I love cooking pork burgers when I have guests. However, the recommendation for patients with kidney disease is to prioritize plant-based protein sources. So here is a delicious cilantro pork burger recipe made with lentils!
Kidney nutrition
Limit animal protein
Plant-based protein should make up the majority of protein consumed by a person with kidney problems. However, there are no totally forbidden foods in general. This is quite acceptable if you want to consume little meat very occasionally.
Moreover, a very clever way to consume meat in small doses while having a reasonable portion on your plate is to combine it with legumes.
That’s why I combined lean ground pork with cooked lentils in this recipe! This makes it possible to enjoy the taste of pork while limiting the amount of red meat consumed.
Low sodium condiments
In addition to the protein sources of your burgers, you should also pay particular attention to the condiments used. These can easily add a lot of sodium. You should use low sodium condiments or better yet make them yourself.
That’s why you’ll also find in this recipe the ingredients and instructions for making your own fresh cilantro sauce without added salt that goes perfectly with this cilantro pork burger.
Please note that nutritional values include the use of this cilantro sauce as well as all the toppings indicated in the recipe below.
Hamburger buns
It can be hard to find low sodium hamburger buns to make your cilantro pork burgers. If your diet allows it, you can use normal store bought buns. Otherwise, there is always the possibility of baking them yourself or using another type of bread with less sodium.
Note that the nutritional values of this recipe takes into account the use of normal store bought hamburger buns.
Nutrition facts and claims
Here are the nutritional values and claims of this recipe.
For informational purposes only.
How to make cilantro pork burgers
I don’t think I would surprise you if I told you that it’s very simple to make a hamburger. You simply need to cook the protein source properly and layer all the ingredients between 2 slices of bread.
However, this cilantro pork burger recipe requires an additional refrigeration step. It’s optional, but the mixture of meat and lentils is rather soft. Refrigerating it will make it easier for you to shape your patties.
Once refrigerated, separate your mixture into 4 uniform balls and form 4 thin patties the same size as your hamburger buns. The thickness of your patties should vary between 1/4” and 1/2” maximum. Adjust their shape according to the buns you will use.
To form your patties even more easily, the simplest method is to spread a sheet of waxed paper on the counter and flatten the mixture directly on it.
Once formed, just cook them and use them like any other burger patties.
Cilantro pork burger variations
Here are some suggestions to personalize and adapt your burgers without much extra effort!
Toast the buns
It’s a matter of preference, but personally I always toast my buns in the pan or toaster before assembling my burger.
Also, if you do and add cheese, I suggest you immediately put it between the bottom slice of bread and the patty when they are still hot in order to melt it.
Condiments
In this recipe, I use a cilantro sauce made from Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. But nothing prevents you from taking a shortcut and using another condiment.
This burger is also excellent with homemade BBQ sauce.
Add cheese
I didn’t include cheese in this recipe because it’s already very tasty, but there’s nothing stopping you from adding it if your nutritional limits allow it. Note that the use of cheese will add phosphorus and protein to the nutritional values.
My suggestion would be to add Swiss cheese or bocconcini. Swiss cheese is one of the cheeses that contains less sodium. As for bocconcini, it usually contains only a negligible amount of sodium per serving!
Toppings
In this cilantro pork burger recipe, I used salad, slices of tomatoes and long slices of cucumber as toppings.
However, you can use the toppings of your choice. Just prioritize fresh, local vegetables as much as possible. If you have fresh spinach or radishes, feel free to use them!
Mini burgers
This recipe is also perfect for making appetizers! Just use mini hamburger buns, make very small patties and it’s all done!
More meaty recipes
A healthy nutrition for the kidneys should prioritize plant-based recipes. But this does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to enjoy a meal with meat very occasionally.
So here are some other tasty low sodium recipes made with meat that you might like:
Low Sodium Meat Mix for Burritos and Tacos
Cilantro Pork Burger
INGREDIENTS
Patties
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb ground pork extra-lean
- 1 cup cooked lentils (Note 1)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp green onions finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Cilantro sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tbsp low sodium mayo (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tbsp lime zest
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp maple syrup or honey
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Toppings
- 4 burger buns (Note 4)
- 1 cup salad mix
- 8 tomato slices
- 1 cucumber sliced lenghtwise (Note 3)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all the patties ingredients except olive oil. Then refrigerate the mixture for at least 15 minutes.
- During this time, combine all the ingredients of the cilantro sauce and refrigerate until used.
- Separate the patties mixture into 4 parts of the same size and press them on waxed paper. Make thin patties that will be at least the size of your burger buns.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook your patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Assemble your burgers using the toppings and cilantro sauce.
NOTES
NUTRITION FACTS
For informational purposes only. Nutrition data is primarily calculated from the USDA National Database. Values may vary from accuracy of measurements, brands, nutritional data and more. All measurements are metric (1 cup = 250ml). Readers are encouraged to make their own calculations.
Marc-Andre has been a kidney warrior since 2007. Since that time, he has learned to create his own kidney friendly recipes to preserve as much as possible his kidney functions. Now he wants to share what he has learned to help other kidney patients find tasty kidney friendly recipes.
Roxanne Papineau, RD, is a registered dietitian specializing in nephrology with over 15 years of experience in the field. She writes articles and reviews the content published on this site to ensure that it meets the most up-to-date recommendations for people with kidney disease.
This burger is delicious! Thanks for the recipe.