These little veggie meatballs are flavor bombs in your mouth that are insanely tasty. The mushrooms give an umami flavor and the soy sauce and red wine pair perfectly with the herby taste. Our vegetarian meatball recipe is a total winner, you may want to double up as everyone will ask for more.
Why you’ll love these meatless meatballs
- Not only do our vegetarian meatballs taste so incredibly good, they are also really flexible, use them in a pasta bake, with spaghetti and marinara sauce or eat them with a tasty dip.
- They are great (and some people tell us even better) the day after you’ve cooked them.
- They are perfect for meatless Monday’s or if you’re trying to reduce your meat consumption and have had the thumbs up by many of our meat-eating friends (who always ask for seconds).
Including lentils, a protein and fiber powerhouse, our vegetarian meatballs have so much flavor that nobody will miss the meat. They are hearty, delcious comfort food and you’ll love them!
What do I serve vegetarian meatballs with?
You can serve your home-cooked veggie meatballs with pasta, they are great with spaghetti, tomato sauce and a little vegetarian parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
Try our tasty meatless meatball recipe with our pasta bake recipe coming soon), vegetarian meatballs in pasta sauce, it’s a real crowd pleaser and perfect hearty, family comfort food.
You can even try our vegetarian meatballs on a pizza!
How do I store them?
Store your vegetarian meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
They also freeze well, once cooked freeze them and they will keep for up to 3 months.
Do I need a food processor to make these?
Yes, you do need a food processor.
You need to blitz them in a food processor to get a coarse consistency that you just won’t get by manually mashing the ingredients.
It may be possible to split the meatball mixture into batches and use a high-powered blender, but we’d recommend using a food processor.
Recipe notes and tips
- Want to make vegan meatballs?
Make your vegetarian meatballs into vegan meatballs by substituting eggs for flax egg. - Want to avoid soggy meatless meatballs?
When you’ve cooked your lentil mixture for 10 minutes, ensure that you drain them, don’t let them sit in the liquid because they’ll absorb more and then become soggy. - Don’t have any oats?
Use panko bread crumbs instead, the breadcrumbs will give the same crunchy feel to the meatless balls. - Don’t want to include red wine?
Just leave it out, it’ll alter the flavor but won’t affect the consistency. - Want to have vegetarian meatballs whenever you need them?
Double batch cook them and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months.
How to make veggie meatballs – step by step instructions
A full printable version of this great recipe with all ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine your brown lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock (broth) in a medium saucepan.
Now bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and then let it gently simmer for 10 minutes, the lentils won’t be cooked, but this is what you want, undercooked brown lentils.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and drain, let it cool down and then discard the bay leaf.
Now place your lentils, oats, chestnut mushrooms, oregano, red pepper flakes, parsley, tarragon, and thyme in a food processor.
Pulse until it becomes a coarse mixture, you don’t want it mushy, or the vegetarian meatballs will fall apart.
Now, place a large frying pan (skillet) over medium heat and warm your olive oil.
Add your chopped onion and a pinch of salt.
Pan-fry, stirring often, cook until your onions are turning golden at the edges and are translucent, which will take approximately 5 minutes.
Now add your minced garlic and pan fry for around 30 seconds, then stir in the lentil and mushroom mixture and cook until it’s browned, approximately 5 minutes, ensuring that you stir constantly.
Add your soy sauce and red wine to the frying pan (skillet), continue stirring and cook until the liquid has all been absorbed.
Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Leave the mixture to cool, until you can handle it comfortably.
In a small mixing bowl whisk your eggs and then transfer them to the mixture and thoroughly mix them into the lentil and mushrooms, this will ensure that the mixture will bond together and keep your meatless meatballs together.
Next, it’s time to shape your veggie meatballs.
Use your hands to make them, scoop a small handful of the mixture and shape it into a ping pong ball size, around 4cm (1½”).
When each veggie meatball has been shaped, place it on the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place them in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Serve with pasta sauce, in a pitta bread, a pasta bake or even freeze them to enjoy at a later date!
