Lentil Meatballs

Helga Glaesel de BlandingJuly 14, 2021

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

We are constantly looking for vegetarian options to include at least one recipe in our weekly meal plan. I have prepared lentils in the form of a stew with some variations, so this new way of preparing them caught my attention. You cook the lentils first, drain them and then mix them with the rest of the ingredients that include oats. See the recipe’s notes on which oats to use, not instant or steel-cut.

They are easy to make, and I like that the first 3 steps can be prepared in advance. You can leave the mixture ready the day before, just to form the meatballs and bake them if you are in a hurry. This makes it a good recipe for the weekly Meal Prep, it saves a lot of time to have most of the recipe ready.

As for the taste, they are delicious! at home everyone loved them. We serve them with vegetable noodles, as the recipe suggested. We just spiralized zucchini and carrots, and heated them in the microwave just before serving, accompanied by homemade tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. A little fresh parsley is always a good idea. We didn’t include a photograph of the sauced meatballs so you could take a good look at them.

Helga

Lentil Meatballs

Recipe from Well Plated
Approx. 18 meatballs

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried brown lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion about 1/2 medium onion
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats, do not use instant or steel-cut
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg (use flax to make it vegan)

Procedure:

Cook the lentils: Add the rinsed lentils to a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium high, then reduce the heat to a very low simmer. There should be a few small bubbles, and the lentils should be barely moving. Let gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Keep an eye on them to ensure they do not dry out—you want the lentils to always be just barely covered with liquid. If the lentils are not yet tender but the liquid has been absorbed, add more water, and continue to cook. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until onion is translucent and lightly brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the carrots and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Place the oats and parsley in the bottom of a food processor, then pulse a few times to begin breaking up the oats. Add the cooked lentils, onion mixture, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to start combining the mixture, then crack in the egg. Pulse a few more times until the mixture is combined but the lentils still have some texture. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then coat the paper with nonstick spray. Roll the lentil mixture into balls that are roughly 1 1/2 inches across, about the size of a golf ball. Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet and mist the tops with nonstick spray. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn, mist again with nonstick spray, and continue baking 8 to 10 additional minutes, until the meatballs are browned and lightly crisp. Serve warm with pasta or vegetable noodles and your desired sauce.

Have you made this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen!

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