Lentil Patties with Olives and Herbs
These lentil patties with olives and herbs are crisp-edged, savory, and ready in well under an hour. Red lentils cook in about 15 minutes, then get mashed with parsley, onion, nutritional yeast, and briny black olives, bound with egg, and pan-fried until golden. They impress even non-vegetarian guests, and they come together with simple pantry staples.
As you have probably noticed, I LOVE veggie patties! I love trying new base ingredients for my veggie patty recipes and experimenting with flavors and textures. Even when I wasn’t a vegetarian, I don’t remember being so crazy about meatballs or meat patties. I rarely ate them. Now, not a week passes by without me trying a new vegetarian patty recipe.
Red lentils are among my favorite ingredients for vegetarian patties. I use them often because they don’t have to be boiled for a long time (15 minutes is enough for red lentils), and also because they’re very nutritious, have a nice color, and a great taste. I promise you’ll love these.
Key ingredients
Red lentils are the heart of this recipe. Unlike brown or green lentils, they have no tough seed coat, so they cook fast and break down into a soft, almost creamy texture once mashed. That softness is exactly what you want here: it lets the patties hold together without going mushy. One cup, simmered for about 15 minutes, is all you need.
Black olives bring the salty, briny punch that makes these patties taste like more than just mashed lentils. Slice them rather than chopping them fine, so you get little pockets of olive in each bite. If your olives are very salty, go easy on the added salt and taste the mix before frying.
Nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy depth without any dairy. Four tablespoons sounds like a lot, but it dissolves into the mix and rounds out the flavor. It also helps the patties taste rich and satisfying, which is what you want from anything you’re pan-frying.
Egg is the binder that holds everything together. If you want to keep these vegan, swap the egg for 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks, which gel as they sit and do the same job. Either way, the binder is what turns a loose mash into patties that don’t fall apart in the pan.
Breadcrumbs are your texture insurance. The recipe calls for about two-thirds of a cup, but treat that as a starting point. They soak up excess moisture and give the mix a dough-like consistency, so add more if the composition feels too wet to shape.
Tips for getting it right
The single most important step is straining the lentils very well. The most common mistake here is a wet mix: if you don’t drain off enough water, the composition turns sloppy and the patties spread in the pan instead of holding their shape. Strain them thoroughly, then let any extra steam escape before mixing.
- Mash the lentils with a fork rather than blending them. You want some texture left, not a smooth puree.
- If the mix won’t hold together, it’s too wet. Add breadcrumbs a spoonful at a time until it reaches a dough-like consistency that’s sticky but easy to shape.
- Use a non-stick pan and only a light spray of oil. Too much oil makes the patties greasy rather than crisp.
- You know a patty is ready to flip when the underside is golden and releases easily, roughly 2 minutes per side.
- Taste and adjust salt before frying, since the olives and nutritional yeast already bring saltiness.
Storage and make-ahead
These keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, which makes them a reliable make-ahead lunch. Reheat them in a dry non-stick pan to bring back the crisp edges rather than microwaving, which softens them. You can also prep the lentil mixture ahead and fry the patties fresh when you need them. If you’d rather not pan-fry at all, bake them: grease a large pan, place the patties, and cook 15 minutes on one side and another 15 on the other at 180C.
If you love patties as much as I do, try my healthy vegan falafel or these lentil and eggplant patties next. For more ideas with this humble pulse, browse my collection of vegan lentil recipes.
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Lentil Patties with Olives and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 1 egg or 2 Tbsp psyllium husks
- 4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
- ½ cup black olives sliced
- ⅔ cup breadcrumbs more or less
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add lentils in a pot and cover them with water. From the moment they start boiling, let them boil for about 15 minutes and then remove from heat.
- Strain the lentils very well and put them in a large bowl. Start mashing them a little, using a fork.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except oil.
- Using a fork, or your hands, start mixing the composition. It has to be sticky and easy to shape. If it’s not it means that you didn’t strain the lentils very good and the composition is too wet. No problem, just add more breadcrumbs until it has a dough-like consistency.
