Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free]

By Healthy Helper
Updated on July 13, 2026
Posted on November 23, 2025
Comments 53 Comments
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Delicious Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers made with sweet potato, kale, red lentils, and bold spices. A vegan, gluten-free, high-protein plant-based burger perfect for meal prep and weeknight dinners.

Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free]

Ever wished your veggie burger had more depth, more flavor, and more texture? Meet your new vegan go-to: Spicy Kale and Lentil Burgers. They’re hearty, nutrient-packed, wildly flavorful, and honestly? They might steal the spotlight from your usual meat-based favorites.

Made with red or yellow lentils, mashed sweet potato, and bold spices, these burgers check every box for weeknight ease, meal-prep efficiency, and plant-based deliciousness. These burgers are baked instead of fried, giving them a crispy exterior and a tender center without the need for extra oil.

Why You’ll Love These Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers

These burgers are packed with plant-based protein from lentils and flax, loaded with fiber from kale and sweet potato, and full of rich flavor thanks to chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. They’re naturally vegan, easily gluten-free, perfect for meal prep, and freezer-friendly for quick future meals.

Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free]

Ingredients Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers:

  • 1 cup yellow or red lentils
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp dried basil, thyme, oregano
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp mixed Italian herbs
  • 1 large yellow or orange flesh sweet potato, baked, peeled, and mashed
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • ¼ cup whole wheat or gluten-free breadcrumbs
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers:

  1. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Follow the package directions for cooking red lentils. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
  3. Microwave chopped kale for 1-2 minutes, or until wilted.
  4. Mix the lentils, mashed sweet potato, kale, garlic, spices, flax egg, and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
  5. Form the mixture into four burger patties.
  6. Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free] Print

Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free]

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  • Author: Healthy Helper
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 burgers or 8 small patties
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup yellow or red lentils
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp dried basil, thyme, oregano
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp mixed Italian herbs
  • 1 large yellow or orange flesh sweet potato, baked, peeled, and mashed
  • 2 cups kale, chopped
  • ¼ cup whole wheat or gluten-free breadcrumbs
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Follow the package directions for cooking red lentils. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
  3. Microwave chopped kale for 1-2 minutes, or until wilted.
  4. Mix the lentils, mashed sweet potato, kale, garlic, spices, flax egg, and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
  5. Form the mixture into four burger patties.
  6. Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Spicy Kale Lentil Burgers [vegan + gluten-free]

Serving Ideas

Serve these burgers on a toasted bun with avocado and red onion, over a salad with tahini dressing, crumbled into tacos, or topped with a tangy yogurt sauce. They’re also perfect for meal-prepping as an easy grab-and-go lunch. They’re versatile, satisfying, and flavorful enough to win over even the pickiest eaters.

These Spicy Kale and Lentil Burgers deliver high-protein, vegan goodness with sweet potato, kale, red lentils, and warming spices. They bake up beautifully, stay gluten-free, work perfectly for meal prep, and satisfy anyone craving a bold, flavorful plant-based burger.

Talk soon,

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53 Comments

  5. I’ve never cooked with a vegan egg replacement before! This looks like such a good option. Love that you went back and did an old favorite. I have to give these a try. pinned!
    Thanks for linking up with Meatless Monday!

    Reply

  6. I love a good lentil burger – I feel like you can really pack in so much more taste than you would in a regular burger a lot of times. These look so yummy!

    Reply

  8. Hi Kaila,
    Love all the healthy spices you have in the recipes – sounds great. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & twitted.

    Reply

  9. These look soooo delicious! They are so thick and hearty, I want one right now! I love all the spices you used as well and that neat egg sounds like a great product, I have never heard of it before. Great recipe…my mouth is watering!

    Reply

  11. I’m learning to like kale, so this recipe looks interesting! I’ve been thinking about going vegan for health reasons. I have a vegan friend, and she says it has helped her healthy a lot! Thanks for linking up at the Submarine Sunday Link Party!

    Reply

  15. Your Burger looks delicious! I really appreciate you sharing this awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply

  17. “Sure they make for tasty recipes, but they don’t help my vegan readers very much.”
    That made me giggle ;p
    I didn’t know Neat made an egg replacer – I’m so excited about this! I have used chia & flax dozens of times, but really want to try the Neat stuff. And these burgers sound insane! Yum =)
    Thanks for sharing them at Healthy Vegan Fridays – I’m pinning them and have no doubt they will end up on a plate in front of me in the very near future!

    Reply

  19. I. Love. Kale. But I’ve never put it inside anything. Can’t wait to try this. Also love the idea of revamping old recipes. Thanks for linking! #SaucySaturdays.

    Reply

  20. I love that these use chickpea and chia flour! I have some dried lentils and now I know what to do with them besides make a cute centerpiece with hurricane candle holders. What a great recipe fo rmy kids to eat because they don’t like beef for some reason. Thanks for sharing this with #SaucySaturdays. I look forward to all your upcoming recipes:)

    Reply

  21. Oh, I have the Neat egg replacer but haven’t used it yet. Will do now :-). I also really like the flax egg because it’s so easy & convenient and adds some healthiness!

    Reply

  23. These sound great, Kaila! I’m always looking for new ways to use lentils. :) Thanks so much for sharing them at Savoring Saturdays!

    Reply

  24. I love using sweet potato and lentils in burgers but I’ve never thrown kale in too. The spice mix in these sounds really nice. Thanks for linking up with #freefromfridays

    Reply