Lentil Meatballs
These Lentil Meatballs are a great alternative to store-bought vegan or non-vegan meat! Great on a sandwich or pasta too!!
I’ve made some Vegan Meatballs using Impossible Meat, and while I love them, I know a lot of folks prefer something made from scratch, so I was happy to whip up these Lentil Meatballs! And while these are different than Impossible Meatballs, they are also super dang good in their own right!
It may seem like a bunch of work, but it’s honestly way easier than it looks, and totally worth it! This recipe makes about 24 (1 oz.) meatballs, perfect for sandwiches or pasta!
Ingredients for Lentil Meatballs
- Lentils – I used some canned cooked Lentils to make this easier. But you can make yours from scratch as well, you’ll just need about 2 cups worth.
- White Bread – Like a lot of traditional Meatballs, we’ll be employing some cubed white bread that’s been soaked in plant milk.
- Seasonings and Aromatics – In order to infuse a lot of flavor in these, we’ll be using some traditional Meatball seasonings, like onion and garlic, fresh herbs, and Italian Seasoning.
- Wet Binders – for the Binders, we’ll be using some Plant Milk and Aquafaba (you can use the liquid from the canned Lentils, or reserve some of the cooking liquid if you are making from scratch).
- Dry Binders – Breadcrumbs and Vital Wheat Gluten will help these get nice and firm. If you are gluten free, you can use gluten free breadcrumbs, but there is no substitute for the Vital Wheat Gluten. You can skip it, but the meatballs will be a bit softer without it.
How to make Lentil Meatballs
Cut off the crust of the white bread and then dip in 1/4 cup of unsweetened plant milk. Gently squeeze out the liquid, and then dice the bread into cubes about 1/4 – 1/2 inch. Set aside.
Add some olive oil to a pan and sauté the diced shallot until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, add everything and mix together.
Scoop out and roll your meatballs. Add them to a pan over medium heat with some olive oil, and brown them on at least 2 sides.
Steam the meatballs, and then bake them!
Enjoy in sandwiches or on pasta!
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Storage
Store any leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within 3 – 4 days. Or freeze for up to 6 months!
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Lentil Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cooked Brown Lentils
- 3 slices White Bread
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Plant Milk (divided)
- 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 Shallot (finely diced)
- 1/4 cup Chopped Italian Parsley
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Basil
- 4-5 Tbsp Aqufaba (from Canned Lentils or Chickpeas)
- 1 tsp Vegan Beef Bouillon (or Veggie Bouillon)
- 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Mushroom Seasoning (or 1 – 2 tsp Miso Paste)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 – 2 tsp Calabrian Chilies (optional for heat)
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3/4 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Cut off the crust on the white bread, then dip in 1/4 cup of unsweetened plant milk. Gently squeeze out the liquid, and then dice the bread into cubes about 1/4 – 1/2 inch. Set aside.
- Add some olive oil to a pan and saute the diced shallot until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, add everything except the vital wheat gluten and baking soda. Mix thoroughly by hand. Whisk the vital wheat gluten and baking soda, then add that to the meatball mixture and mix to combine by hand. If the mixture is too dry to stick together, add in some more plant milk a little at a time until it comes together. You should have a big meatball that weighs about 750 grams. Let that rest for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Scoop out about 1 oz. or 30 grams of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat until the entire mixture is used up, you should have around 24 meatballs. Add them to a pan over medium heat with some olive oil, and brown them on at least 2 sides. Should take about 8 – 10 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan, and then lower the heat to medium low, cover and steam for about 10 – 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then add the browned and steamed meatballs to it. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes at 350 F / 180 C, or until the meatballs are firm with a bit of bounce to them. They won't be super stiff or dense, but they should be soft enough you can push down on them a little and they'll bounce back.
- Enjoy in pasta or on a sandwich!
