Lentil Mushroom Meat-a-balls

I’ve been making these vegan lentil meatballs for quite some time. Originally this recipe actually was for a lentil loaf but I found myself moving away from the loaf form and instead rolling into these hearty balls. I like to serve these a main dish with roasted tomatoes, pesto or even teriyaki sauce. These are packed with powerful nutrients and minerals such as protein, iron, and fiber.  The main ingredients are lentils, mushrooms, walnuts, carrots, and celery. If you feel like preparing this as a lentil loaf follow the same steps except spread the mix into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and brush the top with a bit of oil or sauce, such as barbecue or ketchup.

This recipe will yield about 30 3 oz vegan lentil meatballs which is about 4 servings.  They freeze beautifully and can easily be reheated on the stovetop in some oil or sauce, if it’s a hot day they can also be enjoyed cold on a salad or in a wrap.

Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Tomatoes and Pepita Pesto

Print Recipe

• Author: Chef Elyse

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Vegan Lentil Meatballs:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 16 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup green lentils, cooked (about 2 cups cooked)
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons warm water)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon each of dried parsley, thyme, sage
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

For the Roasted Tomatoes

• 24 oz cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Pepita Pesto recipe available here 

Additional Ingredients for Serving:

• your favorite pasta cooked
• fresh herbs such as basil and parsley
• grated vegan parmesan, I like to use violife brand

Instructions

 

1. Cook the lentils, generally that would be done by adding 1 cup of lentils and 3 cups of water to medium sized saucepan, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, cook until a bit mushy and set aside
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
3. Toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl, spread onto lined baking sheet and set aside
4. In a large satuee pan, heat a bit of oil, once hot add the mushrooms, stir and cook over medium low heat for a few minutes, until the mushrooms release and cook off their liquid
5. add the onion and sautee until translucent
6. add the garlic, celery, and carrot, stir and cook until soft, remove from heat and set aside
7. Add 1 1/4 cup of cooked lentils to a food processor along with the sautéed veggies, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, tamari, worcestershire, dried spices and the rolled oats
8. pulse until uniform consistency, not too chunky and not total mush
9. transfer to large bowl
10. prepare the flax egg and add to mixture in bowl along with 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
11. use a 3 oz ice-cream scoop or spoon to portion the mixture and roll into balls
12. place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes
13. about 20 minutes into cooking time place the baking sheet with the tomatoes into the oven, these are done when they start to blister and have popped
14. now is a good time to warm your sauce if desired
15. allow to the tomatoes and balls to cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before serving on top of your favorite pasta with warmed sauce
16. keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months