Vegan Italian Lentil Quinoa MeatBalls

Italian seasoned mashed lentil quinoa meatballs look just like real meatballs, perfect for pairing with your favorite marinara sauce and nestling into a big bowl of warm noodles. Vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.

THE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water (or you can use ground chia seeds)
3/4 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed & drained well
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained (I've also used cooked cauliflower in a pinch)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, ground to a fine powder (or pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced
1/2 cup old fashioned oats (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1/4 cup fresh basil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cook the quinoa and lentils separately, set aside.
Combine flaxseed and water in a small bowl, stir and set in the fridge to setup for 10 minutes.
Blend the sunflower seeds to a fine powder.
Add the cooked lentils, sunflower seed powder, onions, basil, Italian seasonings, oats, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cooked quinoa to a food processor. Pulse it a few times until everything is combined. You want a chunky consistency, be careful not to blend the mixture too much.
Pour the flax egg into the mixture and pulse it a few more times to mix it in.
The mixture will be slightly sticky. I've found that the easiest way to mold the meatballs is to roll a heaping spoonful of the mixture in between your two palms. Try to keep your fingers out of the way because the mixture will stick to them and get messy. Form the mixture into 10-12 golfball-sized (or 24 mini) "meatballs."
Place the lentil meatballs on a parchment lined tray and bake for 15-20 (flipping once halfway through) or until both sides are lightly browned.
Serve "meatballs" over pasta or zucchini noodles with your favorite marinara sauce.
Optional: I like to put the meatballs in a pan with marinara sauce over low heat to keep them warm. They absorb all the flavors of the sauce and taste even better!