Eggplant Patties with Olives
These lentil and eggplant patties combine cooked red lentils, roasted eggplant pulp, parsley, sliced black olives and garlic into a sticky mixture you shape and pan-fry or bake. The lentils bring protein and structure, the eggplant adds soft texture and savory depth, and nutritional yeast rounds everything out. They are vegetarian, ready in under an hour, and freeze well.
A few weeks ago, I saw a great eggplant patties recipe on a vegetarian TV cooking show. I love eggplants, especially in my Eggplant Caviar and my Eggplant Spread, so I decided to give it a try. Of course, I forgot to write down the recipe, so I made my own version. The original had eggplant as the only star, but I added lentils for body and protein, plus olives and herbs for that briny, fresh contrast I keep coming back to.
They turned out great. I love how the eggplant changed the texture and taste of these patties, giving them a softness most bean patties never reach. My parents said these are the best veggie patties I have made. I would not go that far, but they definitely have a special place on my favorite veggie patties list.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A high-protein vegetarian main that does not rely on mock meat or tofu
- A clever way to use up a single eggplant and a cup of red lentils sitting in the pantry
- A make-ahead patty you can fry fresh or pull from the freezer on a busy weeknight
- A budget-friendly batch dish that feeds the whole family from cheap staples
- A meatless patty with real texture, soft inside and crisp at the edges, not dense or dry
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- High in protein. A full cup of red lentils does the heavy lifting, so these patties keep you full without any meat.
- That eggplant texture. The roasted eggplant pulp melts into the mixture and keeps the inside tender instead of crumbly, which is what sets these apart from standard lentil patties.
- Big, savory flavor. Black olives, garlic, parsley and nutritional yeast layer salt, brightness and a cheesy umami note into every bite.
- Flexible cooking. Bake them for a lighter result or light-fry them for crisp edges, whichever suits your day.
- Forgiving mixture. If the dough is too wet, more breadcrumbs fix it instantly, so beginners can succeed on the first try.
- Freezer-friendly. The whole batch holds beautifully, making these ideal for meal prep.
Ingredient Notes
Red lentils are the backbone here. They cook fast, around 15 minutes from the boil, and break down into a soft, almost mashable texture that binds the patties from the inside. Buy split red lentils rather than whole brown or green ones for this recipe, since the others stay firm and will not hold the mixture together. The single most important step is straining them very well after cooking, because excess water is the number one reason a patty mix turns soupy.
Eggplant is what gives these their name and their tender bite. Pick one that feels heavy for its size with tight, glossy skin and no soft spots, which signals fresh flesh with fewer bitter seeds. You scoop out the pulp and chop it, so a medium eggplant is plenty. Older, spongy eggplants carry more moisture and bitterness, so use yours while it is firm.
Black olives bring the salty, briny edge that makes these patties taste like more than mashed lentils. Sliced olives distribute better than whole ones, so you get a little hit of olive in every bite rather than the occasional surprise. Drain them well before adding, since their packing brine adds unwanted moisture to the mix.
Fresh parsley lifts the whole thing with green, peppery freshness against the rich eggplant and lentils. Use the leaves from a full bunch and chop them finely so the flavor spreads through the mixture. Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than the curly kind if you have the choice.
Nutritional yeast adds a savory, lightly cheesy depth without any dairy, plus it soaks up a touch of moisture. Look for the flaky, pale-yellow kind in the bulk or health aisle. Four tablespoons is enough to season the whole batch; more can turn the flavor sharp.
Egg binds the mixture so the patties hold together in the pan. For an egg-free, fully vegan version, swap in 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks, which gel as they sit and do the same binding job. Either way, the binder is what keeps the patties from falling apart when you flip them.
Breadcrumbs are your moisture dial. Start with about a third of a cup and add more, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture is sticky and holds its shape. This is the ingredient that rescues a too-wet batch, so keep extra on hand.
Tips
- Strain the lentils like your patties depend on it, because they do. Press the cooked lentils against the strainer to push out water. A wet mix is the most common reason patties refuse to hold, and no amount of breadcrumbs fully fixes a soaking-wet base.
- Judge the mixture by feel. You know it is ready when a handful presses into a patty that keeps its shape without sticking all over your palms. If it slumps, add breadcrumbs a spoonful at a time until it reaches a dough-like consistency.
- Do not crowd the pan. Give each patty space so the edges crisp instead of steam. Fry about 2 minutes per side and wait for a deep golden crust before flipping, since a patty that releases easily is one that is ready to turn.
- Let the shaped patties rest a few minutes before cooking. This gives the binder and breadcrumbs time to firm up, especially if you used psyllium, which needs a moment to gel.
- Taste the raw mix and adjust. A pinch more salt or pepper at this stage makes a real difference, and the olives and nutritional yeast already carry a lot of salt, so season toward the end.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make them vegan. Replace the egg with 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks for a fully plant-based patty that still binds well.
- Switch the binder. No psyllium on hand? A few extra tablespoons of breadcrumbs plus a short rest will also help an egg-free mix hold together.
- Change the herbs. Parsley is the base, but a handful of chopped dill or fresh mint plays beautifully with eggplant and olives if you want a different angle.
