Lentil Meatballs

Lentil meatballs are a dish rich in plant-based proteins, tasty and versatile, which can be easily adapted to Italian cuisine with a few Mediterranean touches. Let’s take a look together at the ingredients and the procedure to prepare them.

Ingredients

• 250 g dried lentils (or use about 500 g cooked canned lentils)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• Breadcrumbs as needed (about 50-100 g)
• 1 egg (optional, for those not following a vegan diet)
• Grated cheese as needed (optional, to add flavor, for example Parmesan or Pecorino)
• Fresh chopped aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley, to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
• Flour for coating the meatballs (optional)

Preparation

1. If using dried lentils, soak them overnight, then drain and cook in clean water until tender. Drain the cooked lentils and let them cool.
2. Clean and finely chop the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery.
3. In a pan, sauté the chopped vegetables with a little oil until soft and translucent.
4. Mash the cooked lentils in a large bowl with a fork or blend them to obtain a purée consistency.
5. Add the sautéed vegetables, breadcrumbs, aromatic herbs, grated cheese (if using), salt and pepper to the lentil purée. If you decide to use the egg, add it at this point to better bind the mixture.
6. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous dough. If the dough is too wet, add more breadcrumbs as desired.
7. Take small portions of the mixture and form meatballs of the desired size. If desired, you can coat the meatballs in flour to help form a crust during cooking.
8. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and cook the meatballs until golden on all sides. For a lighter version, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 180 °C for about 20-25 minutes, until golden.
9. Serve the meatballs hot accompanied by your favorite sauce or a side of vegetables.

Trivia

Italian cuisine has a long tradition of legume-based dishes, including beans, chickpeas, and lentils. Lentils are particularly appreciated for their versatility and, above all, for the belief that they bring good luck, especially when consumed on New Year’s Day. Lentil meatballs are an excellent vegetarian reinterpretation of the classic meatball and represent a hearty and balanced dish, especially when paired with a good glass of light and fruity red wine.