Lentil patties stuffed with peppers, onions, and olives make the perfect quick meal! They are vegetarian, gluten free, and take less than 30 minutes to make.
Spring is coming!!! Right now I’m parked on the couch with all the windows open, and it is divine! Is it really March 7th? Our winter in Kansas City was super mild, we hardly got any snow, and it was surprisingly warm. I love the change of seasons, I am starting to see tulips pop up out of the ground, and all the trees are starting to get buds of new life. Which has me thinking of my garden…………..
I know it’s still too early to plant anything, so instead I’m thinking and planning of what I should plant this year. I always do tomatoes and basil, but the other veggies seems to rotate in and out each year. I try not to get too ambitious, because then come July or August, I’m overwhelmed with weeding, watering, and caring for everything I planted. These simple and delicious lentil cakes are full of some of my garden staples: onions, bell peppers, parsley. I love how quick and easy they are, and the Mediterranean flavors are beyond delicious. These would make a great side dish, or could be main dish for a vegetarian meal. I can’t wait to whip up another batch (warning: these will disappear fast!).
While the lentils are cooking, chop up your veggies. Mash the lentils, mix in veggies and spices, and pan-fry the patties until they are brown and crispy on both sides. Voila! A quick weeknight meal your family will love!
Table of Contents
MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL CAKES
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: ~15 cakes
Ingredients
SCALE
- 2 cups lentils
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon dill
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- about 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- Optional:
- Feta cheese and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add lentils and cover them with water. Bring them to a boil, then simmer them (covered) for 15 minutes. Remove them from the heat, drain any excess liquid (make sure they’re really well drained) and mash them in a big bowl. While the lentils are cooking, dice up the onion, bell pepper, olives, and parsley. Add them to the mashed lentils along with the eggs, seasonings, and flour, and mix them until they are well combined. At this point, you should be able to form the mixture into a patty without it being too wet/sticky or dry/crumbly. If its too wet, add a little more flour. Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, take 1/3 cup of lentil mixture, form it into a patty, and gently place it in the oil. Let it cook until the first side is brown (about 3-4 minutes), and then flip it over to cook until the other side is brown and crispy. Watch them closely so they don’t burn! Place them on paper towels to remove the excess oil, and enjoy!
Notes
*Adapted from Spicy Vegan Lentil Cakes http://gourmandelle.com/spicy-vegan-lentil-cakes/