- Spray a non-stick pan with some oil. Not too much. Put each patty on the frying pan and let it fry about 2 minutes on each side.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
As written, the recipe uses one egg as the binder, which makes it vegetarian. To make them fully vegan, swap the egg for 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks. The psyllium gels as it sits and holds the patties together just as well, so you get the same result with no animal products.
No. Red lentils don’t need soaking. Just add them to a pot, cover with water, and from the moment they start boiling, let them cook for about 15 minutes. That short cook time is one of the main reasons red lentils are so convenient for patties.
The usual cause is a mix that’s too wet, which happens when the lentils aren’t strained well enough. Drain the lentils thoroughly, then add breadcrumbs a spoonful at a time until the composition is sticky and dough-like. It should hold its shape easily before you start frying.
Yes. Grease a large pan, place the patties on it, and bake at 180C for 15 minutes on one side, then flip and bake another 15 minutes on the other side. Baking uses less oil than pan-frying and is handy when you’re cooking a large batch.
They work as a main with a fresh salad, tucked into a bun as a burger, or as a savory snack with a dip. The briny olives and herbs give them plenty of flavor on their own, so they don’t need much beyond a simple side or a spoonful of yogurt or hummus.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they keep for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a dry non-stick pan to bring back the crisp edges. You can also prepare the lentil mixture ahead of time and fry the patties fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Hi. These look great and I’d like to try them. I’m confused by all the comments referring to potato’s as I don’t see them listed in ingredients. Can you clarify? Thanks.
Hi April! There are no potatoes in the recipe, I updated the recipe and some of the comments are older. The potato was used instead of psyllium husks, however, I discovered the recipe is better with psyllium husks instead. So, for the binder ingredient, you can either use psyllium husks or egg (recommended) or alternatively, 1 boiled potato.
HI!
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe! I made them a couple years ago using egg and they were divine!
I now would like to make them vegan, and see several different variations in the comments from using flax egg to potato or psyllium husk? Is there one that is “best” that you’d recommend, seeing that I have not tried any of these?
Thanks so much for sharing you recipes(:
Robin
Hi, Robin! Thank you. I always use psyllium husks to replace eggs in patties. I think they’re the best and most effective option.
I appreciate all the useful information in this article 🙂 The patties are amazing! Some of my favorites from your blog. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, June! Glad you liked the recipe!
FYI, nutritional yeast is a source of B12 and replaces cheese for any vegans. Usually not found in US in super markets, but Whole Foods, etc (Health Foid Stores. Or on line. Be sure is nutritional yeast, not brewers yeast which is bitter. Can take a little getting used to, but I love it. I put on grits instead of butter or cheese. Could be left out just may have to alter liquids to replace dry. B12 is a problem for vegans, so that is reason, most use it.
Excellent recipe! I’m not a huge onion lover, so to anyone else who is in the same boat as me, maybe try softening the onions first in in a pan so they’re less prominent. I’ll be trying that next time!
Thanks, Emily! That’s a great tip! I love onion so I don’t mind the taste, but for those who don’t like it that much it it’s a great idea! 🙂
Hi Ruxandra, thanks for the recipe! I’m a little confused tho, the directions mention adding potato but it’s not listed in the ingredients… Has it been replaced with the egg or do I still need to add it? Thanks! x
Hi Nat! Sorry, I updated the recipe yesterday because I tried it with flax egg instead of potato and found out it was better this way. I modified the recipe. You can use either egg or flax egg.