More vegetarian recipes
Four cheese and mushroom lasagne – loaded with four kinds of cheese and full of umami flavor, this is a great family dinner!
Pasta Alla Sorrentina – quick and easy, full of juicy ripe tomatoes, this is a great meatless Monday recipe
Vegetable bhuna – one of our favorite vegetarian recipes, bursting with Indian spice, you’re going to love this!
Best vegan burger ever – a real meaty taste this vegan recipe takes vegan burgers to the next level!
We hope you absolutely love cooking our vegetarian meatball recipe and we’d really enjoy hearing from you, so please leave a comment or ask a question below.
PERFECT VEGGIE MEATBALLS
Utensils
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 190 g Dried brown lentils rinsed
- 1 Bay leaf
- 475 ml Vegetable stock
- 40 g Oats
- 225 g Chestnut mushrooms
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes
- 10 g Flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ½ tsp Dried tarragon
- ½ tsp Dried thyme
- pinch Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Medium brown onion chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- 60 ml Red wine
- 1 tbsp Tamari soy sauce
- 2 Eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine your brown lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock (broth) in a medium saucepan. Now bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and then let it gently simmer for 10 minutes, the lentils won't be cooked, but this is what you want, undercooked brown lentils. Remove the saucepan from the heat and drain, let it cool down and then discard the bay leaf
- Now place your lentils, oats, chestnut mushrooms, oregano, red pepper flakes, parsley, tarragon, and thyme in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes a coarse mixture, you don't want it mushy, or the vegetarian meatballs will fall apart
- Now, place a large frying pan (skillet) over medium heat and warm your olive oil. Add your chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Pan-fry, stirring often, cook until your onions are turning golden at the edges and are translucent, which will take approximately 5 minutes. Now add your minced garlic and pan fry for around 30 seconds, then stir in the lentil and mushroom mixture and cook until it's browned, approximately 5 minutes, ensuring that you stir constantly. Add your soy sauce and red wine to the frying pan (skillet), continue stirring and cook until the liquid has all been absorbed. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Leave the mixture to cool, until you can handle it comfortably
- In a small mixing bowl whisk your eggs and then transfer them to the mixture and thoroughly mix them into the lentil and mushrooms, this will ensure that the mixture will bond together and keep your meatless meatballs together
- Next, it's time to shape your veggie meatballs. Use your hands to make them, scoop a small handful of the mixture and shape it into a ping pong ball size, around 4cm (1½"). When each veggie meatball has been shaped, place it on the baking sheet with parchment paper
- Place them in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until they are golden brown
- Serve with pasta sauce, in pitta bread, a pasta bake or even freeze them to enjoy at a later date!
Notes
- Want to make vegan meatballs?
Make your vegetarian meatballs into vegan meatballs by substituting eggs for flax egg - Want to avoid soggy meatless meatballs?
When you’ve cooked your lentil mixture for 10 minutes, ensure that you drain them, don’t let them sit in the liquid because they’ll absorb more and then become soggy - Don’t have any oats?
Use panko bread crumbs instead, the breadcrumbs will give the same crunchy feel to the meatless balls - Don’t want to include red wine?
Just leave it out, it’ll alter the flavor but won’t affect the consistency - Want to have vegetarian meatballs whenever you need them?
Double batch cook them and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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I loved these veggie balls, and they were super hearty and flavorful. I added them to a marinara sauce to make a spaghetti bowl, and they worked wonderfully.
I’ve been looking for more lentils recipes and these sound so delicious! I cannot wait to give your recipe a try!
Veggie meatballs are fantastic for using up your lentils!
Oh these look tasty. Perfect for my kids favourite pasta sauce. Trying these later this week 🙂
Oh, your kids will love these veggie meatballs – enjoy!
I love all the great flavors in these veggie balls!
We’re so glad you enjoyed making them!
What a great way to use lentils. I can’t wait to try this!