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If you need a delicious vegetarian dinner idea, these Lentil Meatballs will quickly become a hit. Serve them over your favorite pasta for a comforting meal!
Ingredients You’ll Need
These vegetarian meatballs have an Italian-inspired flavor, featuring dried oregano and Parmesan cheese. They come together quickly when you keep a can of cooked lentils on hand!
Instead of breadcrumbs, these balls get their structure from rolled oats. If you buy certified gluten-free oats, they are the perfect gluten-free recipe. (Otherwise, oats can be contaminated during the manufacturing process.)
Paired with sauteed mushrooms and onions, they have an irresistible texture and veggies in each bite.
How to Make Lentil Meatballs
Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and mushrooms until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Mushrooms release liquid as they cook, so most of that should evaporate.
Set these aside to cool briefly when they are done.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a 12-cup food processor fitted with an S blade, add the cooked lentils, parmesan cheese, rolled oats, egg, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
When the vegetables have had a chance to cool, transfer them to the bowl. Secure the lid and pulse the mixture several times. It should look relatively uniform but still have a visible texture with oats, onions, and lentils throughout. (See photos for reference.)
If you puree the mixture, it will have a mushy texture in the center.
Use a heaping tablespoon or cookie scoop to scoop the lentil meatball mixture from the bowl. Roll it between your hands to form a ball, then set it on the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining mixture until you make about 24 balls.
Bake at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes. When they are done, your home will smell like an Italian restaurant!
The balls may feel slightly tender when they are hot from the oven, but they will firm up more as they cool.
Simmer these lentil meatballs in your favorite marinara sauce, then serve over your favorite pasta (gluten-free pasta if needed). They have a fantastic flavor!
Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They reheat easily and make an excellent topping for salads or rice bowls.
Looking for more vegetarian comfort food? Try the best Vegetarian Meatloaf, Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, or Vegan Mac and Cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion , diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms , roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (brown or green)
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Drizzle the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and mushrooms until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. The mushrooms will release liquid as they cook, but this will evaporate as you cook them. Set the pan aside to cool briefly.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a 12-cup food processor, combine the lentils, oats, parmesan, egg, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked mushrooms and onions when they have cooled down a bit. (You don't want to scramble the egg or melt your food processor with piping hot veggies.)
- Secure the lid and pulse the mixture several times. It should look relatively uniform, but not pureed. The mixture should stick together well when pressed between your fingers and you should see small chunks of onion and oats throughout. (See photos for reference.)
- Use a heaping tablespoon or cookie scoop to scoop the mixture and roll it between your hands to form a ball. Set the ball down on the lined baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining mixture. You should get approximately 24 balls from this recipe.
- Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes, or until the vegetarian meatballs smell fragrant and look dry around the edges. Cook for up to 5 minutes more, if needed. The balls will feel tender when you remove them from the oven, but will firm up more as they cool.
- Simmer these in your favorite marninara sauce and serve over pasta for a comforting vegetarian meal. Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this lentil meatball recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
This was absolutely delicious! Total comfort food. Loved it!
These were outstanding! I replaced the Parmesan with Pecorino (stomach can’t handle Parmesan). Doubled the recipe, made them bigger and plopped them on the pan (no patience for pretty rolled balls). Cooked for 4 minutes longer. Served over noodles with marinara. My two teens even enjoyed them! I bet they’d freeze well too. This recipe is definitely going in my rotation. I cannot eat many bean varieties so I am thrilled to have another yummy lentil recipe!
Family fave! All four kids devour them. We throw in a handful of fresh basil since we have so much from the herb garden. Also delish with cashew Alfredo!
I’m excited to try these but cannot eat mushrooms. Do I need to substitute something for the mushrooms, or may I omit entirely? Thanks in advance!
I made a batch with a large yellow onion instead of mushrooms, and they were delicious. I think sauteed zucchini could also work.