Vegan Lentil Meatballs

9 comments
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.

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

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!

Vegan Lentil Meatballs

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!

9 Comments

  1. Sydney

    Can you use a chia egg in place of flax egg?

  2. Laurena Barlow

    I have CKD so I need Nutritbional facts of the recipes. Thank you very much. Love the idea with Lentils❤️❤️
    Laurena

    • Hey Laurena, unfortunately I don’t have have nutritional facts available for my recipes at this time.

  3. I just made these, first recipe I’ve made from your website, and they were INCREDIBLE. They had an amazing texture and were so easy. I will definitely be making these regularly.

  4. These turned out great! I used a food processor and that made it very easy. I refrigerated the mixture before forming the balls and feel like that helped as well.

  5. These were SO good and super easy with precooked lentils. I used an egg instead of flax and added ground fennel to these and they were a hit! I can’t wait to make them again!

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