The calendar says that Spring is on the way, though the snowstorm that rolled through the Midwest over the last four days had my family looking for more warming comfort food. I obliged, by making these meatless “meatballs.” Yes, I realize calling something that has no meat in it a meatball is a bit ridiculous, but it sounds more generally appealling that “lentilballs.” And to be honest, it gives you a better idea of what to expect. I kid you not, these lentil meatballs have the same taste, texture, and appearance of traditional meatballs.
Not to belabor the point of how much this version tastes like a traditional meatball, but my husband– a complete carnivore and self-described ‘bean-hater’– devours them. They’re made much like a traditional meatball, except for the addition of ricotta cheese. It really helps bind the ingredients together and provides a rich texture. I loaded these ones up with garlic, onion, parmesan, and parsley, but another nice thing about this dish is that it can be easily modified to evoke other ethnic food flavors. Add a little curry powder, cilantro, and ginger; or to make a Greek version, add mint and oregano, and serve it with feta and tzatziki. We enjoyed this latest batch with my homemade canned tomato sauce from last summer for an Italian vibe. The point is, these little numbers are versatile enough to allow you to follow your imagination.
In our family, we generally live by the “eat meat, though not all the time” mantra. These lentil meatballs are a great alternative, whether you’re like us or eat strictly vegetarian, and you still want that meaty texture and flavor. The fact that brown lentils are also budget-friendly is a nice bonus. Now if you’re interested in more traditional meatballs, I’ve got those for you too. Take a look here and here for a few of my other favorite recipes. And these are an interesting take that makes a nearly-perfect soup. Heck, give them all a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
The Recipe: Vegetarian Lentil Meatball
(makes 40 small meatballs)
2 cups dried brown lentils
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup ricotta cheese (mine was part-skim)
3/4 cup grated parmesan or grana padano cheese
freshly cracked pepper
To prepare the lentils: Rinse the lentils and put into a large saucepan with 2 cups water, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low and simmer covered for about 25 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed into the lentils. Turn off the burner and let the lentils sit for about 10-15 more minutes covered. The lentils will be tender when done, but still hold their shape. Remove the bay leaf, and place the lentils in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, or until they are broken up. The appearance will look like that of cooked ground beef.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line the largest baking sheet you have with parchment paper. Set aside.
To make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the puréed lentils, garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, parsley, ricotta, parmesan, black pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt by mixing together with your hands. Be careful not to over mix, as with all meatball recipes. Form smallish balls using your hands or a scoop– you should yield about 40. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 18 minutes. They will be a nice golden brown on the top and bottom when they are finished baking. Serve right away. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for stopping by Relishing It today!
xo
Laurie
These are such a great alternative to traditional meatballs & they look more than tasty enough to convince even the most skeptical of meat eaters. Definitely going to try these!
These look delish, cheap, and I like her idea about mixing in different seasoning for differnt ethnic flare. OX
Caroline
Please excuse typos and brevity, this message was sent from my mobile device.
Ok. I love this idea Laurie! Looks fantastic! I think I may even be able to convince my boys:)
Kara
I think I may have seen this idea before, but it took your great write-up to get me excited about it. I would make these tonight except I only have the fancy schmancy Lentilles du Puy in my pantry right now. I’m with you on meat–I don’t eschew it, but I try to use it less frequently (except soup stock…I can’t do without chicken stock for soup).
I am always searching for hearty dinner alternatives to meat. Your Lentil Meatballs are a perfect fit in my menu planning. They are scrumptious!
They look so real!!!! Pinteresting it!
Saw the recipe yesterday and couldn’t get it out of my mind. Only had about 1 cup of lentils so I made half a recipe, using Greek yogurt instead of ricotta and skipped the parmesan. I think I need to use a little more water when cooking the lentils, but other than that, I will make them again and again–delicious and just what this vegetarian needs to go with some pasta and arrabiata sauce. Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad to hear they turned out– thanks for sharing your tips for substitutions, Suzanne!
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can i freeze these to be used at a later date? I wanna make some for tomorrow, but then i would like some for the future.
Hi LaToya. Yes, I think they will be just fine if you freeze them. Bake them first, of course. Then reheat when you’re ready to use.
I made these last night and they were by far the best meatless meatballs I have ever made. I did half the recipe and I ended up adding quite a bit more water to the lentils (maybe twice as called for). Threw a few chopped up olives in the mix. This recipe was so easy and a real hit. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you loved them so much! They are a favorite in our house, as well. Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Parmesan is not vegetarian
Hmmm…you may have a point there.