Spicy Lentil Patties with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Weekends are when I usually fuss around with slightly more complicated creations. Not that these spicy and flavorful little red lentil patties are really complicated, just a bit more time consuming than other dishes that I might make during the week. You don't even need to pull out a food processor for these. Once the lentils are cooked until mushy and drained, simply stir in the rest of the ingredients and shape into little bites. Baking them instead of frying cuts down on the cooking time and they are healthier too because you don't need oil. Simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake, turning once, until they are nicely browned on both sides.

These go well with any meal and they happen to pack a bit of heat too. The nutritional yeast adds a bit of cheesy flavor that turned out quite nicely combined with the spices and tart sun-dried tomatoes. I served them with a simple tomato sauce, but you could serve them as burgers with your favorite toppings, or with a soup or salad on the side. These turned out to be a big hit with my dinner guests.

Spicy Lentil Patties with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on August 2, 2016 Golden-brown baked red lentil and sun-dried tomato patties — simple to make and great for summer meals Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 55 to 60 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried red lentils 3 sun-dried tomatoes 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds — see recipe for instructions) 1 large shallot, minced 1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 1/2 tablespoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 cup brown rice flour or other flour, as needed 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the lentils and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Drain well. Meanwhile, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and chop. To make the flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer the well-drained lentils to a large bowl and add the sun-dried tomatoes, flax egg and the rest of the ingredients. Stir well to combine. The mixture should be sticky but easy enough to work with to shape into patties. Add more flour if the mixture is too moist. These can be baked or fried. To bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F. Shape the lentil mixture into small 1 1/2-inch patties and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and transfer to a plate for serving. To fry, lightly oil a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat. Fry each patty for a few minutes per side until golden. Do not crowd the pan but instead fry up in batches. Makes 12 2-inch patties

More patties and small bites to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Red Lentil, Chickpea and Millet Patties
Chickpea Patties Smothered in Vegetable Gravy
Quinoa Potato Patties
Spicy Baked Chickpea Koftas