Vegan Lentil Meatballs

If you’re looking to incorporate more plant-based meals during the week, these vegan lentil meatballs are the thing for you! They’re packed with fiber & protein, and loaded with flavor!

Serve them over your favorite spaghetti with marinara sauce and you’ve got the ultimate comfort food.

We have some type of pasta dish at least 1-2 times a week, so I like to switch up our proteins from time to time to keep things interesting. I’ve been wanting to test a lentil meatball for quite some time, and i’m so excited for these to be in the rotation.

Lentils are highly nutritious, too! They’re a great meat alternative because they’re high in protein and iron. They’re a high fiber legume, and pack in other vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, folate, and potassium.

I love incorporating legumes into my meals at least 3 times a week. It can be as simple as tossing them onto a salad, or creating a meat substitute from them- like in these lentil tacos or black bean burgers.

This simple dish is so flavorful, and comes together in about 45 minutes! I love pairing these vegan lentil meatballs with a gluten-free spaghetti and arrabbiata sauce for extra heat. They’re a perfect meal prep option to last you the week!

What you’ll need for these lentil meatballs

• lentils– mine were pre-cooked to save some cooking time!
• flax egg– mix 1 tbsp of ground flax with 2 1/2 tbsp of water to form an egg replacement. You can also substitute a regular egg for a non-vegan version
• breadcrumbs– gluten-free or regular would work here
• onion & garlic, sauteed for extra flavor
• olive oil
• tomato paste
• soy sauce
• and some spices!

Mix together, roll them, bake them, and throw over your saucy pasta! You can leave them in the fridge for the week, or freeze them for 2 months for a quick meal prep. Either way, they’re delicious and I can’t wait to hear your guys’ thoughts!

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

5 from 3 votes

Course: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Main, Vegan

Servings

18

meatballs

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

NOTES:
I used pre-cooked black lentils. If using dry, cook 3/4 of a cup to yield about 2 cups cooked.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pre-cooked black lentils

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (GF if needed) or oat flour

• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 2.5 tbsp water mixed together to form a gel) or you can substitute a regular egg

• 1/2 medium white onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp dry oregano

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

• Cooking spray

• Serve with

• Spaghetti of choice, I used a gluten-free pasta

• 24 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 375 F.
• In a saucepan, saute the diced onion on medium heat in 1 tbsp of olive oil until translucent, for about 5 minutes.
  
• Toss in the crushed garlic and stir on a low flame for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and place the onion and garlic mixture into a bowl with the lentils. Using a fork or masher, mash the lentils until a paste forms. You can leave some lentils in pieces.
• Add in the breadcrumbs, flax egg, tomato paste, soy sauce, and spices. Mix well until a dough forms.
• Scoop about 1 1/2 tbsp worth of dough into the palm of your hands and form into balls. Layer them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Your mixture should be easy to roll and not too wet. If it is, add 1-2 more tbsp of breadcrumbs.
• Spray the meatballs with cooking spray, and bake for 25 minutes- flip each one halfway through.
• While that bakes, prepare your favorite pasta to serve with.
• Once the meatballs are done, serve over your pasta with marinara sauce, and top with nutritional yeast or parmesan!
• Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @somethingnutritious on Instagram- I’d love to see your creations!