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
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.
Sauté garlic, onion, and mushrooms until golden.
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.
Add a little more coconut flour if needed and use a fork to mix. Mixture should be sticky but not wet.
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.
Serve with pasta, red sauce, fresh arugula, and basil.
Tips
This recipe makes about 25 meatballs and they are freezer-friendly for easy meals later.
These meatballs are high in protein and fiber, and lower in cholesterol and saturated fat compared to traditional beef meatballs.