Best Vegan Meatballs We’ve Made
- PREP 20min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 50min
These vegan meatballs are tender and flavorful, thanks to a mixture of lentils, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Be sure to check the make-ahead and storage tips below the recipe. You can cook the lentils three days beforehand and keep the meatball mixture in the fridge overnight.
You Will Need
1 cup uncooked green lentils, also called French Lentils or Lentilles du Puy
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces mushroom, 1 portobello mushroom cap
1/2 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons fennel seed
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons mushroom powder, optional
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs
Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare Lentils
Rinse 1 cup of lentils and place them in a medium pot, covering them with two to three inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender but before they become mushy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Drain and spread on a baking sheet to air dry before using. If you are making these in advance, transfer lentils to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Make Meatballs
Cut the mushrooms and onion into large chunks and add them to the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic cloves and pulse until finely chopped.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushroom-onion mixture and cook, occasionally stirring, until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, mushroom powder (optional), and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook until the mushrooms give off their liquid, and it boils away, another 5 minutes.
Wipe out the food processor bowl, scatter the flaxseed meal, three tablespoons of water, nutritional yeast, and breadcrumbs over the bottom of the bowl, and leave it alone for 5 minutes.
Pulse a few times to blend. Next, add the onion-mushroom mixture and cooked lentils and pulse until well blended (see our photo and video in the article for reference). The mixture should look mostly blended and almost smooth.
Form the mixture into balls, about 1 ounce each.
Cook Meatballs
Stovetop method: Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Gently place the meatballs into the oil and cook, occasionally turning them until well browned and heated through on the inside. Serve with warmed marinara sauce.
Baking method: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange meatballs on the baking sheet and spray or lightly drizzle with oil. Bake until browned and heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with warmed marinara sauce.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make ahead tips: Cook the lentils and the onion-mushroom mixture in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also make the meatball mixture a day in advance. Keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator.
- Storing: Keep cooked meatballs in an airtight container for 3 days in the fridge.
- Mushroom powder: Purchase in specialty stores or online. You can also make it yourself. Here’s our mushroom powder recipe!
- To make these gluten-free: Use GF-certified ingredients and substitute rolled oats for the breadcrumbs. Use 1/3 cup of rolled oats, and then add more if needed.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include any oil required for cooking them since you can choose to cook on the stove or in the oven.