Vegetarian Italian “Meatballs”

This recipe was created for the American Egg Board. These flavorful, “meaty” Italian meatballs will satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Eggs are the essential ingredient to bind all of the ingredients and create a satisfying, wholesome meal.

Lentils, Italian spices, mushrooms and almond flour come together to make a hearty, vegetarian meatball. Serve these meatballs over zucchini noodles with some marinara sauce and you’ve got a nourishing gluten free, keto and grain free meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Vegetarian Italian “Meatballs”

• These meatballs have an authentic Italian taste.
• This recipe makes hearty, nourishing meatballs that satisfy your hunger like a meat-based meatball.

Ingredients To Make Italian Meatballs

Though it looks like these vegetarian meatballs are a bit complicated to pull together, they are pretty easy to make. Don’t let the long list of ingredients deter you.

• Lentils – I used green lentils but brown would also work.
• Eggs – I prefer to cook with free range or organic eggs but any kind is fine.
• Flax – Make sure to use ground flax.
• Olive Oil – I always cook with extra virgin olive oil.
• Shallot
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Italian seasoning – or you can use a combination of dried basil and oregano.
• Almond flour
• Fresh basil, parsley or kale – fresh is best, don’t use dried.
• Tomato paste
• Hard goat cheese like Manchego
• Sea salt
• Pepper

For serving

• Zucchini noodles
• Jar of marina sauce -I love Rao’s

Equipment To Make Vegetarian Meatballs

• Cast iron skillet
• Food processor
• Parchment paper
• Sheet pan

How To Make Vegetarian Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a skillet add olive oil and cook onion until translucent about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, then add garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, add cooked lentils, 2 eggs, and ground flax. Pulse until combined.
4. Next add cooked mushroom mixture, dried Italian seasonings, almond flour, fresh parsley, basil or kale, 2 tbsp tomato paste, and shredded cheese, salt, and pepper, and pulse until well combined.
5. With olive oil-greased hands, form the “dough” into 1-inch “meatballs”.
6. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
   
7. Prep your pasta and marinara sauce while “meatballs” are baking. Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
8. To serve, top zucchini noodles with meatballs and pour marinara sauce on top. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!

Storage For Vegetarian Italian Meatballs

Leftover meatballs can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for a few months.

 

Pro Tips For Making Vegetarian Meatballs

• Make sure the marinara sauce you choose does not contain sugar or make your own.
• If you don’t have green lentils on hand you can use brown lentils instead.
• Drain the lentils well.

FAQs

Can I use canned lentils to make these meatballs?

Canned lentils will work if you drain them really well. Make sure if you are using canned to rinse them to remove any salt and then drain.

Can I make these meatballs without the cheese?

The cheese helps hold the meatballs together so I’d say they definitely need cheese. If you want to substitute for a non-dairy cheese that would work.

How can I make these meatballs nut-free?

If you are looking to make these meatballs nut-free you can substitute a seed based flour. You can make your own by taking pumpkin or sunflower seeds and placing them in the food processor. Process until you get a fine meal.

 

 

Vegetarian Italian “Meatballs”

This recipe was created for the American Egg Board. These flavorful, “meaty” Italian meatballs will satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Eggs are the essential ingredient to bind all of the ingredients and create a satisfying, wholesome meal.

• cast iron skillet
• food processor
• parchment paper
• baking sheet

• 1 ½ cups cooked and cooled green lentils
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp ground flax
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium shallot (minced)
• 1/2 pound mushrooms (rough chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 ½ tbsp dried Italian seasonings (dried basil and oregano)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, parsley or kale
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup hard goat cheese like manchego (grated)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°
2. In a skillet add olive oil and cook onion until translucent about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, then add garlic and cook another minute until fragrant
3. In the bowl of a food processor, add cooked lentils, 2 eggs, and ground flax. Pulse until combined.
4.  Next add cooked mushroom mixture, dried Italian seasonings, almond flour, fresh parsley, basil or kale, 2 tbsp tomato paste and shredded cheese, salt and pepper and pulse until well combined.
5. With olive oil greased hands, form the “dough” into 1 inch “meatballs”.
6.  Prep your pasta and marinara sauce while “meatballs” are baking. Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
7. To serve, top zucchini noodles with meatballs and pour marinara sauce on top. Top with a sprinkle of cheese and fresh basil or parsley. Enjoy!

Main Courseegg, GLUTEN FREE AND GRAIN FREE, KETO, paleo, vegetarian