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Home / Vegetarian / Perfect veggie meatballs

Perfect veggie meatballs

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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.

Homemade delicious vegetarian meatballs with parsley.

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!

Freshly made vegetarian meatballs with parsley, a spoon and a green linen napkin.

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.

Ingredients for vegetarian meatballs in a food processor.

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.

Shaping homemade vegetarian meatballs, shaped ones on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

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

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.

Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs add lentils, vegetable broth and bay leaves to a large pan.

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.

Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, add ingredients to food processor and pulse.

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.

Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, pan fry onion, add lentil and mushroom mixture pan fry, then add red wine and tamari soy sauce.

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.

Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, add eggs, shape the meatless balls and bake in the oven.

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!

Vegetarian meatball image for Pinterest.
Pin for later

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.

Homemade veggie meatballs cooked and ready to eat.
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PERFECT VEGGIE MEATBALLS

Insanely tasty, this veggie meatball recipe is so good. Bite into real flavor bombs that are great with pasta, chilli, pizza & in pittas. Double up as everyone wants seconds!
Prep Time40 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Servings10 yield
Calories118
Course: Main course
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Author: Mandy Applegate | Splash of Taste
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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
Metric – US Customary

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
    Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs add lentils, vegetable broth and bay leaves to a large pan.
  • 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
    Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, add ingredients to food processor and pulse.
  • 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
    Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, pan fry onion, add lentil and mushroom mixture pan fry, then add red wine and tamari soy sauce.
  • 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
    Process shots for making vegetarian meatballs, add eggs, shape the meatless balls and bake in the oven.
  • 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

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 354mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

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About Mandy from Splash of Taste

A vegetarian for over 35 years, Mandy has taught herself to be creative in the kitchen. Traveling extensively, Mandy loves learning and adapting vegetarian recipes from across the world.

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Comments

  1. Gus says

    October 5, 2021 at 7:43 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  2. Petro says

    October 5, 2021 at 8:44 am

    5 stars
    I’ve been looking for more lentils recipes and these sound so delicious! I cannot wait to give your recipe a try!

    Reply
    • Mandy from Splash of Taste says

      October 5, 2021 at 8:55 am

      Veggie meatballs are fantastic for using up your lentils!

      Reply
  3. Jac says

    October 5, 2021 at 9:00 am

    5 stars
    Oh these look tasty. Perfect for my kids favourite pasta sauce. Trying these later this week 🙂

    Reply
    • Mandy from Splash of Taste says

      October 5, 2021 at 9:20 am

      Oh, your kids will love these veggie meatballs – enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Katherine says

    October 5, 2021 at 9:40 am

    5 stars
    I love all the great flavors in these veggie balls!

    Reply
    • Mandy from Splash of Taste says

      October 9, 2021 at 8:39 am

      We’re so glad you enjoyed making them!

      Reply
  5. Dannii says

    October 5, 2021 at 9:55 am

    What a great way to use lentils. I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  6. sonia says

    November 4, 2021 at 9:17 am

    We love meatballs in our family.
    I will try this recipe later this week

    Reply
  7. Danielle Wolter says

    November 4, 2021 at 10:42 am

    5 stars
    I definitely can’t wait to try these. They sound delicious and I am trying to eat less meat.

    Reply
  8. Jessica Stroup says

    November 4, 2021 at 11:05 am

    5 stars
    We’re trying to eat more plant-based meals and these veggie meatballs were a huge hit!

    Reply
  9. Beth Sachs says

    November 4, 2021 at 11:09 am

    5 stars
    I love mushrooms so these veggie meatballs sound divine! Will try them with pasta soon.

    Reply
  10. Biana says

    November 4, 2021 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    What a great idea to make lentil meatballs! I like all the spices you are adding to them.

    Reply

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