Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup green lentils
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water, let sit for 10 minutes)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut flour

Serving suggestions

  • pasta of choice, cooked according to package instructions
  • red sauce
  • roasted tomatoes (optional)
  • arugula
  • fresh basil

Preparation

  1. Add lentils to a small saucepan with 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.

  2. Sauté garlic, onion, and mushrooms until golden.

  3. Add all ingredients including lentils and sautéed veggies to a food processor. Start with 1/4 cup coconut flour. Pulse 8-10 times to combine. Do not puree. The mixture should still be fairly chunky with some lentils intact. If you puree too much you will end up with a mushy wet mess.

  4. Add a little more coconut flour if needed and use a fork to mix. Mixture should be sticky but not wet.

  5. Roll into balls and brown in a cast iron skillet over low heat for 3 minutes per side. Optional: Transfer to a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes for the perfect texture.

  6. Serve with pasta, red sauce, fresh arugula, and basil.

Tips

  1. This recipe makes about 25 meatballs and they are freezer-friendly for easy meals later.

  2. These meatballs are high in protein and fiber, and lower in cholesterol and saturated fat compared to traditional beef meatballs.

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