Lentil Meatballs
Servings: 5 people
- 2 small cans (15-ounces each) (2 small cans (15-ounces each)) lentils or 3 cups/480 g cooked lentils or 1 cup/200 g dried lentils
- ½ cup (60 grams) breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (40 grams) parmesan grated
- 1 (1) egg
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
- 1 small (1 small) onion chopped
- 1 clove (1 clove) garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) oregano
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt
- 2 twists (2 twists) black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F or 200°C.To a food processor, add all ingredients.
- Pulse for a few seconds, scraping down the sides of the food processor once or twice.Don't overblend. The mixture should be coarse.Shape mixture into small balls by rolling it between the palms of your hands.Arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and brush or spray with a thin layer of oil.
- Oven-baked: 400°F / 200°C for 30 minutes.Air-fryer: 400°F / 200°C for 10 to 12 minutes.
HOW TO SERVE LENTIL MEATBALLS
- You can serve lentil meatballs as an appetizer or snack with dips such as tzatziki, tahini sauce, baba ganoush, or marinara sauce.
- Alternatively, you can add them to a delicious marinara sauce, simmer for 5 minutes and serve with pasta or bread.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Canned lentils: substitute dried lentils for canned. If using dried lentils, go for green, brown, or french lentils. Avoid split red lentils for this recipe.
Breadcrumbs: you can use regular breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. Add more if needed to make the mixture more compact. You can substitute all-purpose flour for breadcrumbs.
Grated parmesan: you can substitute another grated hard cheese. To make it vegan, substitute vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.
Olive oil: you can substitute another vegetable oil.
Onion and garlic: you can substitute shallots for onions, and garlic powder for fresh garlic.
Dried oregano: you can substitute dried thyme or an Italian herb mix.
Italian parsley: you can substitute curly parsley for flat-leaf parsley.
Tomato paste: you can omit it if you don't have it.
STORAGE
Make ahead: this is a good recipe for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge.
Refrigerator: keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
Freezer: freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then when they are hard, transfer lentil meatballs to a freezer-friendly bag and keep for 3 months.
Thaw and reheat: you can thaw overnight in the fridge or in the microwave. Reheat in the airf-ryer, microwave, or in marinara sauce.
SERVING SIZE
The servings below are for about 24 meatballs or 4 - 5 servings. You can increase or decrease the quantities automatically by changing the servings below.
