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The Best Vegan Meatballs
These hearty, lentil-based Vegan Meatballs make the perfect Italian-inspired appetizer or topping for freshly cooked pasta. Made with simple plant-based ingredients, this recipe is easy to prepare and incredibly versatile!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 food processor this one is used in the images
Ingredients
Vegan Meatballs
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cups cooked green lentils or brown lentils
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp fennel seed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 pinch dried thyme or 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2-1 tsp crushed red chili flakes
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs plus more if needed
For Serving (Optional)
- marinara sauce recipe below
- hot pasta
- Walnut Miso Parmesan recipe here
Easy Marinara Sauce
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp cane sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the flaxseed and water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
- Combine the cooked lentils, garlic, onion, nutritional yeast, fennel seed, parsley, thyme, salt, black pepper, chili flakes, and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Stir a few times until just combined.
- Add the flax "egg", and stir well to combine the ingredients. If the batter isn't coming together, use clean hands to mix it.
- Transfer about 1/3 of the lentil meatball mixture to a food processor and blend until it becomes a thick batter (not a complete puree). If your mixture is very dry and difficult to blend, add 1/4 water and pulse. Transfer the blended batter back into the large bowl and stir well.
- Scoop and roll the lentil mixture into 2-tablespoon-sized balls.
- Place the lentil meatballs on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, or until slightly browned on the outside and tender inside.
- If desired, toss the meatballs with warm marinara sauce, serve over pasta sauce, and garnish with the vegan parmesan cheese.
Easy Marinara Sauce
- Warm oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for about 1 minute, until onions are translucent.
- Pour the tomato sauce into the sauce pan, and add the sugar, salt, and basil. Stir well, and cover the pan.
- Cook the tomato sauce on low for 20 minutes. For a thinner sauce, add 1/4 cup of water, and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Serve the sauce over the lentil meatballs.
Video
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Allow leftover meatballs to cook completely before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Place cooled meatballs on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid, about 2-3 hours. Transfer frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm refrigerated meatballs in the oven at 350ºF on a prepared baking sheet for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Reheat frozen meatballs in the oven at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through. Note: Cover frozen meatballs with foil for the first 10 minutes of reheating to speed up the warming process.
- Properly cook lentils. Cook the lentils until tender but retain their shape to give the easy lentil meatballs the right texture. Avoid overcooking them or they will be mushy!
- Let the flax egg sit. Give the flaxseed and water enough time to form a gelled consistency—at least five minutes (or longer if you have the time)—to create a proper binding that holds the meatballs together.
- Adjust the meatball consistency as needed. If the mixture seems too wet, gradually add more breadcrumbs until you achieve the right consistency – the mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape when rolled into balls.
- Mix well. Ensure all ingredients in the vegetarian meatballs recipe are thoroughly mixed for the most cohesive texture. Use your hands as needed to mix, ensuring even distribution.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheets. Place the prepared meatballs with space between them on the baking sheets. This allows the heat to circulate and helps them cook evenly and brown well.