The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Lentil Meatballs Everyone Will Love
When you're in the mood for a homemade Italian dinner, the first question normally is: "Which meatball recipe should I use?" There are hundreds and thousands of different meatless meatball recipes on the internet and The Beet narrowed it down to one recipe that is delicious, easy to make, and plant-based.
These meatballs are made with lentils, a healthy source of plant-based protein. Other recipes can be made with soy, beans, chickpeas, and sometimes a mix of everything. Lentils are extremely easy to cook with and taste amazing made into a meatball because their small size makes a thick texture when they're combined into a ball.
After you make your homemade meatballs, serve them with pasta, cauliflower mash, in a sub, or simply by themselves, they taste delicious prepared any way you choose. Use nutritional yeast as fresh parmesan cheese and top your dish with fresh basil and a pinch of salt.
A Note from the Chef: The ultimate vegan lentil meatballs that are completely gluten-free, protein-packed, and full of Italian flavor! Made with only 7 simple ingredients!"
Recipe Developer: @thebananadiaries
Why we love it: Meatless meatballs are delicious and a good source of vegan protein. They're easy to make and can be made in several other dishes like a sandwich, risotto, pasta, cauliflower mash, baked potatoes, and more.
Make it for: Lunch or dinner. Get creative with your dish and add your favorite red sauce and fresh herbs and spices.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Vegan and Gluten-Free Lentil Meatballs
Yields 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked lentils (about 3/4 cup uncooked if cooking from scratch)
- 1 cup oat flour (homemade or store-bought)
- 5 prunes
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 cup marinara sauce, for cooking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Lightly spray or coat the tin foil with coconut or olive oil to prevent sticking.
- In a large food processor, pulse all of the ingredients together until it’s a consistent batter. It should not be very clumpy, but rather smooth.
- Roll the lentil batter into 2-inch sized meatballs and place the meatballs onto the baking sheet. Bake the lentil meatballs for 25 minutes in the oven.
- When done, remove from the oven and let cool while you add 1 cup marinara sauce to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add the meatballs to the pan, toss them in the sauce, then cover and set the heat to low/simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve with fresh pasta, cauliflower mash, or however you prefer!
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