recipes that we have started making at the Retreat. We wanted to introduce a vegetarian dish that was still packed with protein, nourishment and lots of flavour. We serve the burgers on a bed of herby slaw, and they are a hit amongst the participants. We trust you love them too :)

SERVES: 4 PREP TIME: 25 mins COOK TIME: 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

CARAMELISED ONION

  • 1 tsp olive oil

  • 2 brown onions, thinly sliced

  • 1½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar

  • 2 tsp honey

CASHEW AND LENTIL BURGERS

  • ½ cup roasted cashew nuts

  • 1 400g can brown lentils, rinsed and drained well

  • 1 Tbsp tahini

  • ½ red onion, grated or finely diced

  • 1 free-range egg

  • Zest of ½ lemon

  • 1 tsp soy sauce

  • 1 tsp each, sumac and lemon pepper

  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley

  • ½ cup ground almonds

  • 1 Tbsp GF or plain flour

  • 2 tsp olive oil

CREAMY CHIPOTLE

  • ¼ cup unsweetened natural Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt or lite sour cream

  • 1-2 Tbsp chipotle sauce

HERBY SLAW
Slaw:     

·       5 cups shredded purple and/or green cabbage (1/4 of each cabbage)

·       1 carrot, peeled and shredded or coarsely grated

·       2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Dressing:

·       ½ cup unsweetened natural Greek Yoghurt

·       Juice of ½ lemon

·       ½ teaspoon wholegrain mustard

·       ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt

·       2 tablespoons chopped dill

·       2-3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

·       2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

To serve:

  • 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

  • ½ telegraph cucumber, thinly sliced

  • 1 baby cos lettuce or ½ iceberg lettuce, chopped (or herby slaw)

 

DIRECTIONS

1.    To make the caramelised onions, heat olive oil in a medium pot on medium heat. Cook onion for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until starting to caramelise. If at any time the onion is sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning, add 1-2 tablespoons of water, stir and it should unstick. Stir through balsamic vinegar and honey, cook a further 1-2 minutes then remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

2.    While onions cook, make the lentil and cashew burgers. Crush cashews with a rolling pin (or in a food processor) and add to a medium bowl with half the lentils, tahini, onion, egg, lemon zest, soy sauce, spices and parsley. Mash well with a potato masher, until mixture has the consistency of hummus. Season with salt and pepper and stir through remaining lentils, breadcrumbs/ground almonds and flour. 

3.    Divide burger mixture into four and shape into patties, about 1cm thick. Set aside on a plate and dust each with a little flour. 

4.    Heat half of the oil in a large non-stick fry-pan on low-medium heat. Cook lentil burgers, two at a time, for 2-3 minutes each side, until golden brown and cooked through. You may need to add ½ teaspoon more oil when you flip the burgers, to help the crust crisp up. Set burgers aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. 

5.    In a small bowl, mix yoghurt/sour cream and chipotle sauce. 

6.    To serve, top each lentil and cashew burger with tomato, cucumber, caramelised onions and place on a bed of lettuce (or herby slaw). Drizzle with creamy chipotle.

Andrea Schroeder