Vegan Lentil Burger from Our Tuscany Cooking Vacation

While traveling is often seen as an excuse to indulge, it doesn’t have to be if you don’t want it too! In fact, our What Women Want trip (with our Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun cooking vacation partners) actually offers a healthier than usual spin, both in regards to the food and the activities. When you’re not being pampered in their beautiful spa, shopping in Cortona, or taking a wine tour, chances are you’ll be in the kitchen focused on the secrets of Tuscan cuisine.

Chef Silvia too makes a point of sharing how to cook in a better, easier, and even healthier way. Many of the meals guests enjoy during this trip are considered ‘bio light.’ Her recipe for vegan lentil burgers is just one example of the healthy and delicious cuisine. This particular recipe makes four burgers.

Check out all our cooking vacations in Tuscany.

Vegan Lentil Burger

Serves: 4
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Cook method: Pan fry

Ingredients

• 250 grams lentils
• 5 grams chives
• 4 slices of bread (finely chopped)
• 1 small potato, boiled
• 2 tomatoes
• Sweet paprika, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Lettuce
• Hamburger buns

Instructions:

1. Soak the lentils for about two hours to soften them.

2. Once the lentils are done soaking, cook them in boiling water until tender and then drain well.

3. Put the lentils in a blender along with chives and finely chopped bread. Blend well until smooth.

4. To the blender, add the potato, paprika, salt, and pepper; blend it together until it forms a soft dough. Then divide the dough into 4 equal parts.

5. Out of the dough form four burgers. Cook them in a pan with olive oil for about 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium heat. Once the vegan burger has turned a golden color, remove from the heat, and put in the middle of the sandwich.

6. Top your burger however you’d like! Chef Silvia enjoys hers with lettuce and a slice of tomato.

Learn other healthy and seasonal dishes with a trip to Tuscany during our Cook under the Tuscan Sun cooking vacation, which is available any week on request for a minimum of two people.

By Liz Hall

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