Lentil Meatballs

Channeling Gwyneth today.  After reading her GOOP website, I decided to cook up some lentil meatballs that she featured. AND HOLY SHMOLY, they are beyond delicious. BEYOND. So flipping delicious and tasty, that I could (and did), eat them several days in a row.

Ingredients:

ingredients

* 2 cups green lentils

* 1 small chopped onion

* 2 eggs

* 1 cup of panko or breadcrumbs (sorry gluten-free people, it’s a must)

* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

* 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

* 3 tablespoons tomato paste

* 1 pinch of dried thyme and dried rosemary

* salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

* Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

* Cook the lentils (1 cup of dried lentils to 3 cups of water). Boil the water, put in the lentils, let them cook, lower the temperature, and let them sit for 30 minutes.

Lentils.

Lentils.

* Meanwhile, sautee the onion in a pan with olive oil until translucent. Add the dried herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper, sautéeing for about another minute or two until soft and fragrant. Turn off heat and set aside to cool.

Chopped onions.

Chopped onions.

Sauteed onions.

Sauteed onions with herbs. SMELLS SO DELICIOUS.

* Once the lentils are cooked, place them in the vitamix with tomato paste and a tad of olive oil, and pulse until smooth.

Blend. What would I do without this appliance?

Blend. What would I do without this appliance?

* Then, beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta and mix with beaten eggs until combined.

Eggs.

Eggs.

Eggs with cheese.

Eggs with cheese.

* Add lentils and mix together until smooth.

Kind of looks like meat. BUT NOPE, not meat!!!

Kind of looks like meat. BUT NOPE, not meat!!!

* Add onion/garlic/herb mixture from the frying pan, parmesan and panko breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper.

Everything tastes better with cheese on it!

Everything tastes better with cheese on it!

Breadcrumbs!

Breadcrumbs!

* Mush together (hands are best for this) until combined.

* Roll lentil mixture into small balls and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Turn balls, and bake for another 5 minutes, until slightly browned.

Perfect little "meat'balls

Perfect little “meat’balls

Finished product! Heaven. In a meat-less meatball.

Finished product! Heaven. In a meat-less meatball.

* Serve with a green salad, pita bread, green hummus! Delicious! And they are even good cold.

And store in fridge for leftovers!

And store in fridge for leftovers!

So tasty to eat as a snack (cold) or for dinner (warm).  As Ken (admittedly brimming with sarcasm) told me when he tried them, “they are the best non-meat, meatballs I have ever eaten.” So make ’em and LOVE ’em.

Anika Yael Natori, aka, The Josie Girl

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Josie Girl

4 Comments

  1. I make a version of these, but with tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta. one of my favorites!

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