Plant-Based Meatball Recipe (Simple & Gluten-Free!)

~ Yields About 14 Meatballs ~

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of cooked lentils
• 5-6 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (natural non-dairy substitute for parmesan cheese flakes)
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal + 2.5 tablespoons of water)
• 1.5 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
• 1.5 tablespoons of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil
• Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste
• Optional: Coconut, oat or almond flour to thicken (if necessary)

NOTE: You can buy uncooked/dry lentils and cook them yourself, or you can buy them pre-cooked in a can. Just make sure the canned lentils are organic and the can has a BPA-free lining like the Westbrae Natural brand. 

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
2. Prepare the flax egg by mixing the flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds) and water, and letting it “gel” for at least 3 minutes.
3. Once the flax egg has set, add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are combined well, but not puréed, leaving a little texture. The mixture should be dough-like. If it’s too wet / runny, add a little coconut, almond or oat flour to thicken it up.
4. Taste the mixture and add more salt, pepper or other seasonings if needed.
5. Use a tablespoon or cookie dough scoop (like this) to scoop out rounded tablespoon amounts of dough to form the meatballs with your hands, and place them on the lined baking sheet. If the dough is sticking to your hands excessively or a formed meatball cracks, moisten your fingers with a little water to help unstick the dough and form/bind the meatballs. You can also coat your hands with a little coconut, oat or almond flour to help prevent sticking.
6. Put the baking sheet with the meatballs in the oven and bake for 20 mins, or until they are golden brown. After removing them from the oven, it’s very important to allow the meatballs to cool completely before taking them off the baking sheet so they don’t fall apart. The longer you allow them to cool, the more they will firm up.
7. Serve the meatballs over veggie noodles made with zucchini or carrots, or over a bed of greens (like spinach). Top them with organic marinara or spaghetti sauce.

Leftovers: Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 1 month.