The BEST Vegan Meatballs {lentil & walnut}
These are the best vegan meatballs ever! They are made completely with whole foods and are so filling and flavorful! These lentil walnut vegan meatballs are loaded with Italian flavor and are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! Toss them on top of your favorite pasta, or add them into an Italian meatball sub!
Do these meatballs taste like real meatballs?
Listen, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that these taste exactly like animal based meatballs, or mock meat meatballs, because that is simply not the case! Mostly because those types of meatballs are loaded with either animal products, oil or cheese, making them highly palatable and extra scrumptious! These are more like meatball’s healthy cousin. They are veggie based, so they have a totally different taste, but are delicious nonetheless. These are more like veggie balls with Italian flavor, but are honestly SO GOOD to top on pasta or to use for any of your other meatball needs!
How to make the best vegan meatballs
Sauté your veg over medium heat. Add in the onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 5 minutes then add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook a further 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile in a blender pulse the walnuts until they have ground into tiny pieces then slightly pulse your cooked lentils.
Mix everything together in a large bowl. Add in your sautéed veg, the pulsed lentil & walnut mixture and the remaining spices and ingredients and mix well with your hands until everything is well incorporated.
Roll and divide the mixture into meatballs and place onto a greased or lined baking tray. I like to roll the meatballs into small balls, as they take less time to cook and get crispier in the oven! I made 26 balls but next time I will likely make them smaller!
Bake your vegan meatballs at 375f for 45 minutes until the outsides are crispy and golden and you are ready to enjoy!
How to serve the best vegan meatballs
These are the best vegan meatballs for a reason and that is because they are perfect for all of your meatball needs. You can use these vegan meatballs the classic way, on top of your pastas and meatball subs, or you can also use them on top of salads, as an addition to your nourish bowls or as a high protein & filling snack!
Things you need to know when making the best vegan meatballs
Make your vegan meatballs small! These meatballs turn out best when they are rolled into small balls. They get crispier in the oven and if they are made too big they may fall apart. I made 26 meatballs, but you can make them even smaller!
These meatballs are not your typical meatball! They are a totally different texture and taste and taste more like veggie balls! So just keep this in mind when taste testing!
Use a different bean or legume. Try swapping out the lentils and make some kidney bean meatballs, or try using chickpeas or black beans!
Make them nut free. To make your meatballs nut free simply replace the walnuts with either one extra cup of lentils (or another type of legume or bean) or replace them with sunflower seeds!
Make them gluten free. You can make these vegan meatballs gluten free by replacing the breadcrumbs with oat flour!
Storing your vegan meatballs
These vegan meatballs are great for meal prep! The batch is quite large so you can eat them throughout the week! Just store them in the fridge in a container and make sure to heat them in either the oven or the air fryer. You can also reheat them in the microwave but they will become soft and soggy as opposed to having a crispy outside layer.
You can also keep your vegan meatballs frozen and let them thaw when you are ready to enjoy them! Just pop into the oven or air fryer to reheat!
Other recipes you will love
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta {20 minute dinner}
Vegan Sheet Pan Fajitas with Tofu
Lentil Walnut Taco Meat {10 minute recipe}
Easy Vegan Ground Beef made from Tofu
Want more FREE plant-based recipes?
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The BEST Vegan Meatballs {lentil & walnut}
Ingredients
- 1 small Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 stalk Celery
- 250 g Mushrooms
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Walnuts
- 3 cups Cooked Lentils
- 2 tbsp Ground Flax
- ½ cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs make sure they're vegan!
- ½ cup Parsley
- 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Rosemary
- 1½ tsp Thyme
- 1½ tsp Oregano
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Finely dice your onion, celery and carrot then sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add in your garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender add in your walnuts and give them a quick pulse to break them down into tiny pieces. Then add in the lentils and pulse again, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the lentil walnut mix, the sautéed veg and the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl then mix well with your hands until everything is well incorporated.
- Divide the mix and roll into balls. I made 24 balls in total. The meatballs are better when they are smaller as they become more crispy. If they are too big they tend to fall apart.
- Place the meatballs onto a greased or lined baking sheet and bake at 375f for 45 minutes until golden.
- Serve over your favorite pasta with some vegan parmesan cheese and enjoy!