Why you’ll love this lentil meatball recipe:
Versatile: Make a different sauce if you’re not into the sticky sesame, throw them into a pasta dish, whatever you wish! Quick & Easy: The prep time is only 15-minutes for these bad boys! Protein-Packed: With the help of peanuts and lentils, these meatballs are protein-packed and filling
Ingredients:
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to make these sticky Sesame Lentil Meatballs:
Ingredient Notes for Lentil Meatballs:
Peanuts: Peanuts are a low-cost superfood that delivers significant health benefits. With just a handful of peanuts, you’re getting a load of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They can even help you decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. A one-ounce serving of peanuts offers you:
7 grams of protein 19 vitamins and minerals Healthy fats Fiber
Sauce: For this recipe, I made a delicious sticky sesame sauce made with sesame oil, soy sauce, orange juice, hoisin sauce, sweetener (like honey or maple syrup), and rice wine vinegar. The sauce is delicious, flavorful, and Asian-inspired. However, you can definitely swap this sauce for any sauce you love!
How to make vegan meatballs:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients, stir till well combined, and set aside.
In a food processor, process the peanuts till a ground meat-like texture is achieved, then set aside.
In a medium pot, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and gently cook your onions and garlic on medium heat for 5 minutes. Stirring frequently to prevent burning.
To the pot, add salt and pepper. Stir till all the onions and garlic are coated with the seasoning. Cook down the onions for 5 minutes before adding the lentils, chickpeas, or rice to the pot.
Remove the lentil mixture from the pot and gently pulse in the same food processor (you can also use a hand blender) till a crumble develops.
Transfer the lentil mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl. To the bowl, add the peanuts and the remaining ingredients. Stir till well combined. Set ahead in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Once cooled, you now form “meatballs”. I used a 1 1/2 tbsp. ice cream scoop to measure the size. I then rolled them and placed them on the baking sheet. Cook them for 35-40 minutes total, flipping and turning at least twice to avoid any burning. At the halfway mark, remove the “meatballs” and lightly coat with 1/4 of the sauce. Just before the balls are completely cooked. Add another 1/4 of the sauce to the “meatballs” and cook for the remaining 5 minutes.
Serve these vegan meatballs with white rice, sesame seeds, green onions, and as much sauce as desired. Storage: Place the balls in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to one week. You can also, bake, seal and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also premake, not bake and store in the freezer for up to two months. Cook them in a preheated 400F oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 1 hour or until golden. Make sure you flip and move to avoid burning. Pre-make: If you want to premake the recipe I suggest making the recipe up till the baking step. Have them rolled and prepped in the fridge before baking. You can do this up to 48 hours in advance. Servings: This recipe serves 4 as a main meal but around 6 as an appetizer. Oil: If you prefer to make this recipe oil-free, then simply use water or vegetable stock to cook/steam the ingredients like the onions/garlic and peanuts. I recommend 3-4 tbsp. water or stock to replace the 1 tbsp. olive oil. Gluten-Free: If needed, use gluten-free panko and gluten-free hoisin.
Other recipes you’ll love:
Greek Salad Dressing Greek Meatballs with Whipped Feta Vegan Pastitsio Recipe Vegan Lemon Rice Soup Vegan Crab Cakes Vegan Ramen
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