Baked Vegan Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups lentils (green or brown), cooked and drained
  • 1 cup cooked (and completely cooled) quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 jar of your favorite sugar-free red sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In oven-safe skillet add 1-tablespoon olive oil, over medium heat, sauté garlic and shallot until fragrant and softened, approx. 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve pan for later.
  3. Pulse the lentils, garlic, shallot, herbs and spices in food processor into a crumbly, loose consistency. Then add the cooked cooled quinoa, tomato paste and nutritional yeast; pulse again. You want the mixture to be sticky enough to hold together, without being completely pulverized.
  4. Scoop out a small handful of the mixture and gently form into balls, add to a plate and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  5. Reheat your reserved oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add remaining olive oil and then add meatballs; sauté for a few minutes, gently turning to get a slight golden crust on all sides.
  6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes; until golden and slightly dry to the touch. If you are using the red sauce, you can pour it over the meatballs at the 10-minute mark.
  7. Enjoy your meatballs plain, alongside your favorite veggies, on top of a salad or with your favorite pasta or veggie noodles.

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Enjoy!

xo

Vicki