- Add a little heat or warmth. A pinch of chili flakes, smoked paprika or cumin folds into the mix easily and gives the patties a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern lean.
Storage and Make Ahead
Cooked patties keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in a hot pan or the oven rather than the microwave so the edges crisp back up instead of going soft. You can also make the mixture ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for a day before shaping and cooking.
These freeze well, which is why I often double the batch. Freeze cooked patties in a single layer first, then transfer them to a bag so they do not stick together, and they will hold for up to 3 months. If you love batch-cooking patties like this, you might also enjoy my lentil patties with olives and herbs and my healthy vegan falafel. And if you have leftover red lentils, my vegan red lentil soup is a cozy way to use them up.
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Eggplant Patties with Olives and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 eggplant
- 1 bunch parsley chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 1 egg or 2 tbsp psyllium husks
- 4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
- 4 Tbsps black olives sliced
- 3 garlic cloves mashed
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs more or less
- sea 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.
- Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the pulp. Chop it and put it in the bowl.
- 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.
- Cook the patties – bake or light fry.
- Light fry: Spray a non-stick pan with some oil. Put each patty on the frying pan and let it fry about 2 minutes on each side.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is vegetarian as written because it uses one egg as the binder. To make it fully vegan, swap the egg for 2 tablespoons of psyllium husks, which gel and bind the mixture just as well. Everything else in the recipe, including the lentils, eggplant, olives and nutritional yeast, is already plant-based.
The most common cause is too much moisture in the mix, usually from lentils that were not strained well enough. Press the cooked lentils firmly in the strainer to remove excess water, and drain the olives before adding them. If the mixture still feels loose, work in more breadcrumbs a spoonful at a time until it holds its shape, and let the shaped patties rest a few minutes before cooking.
Yes. Baking is the lighter option and works well with this recipe. Arrange the shaped patties on a lined tray, give them space, and bake until golden and firm, flipping once halfway through. Light-frying gives crisper edges, but baking keeps them lower in oil.
Use split red lentils. They cook quickly, in about 15 minutes from the boil, and break down into a soft texture that binds the patties from the inside. Whole brown or green lentils stay firm and will not hold the mixture together as well, so they are not the best choice for this recipe.
Keep cooked patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat them in a hot pan or the oven so the edges crisp back up. To freeze, lay the cooked patties in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a bag, where they hold for up to 3 months.
They work as a vegetarian main with a fresh salad, in a wrap or burger bun, or alongside rice or roasted vegetables. A garlicky yogurt or tahini sauce pairs especially well with the eggplant and olive flavors. They are also good cold straight from the fridge as a snack.
Just peel the eggplant with a veggie peeler then chop the flesh – that’s got to be quicker than scooping out! Looks good, though. I would definitely add herbs if I had some to hand. Always looking for new ways to get more eggplant in my life!
This is my favorite recipe from your blog and I really want to thank you. You have so many amazing patties here! 🙂 Keep up the good work with the blog!
You’re welcome, Kim! Thanks! Glad you liked it! 😀
Hi there
I’m uncertain as to whether you use the Eggplant as a whole. You say to cut the Eggplant in half, scoop out the pulp. Chop it and put it in the bowl. Is that the pulp you’re referring to? Or is the pulp discarded and the Eggplant chopped. Rather confusing.
Yes, you scoop out the raw pulp of an eggplant, then chop it into tiny bits. Only the pulp is used for this recipe.
I tried to fry them at first, but they fell apart as soon as the eggplant started to cook and get mushy. I would recommend either pre cooking the eggplant partially or use a muffin tray (which is currently what i am doing). I also opted to put other herbs and spices along the greek sort of idea. What i did fry up tasted very good. Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Hi Kat!
Sorry to hear that. Don’t know why that happened. I recently discovered a great ingredient – inactive dry yeast flakes. I started adding it in all my vegan patties recipes and it is amazing! It does not only taste great, but it makes the patties stick together and not get crumbly at all. I updated my patties recipes and added this ingredient too. It makes them even better. You should give it a try! 🙂
Hi there – these look great! Do you think they would freeze well pre-frying?
Sure! I actually do this with almost all my patties recipes. 🙂
As vrea sa le incerc si eu . Se pot prepara cu linte verde ? Multumesc,
Sigur! Eu recomand lintea rosie pentru ca se gateste mai repede si are o culoare mai frumoasa. E doar o preferinta personala 🙂 Abia astept sa vad cum iti ies!
These look great but I am confused about the eggplant…do you cook it first? Otherwise, how would you scoop out the pulp? I wouldn’t think the cooking time would be long enough to cook it .
Hi Rhonda,
Thanks! No, you don’t have to cook it first. It will cook when you light-fry or bake the patties. You can scoop out the pulp using a tablespoon. It is best to use small, young eggplants. They have a sweeter taste.
Do you cook the eggplant before forming the patties?
Hi Laura! No, there’s no need to cook it before. I used fresh eggplants for this recipe.
These patties really look amazing! Very unique!
Thank you! So glad you like them!! Maybe you’ll give them a try 😀
What a clever idea, perfect for Lent.
Thanks Heide!! So glad you like it 😀 If you’re going to make these, don’t forget that you can upload your photo in the app above the comment section. Also, any other tips are very welcomed! 😀