These baked mushroom and red lentil meatballs are surprisingly nutrient-dense, packed with protein, fiber, and flavor but requiring just a few simple, inexpensive pantry staples! Oil-free, dairy-free, optionally gluten-free, and perfect for enjoying with spaghetti, in a sub, and more!
In a saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil.
Once water is boiling, add the lentils, bring heat to low, and cover with a lid. Cook lentils for 15 to 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and lentils are soft.
Remove the lentils from heat and let cool.
In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add chopped mushrooms and cook until mushrooms lose their juices. Let mushrooms cool.
Add kale, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and lentils to a food processor. Pulse on low until all items are mixed through.
Transfer the lentil mixture to a bowl and add the dried basil and then add the bread crumbs slowly. You only need enough to get the mixture sticky enough to form balls.
Place mixture in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
While the mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove mixture from refrigerator and form the vegan meatballs. You want them to be about 1 to 2 inches.
Place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip and cook for 5 more minutes.
Notes
If you want to meal prep these lentil mushroom meatballs, you can freeze them fully baked (keep reading below) OR prepare the mixture into a bowl and freeze like that. When ready to continue, allow the mixture to thaw, then shape and bake them.Once baked, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating or reheat in the oven straight from frozen.To reheat the vegan lentil balls, you can use the oven (just until warmed through, around 15-20 minutes) or a microwave. You could also warm them up in sauce on the stovetop for a few minutes.