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+ servings
5 from 1 vote

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

by: claire cary

Easy to make and full of flavor, these vegan meatballs are made with a base of lentils and mushrooms for a simple dinner. Serve over your favorite spaghetti with plenty of fresh basil.
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Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
24

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups cooked green lentils about 1/2 cup uncooked
  • 8 ounces mushrooms I used baby bella
  • 1 medium/large yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • ¼ cup homemade cashew parmesan click for recipe
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup fresh basil
  • 4 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes see notes
  • ¾ cup (gluten free) breadcrumbs
  • cup almond flour

Instructions

  • Cook the lentils according to package instructions and set aside to cool. Cook in vegetable broth for extra flavor if desired.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roughly chop the onion, mince the garlic and add to a large pan with the oil.
  • Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until golden lightly brown.
  • Add in the mushrooms and cook down for 5-10 minutes or until softened.
  • Add to a food processor with all remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. Careful not to over mix, you want to retain some texture so it's meaty. If the mixture looks too wet, add in more flour or breadcrumbs until easy to handle (you can also add in about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or another starch to absorb more moisture). It should be firm, but not dry.
  • Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired. I usually add extra basil, but it's up to you! Keep in mind the flavors will deepen as they bake.
  • Use a spoon or a small cookie scoop (my preference) to form into roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls. Add to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Don't worry if they aren't perfect circles, we can reshape in a bit!
  • Bake for 15 minutes, carefully re-shape with your hands as needed and flip over.
  • Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  • You can then enjoy as is with pasta & sauce (delicious with my pomodoro sauce) or transfer to pan and lightly saute with olive oil, then top with sauce and let simmer. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition is calculate for 1 meatball, a serving is about 4. 
For a nut free option, sub the cashew parmesan with nutritional yeast and use oat flour in place of almond flour. 
With 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, this recipe will be a medium spice level (in my opinion but I am sensitive to spice). Feel free to add more or less depending on your preference.
Serving: 1meatball / Calories: 81kcal / Carbohydrates: 11g / Protein: 5g / Fat: 3g / Saturated Fat: 1g / Sodium: 100mg / Potassium: 231mg / Fiber: 3g / Sugar: 3g

Did you make this?

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