I was actually in the middle of making this when I saw you updated the webpage. Luckily I read through the recipe once before but when you updated it, you left out the part about the how to cook the potato and when to add the flaxseed. The potato made it in, the flaxseed did not. I realized that too late. They were dry unfortunately :/
Oh.. I’m sorry to hear this. It was bad timing. I updated the recipe because I made it again yesterday and used “flax egg” instead of potato. I thought it was better this way. They didn’t turn out dry when I made them with potato either. Did you fry them or bake them? For baking the patty must be greased a little bit with oil on both sides. It dries a bit in the oven and by greasing it it becomes crunchy instead. I usually prefer lightly frying them. It’s quicker. Hope you’ll give them a try again! 🙂
I’m not much of a cook so I need more specific directions. What size/weight potato? Also, what is “bunch” of parsley? In our stores the parsley comes in really huge batches. I’m sure that’s not what you mean. But can you give an estimate in terms of how many cups of chopped parsley? And is it curly or flat parsley — they have different flavors!
Hi Jem! Medium potato, 1/2 cup chopped flat parsley.
Just curious, what kind of potato did you use? Would a sweet potato work?
To Deb, I highly encourage you to get “Myfitnesspal” you can import the recipe straight from the site in 2 seconds using the url & be done. Its an awesome feature.
Hi Sarah! I used a normal white potato. I’m not familiar with the kinds of potatoes available in other countries (like Russet, Idaho and so on) because in my country they’re a bit different, so I can’t suggest a special kind of potato.
Yes, you can use sweet potatoes as well, but the taste will be a bit different. It will have a somewhat sweeter taste. I don’t think that would be a problem.
Let me know if you try this recipe and if you like it! 🙂
Hi. I’m allergic to yeast. Any suggestions for a replacement? Thanks.
Hi Blair! Skip it. Add some breadcrumbs or flour instead if the composition is too moist. Start by adding 1 Tbsps and mix. Check if the patties are easy to form. if not, add a little bit more.
These look yummy but what is the purpose of the yeast, what do you miss by not adding it?
Hi Ashley! It’s nutitional yeast flakes, not regular yeast used for baking. It adds both taste (it has a cheese-like taste) and also acts as a binding agent.
Are yeast flakes the same as nutritional yeast?
Yes, inactive dry yeast flakes are the same with nutritional yeast. 🙂
What are inactive dry yeast flakes? Is it nutritional yeast?
Yes, inactive dry yeast flakes are the same with nutritional yeast. 🙂
What are yeast flakes and where do I get them?
Inactive dry yeast flakes are the same with nutritional yeast. They can be found in most supermarkets I think.
Looks yummy! Are these 100% advocare-approved though? The breadcrumbs and salt seem questionable. Thought we couldn’t have simple carbs or added salt?
Thanks!
Thanks, Mandy! I don’t know what advocare-approved means. You can add some tapioca flour instead of breadcrumbs, or whole grain flour. Salt is needed.
These look wonderful! Please could you tell me how big the a potato to use for recipe?
Hi Emily! Thanks! 😀 A medium-sized potato is ok.
I made a recipe similar to your. Using s French lentils( black small ones) with potato. I’ll try your recipe now.
Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Cu ce sa inlocuiesc oul si totusi sa se lege compozitia? 🙂
Incearca cu vreo 1-2 cartofi fierti si facuti piure. Eu asa am inceput sa inlocuiesc oul in chiftelute. Fierb cartofii in coaja, ii decojesc si ii pasez. Se leaga foarte bine chiftelutele.
anyone have the nutritional value or calories on these?
Sorry Michele, I don’t calculate the nutritional values for my recipes.
If you could, it would be greatly appreciated. I don’t have to watch calories, but carbs, so before making anything I have to sit down and calculate whether the recipes are worth me making. I’m sure I’m not the only one in this situation – just thinking if lots of us are calculating, maybe 1 person calculating could be the easiest.
Sure, I’ll think about it and maybe add it in the future. 🙂
Eu le-am facut cu linte verde si au iesit bune. Nu trebuie neaparat linte rosie.
Da, lintea rosie e o preferinta personala 😀 Ma bucur mult ca ti-au placut!
mmm … arata delicioase 🙂
Ma bucur ca iti plac Ioana! Sa imi spui cum ti-au iesit daca le incerci 🙂