Most veggie burger recipes require you to own a food processor or to roast veggies for nearly an hour before you even get started. With the Instant Pot, you don’t need that kind of time or any additional equipment to make these spicy lentil-based burgers. The lentils cook in less than 10 minutes in the Instant Pot and then you simply bake the patties all at once, giving you a quick meal made for a crowd (or a very hungry family). Serve with your favorite bun and burger toppings, or wrap these patties in lettuce leaves, or use them to top a salad for an even healthier version.
MAKES 8 PATTIES
Prep: 15 minutes
Pressurize: 7 minutes
Cook: 33 minutes
Natural Release: 5 minutes
Total: 1 hour, plus cooling
¾ cup red lentils
1½ cups water
1½ cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms (4 ounces)
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ red onion, finely diced
½ cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons Sriracha
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
Hamburger buns or lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)
Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onion, ketchup, and mustard, for topping (optional)
1 Combine the lentils and water in the Instant Pot and stir to make sure the lentils are submerged in the water. Sprinkle the mushrooms over the top without stirring. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing . Select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.

2 When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure. When the floating valve drops, remove the lid. Give the lentils and mushrooms a stir (the lentils should have a mushy texture), then use oven mitts to remove the metal insert from the Instant Pot and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
3 Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir in the cumin, diced red onion, cilantro, Sriracha, salt, and oats into the mashed lentil mixture. Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup, scoop the batter onto the lined baking sheet. Wet your hands, then shape the batter into ½-inch-thick patties, spaced evenly on the baking sheet.
4 Bake the patties for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the patties and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the edges feel firm. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the patties cool on the pan for 10 minutes to help them firm up even more.
5 To serve, place each patty on a bun and top with lettuce, tomatoes, sliced red onion, ketchup, and mustard. Store leftover patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. To reheat, arrange the patties on a baking sheet and warm in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes, until the centers are heated through.