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3 lentil meatballs with tomato sauce topped with fresh basil in a bowl.
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5 from 10 votes

Lentil Meatballs

Hearty, "meaty" vegan meatballs made with lentils and mushrooms! Enjoy these delicious plant-based meatballs with pasta and your favourite tomato sauce such as marinara or bolognese.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Amercian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 14 meatballs
Author: Deryn Macey

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils 190 g
  • 8 oz baby bella or cremini mushrooms diced small (125 g)
  • ¼ cup oat flour 30 g
  • 2 tbsp ground flax 14 g
  • 5 tbsp warm water 75 mL
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste 28 g
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped (10 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced (15 g)
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground thyme
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp coarse black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook Lentils: Rinse and cook lentils according to package directions. Drain. If you don't have instructions, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the lentils, cover and simmer lightly for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain off any excess water and set aside.
  • Prepare to Bake: Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Cook Mushrooms: Add olive oil to a saucepan and cook the diced mushrooms over low to medium heat until they have released all moisture and turn golden (about 15 minutes). Stir often to prevent burning.
  • Blend Ingredients: Add the remaining ingredients except for the oat flour to a food processor. 
  • Add Lentils and Mushrooms: Once mushrooms and lentils are cooked, add to food processor as well. Pulse several times until it resembles ground meat. Avoid overblending into a paste. Some whole lentils and larger pieces of mushroom should remain for texture.
  • Mix with Oat Flour: Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the oat flour very well. Let rest for 10 minutes for flour to absorb moisture.
  • Roll Meatballs: Roll into balls a bit larger than a golf ball and spread out on baking sheet. You should get 12-15 meatballs. Mist with a light coating of olive oil cooking spray or use an oil mister to spray with a light mist of any cooking oil.
  • Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray after 10 minutes, until they are firm and golden brown.
  • Serve: Serve with your favourite tomato-based sauce and/or pasta of choice, gravy, on a meatball sub or any other way you'd enjoy meatballs.

Notes

Serving: Serve with tomato sauce, pasta or zucchini or carrot noodles and fresh basil. Try them on a toasted submarine with marinara sauce or bolognese sauce and vegan parmesan. Enjoy warm or cold on salads.
Storing: Cooked meatballs can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, stovetop in a pan or in the oven until heated to your preference.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meatballs | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1.4g | Sodium: 170mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 1g