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BBQ Lentil Meatballs is made with simple plant-based ingredients of lentils, rice, mushrooms, and BBQ sauce. It’s a vegan protein packed dish! These lentil meatballs can serve great as a post-workout entree or as an appetizer for your party or game day events!
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Updated with baking instructions July 2018. Originally posted July 27, 2017
These lentil meatballs are something I often force myself NOT to make all the time in order to prevent burn out. It is my favorite lentil meatball recipe. It was inspired by @Coach_Hope. She posted BBQ turkey meatballs and paired it with raw zucchini as a low carbohydrate dish. These lentil meatballs are a plant-based version of that idea.
Can you guess what gives these lentil meatballs a meaty texture? It's NOT a vegan mock meat it's an every day common plant based ingredient!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS?
- Simple Ingredients. The ingredients are simple and plant-based foods you can find anywhere.
- Plant-Based Macro Nutrients. You’re getting both protein and carbohydrates in one bite without a lot of fat.
- Easy Meal Prep. You can make a HUGE batch ahead of time and freeze for a month.
- Inexpensive Dish. The ingredients are affordable.
- It’s YUMMY! They taste AMAZING (the lentil balls have a GREAT like the texture because of the rice).
How to Make These “Meaty” Plant Based Meatballs: (READ FULL RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL INSTRUCTIONS)
First saute your onions and mushrooms until they are cooked down. Next add your cooked onions, cooked mushrooms, lentils, seasonings, flax seed “egg” (read instructions below to see how to make this it’s SUPER simple), cilantro, and barbecue sauce to your food processor.
Second process your plant based ingredients being sure not to over process your mixture. You want to keep texture in your meatballs. Once process form your mixture into a meatball shape whatever size you desire.
Lastly heat oil in a pan and heat up your lentil meatballs until the meatballs caramelized and then add your barbecue sauce over lentil meatballs coating evenly as possible. Simmer for awhile to fully infuse the barbecue sauce flavor into the lentil meatballs.
Vegan With Curves Star Ingredient
Lentils are the Vegan With Curves star of this dish and are great for healthy vegan weight gain! For this dish I prefer to use BPA can lentils for an easier prep. Lentils contain such amino acids like valine (a BCAA that helps with muscle growth and muscle repair) and lysine (helps the body absorb calcium). Lentils are also a great source of fiber and are very versatile! You can make loafs, soups, spaghetti, sloppy joes, homemade burgers, or homemade breakfast patties.
How to make this Waste/Weight Release (Weight Loss) Friendly?
These lentil meatballs are not very high in calories alone but here are some ways to make them even more lower in calories as a full dish.
- Serve with large raw salad like my Hemp Cucumber Tomato Salad.
- Omit the barbecue sauce and use tomato sauce instead (it’s lower in sugar).
While you may or may not believe in this old southern tradition, the idea of giving your food intention before you consume it is always a bonus in my book. Enjoy!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tell me how it turned out for you! Was it a hit or miss? Tell me about it. Leave a comment below, rate it, and PIN IT! Also tag a photo @_VeganWithCurves and hashtag #VeganWithCurves on Instagram so I can see it!
BBQ Lentil Meatballs (GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 15 oz BPA free can of lentils (if using dried use green lentils yield 2 cups when cooked)
- 1/8 cup chopped cilantro (optional, tho I highly recommend)
- 1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2/3 cup old fashioned gluten free oats
- 2 -3 tablespoons BBQ sauce (more or less depending on your taste)
- 2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
- Cook brown rice according to directions and set aside. I use this brand HERE.
- Next you are going to make your flax egg. Take a small bowl, add flax seed, water and mix well. Set aside.
- Next add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan and heat over medium high heat. Add chopped onions and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables are fully translucent. Once cooked turn off heat and set aside.
- Open your can lentil, pour into a colander and rinse excess sodium off. Add to a food processor.
- Then add cook veggies, cooked rice, flax egg, oats, cilantro, salt, garlic powder, dried basil, 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke to food processor. Blend in your food processor fully until mixture is completely combined. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- If mixture is two wet, put mixture refrigerator for about 30 minutes so that it can stiffen up. (I would caution against adding flour. I have found that personally sometimes flour can give it a pasty like taste tho some have added flour to stiffen up this recipe with great success.)
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Start to form your lentil balls placing each one on a pan lined with parchment paper. Brush Barbecue sauce on each lentil ball (as much as you like to your liking).
- Place in oven for 20-25 minutes total. In about 10 minutes, once they start to crisped up, flipped them for an even cook. You can add more barbecue sauce if you like. Once fully cooked, take out oven and allow to cool. Serve with you favorite sides or as an appetizer.
PAN FRYING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Start to form your lentil balls placing each one on a pan lined with parchment paper. Place in refrigerator for one hour to help firm up.
- Once fully set, remove from refrigerator, grab a pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot place each ball in hot oil pan and heat all the way through for about 2 minutes on each side until the lentil balls form a caramelized coating on each side. Do not leave unattended.
- Add 2 tablespoon of BBQ sauce to pan and turn down heat. Make sure you coat every lentil ball and simmer for a 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Serve with you favorite sides or as an appetizer.
Video
Notes
- The original recipe called for breadcrumbs but some stated it did not hold as well as oats. You can use either breadcrumbs or oats whatever works better for you.
- Freezes really well! To freeze for later use, make a big batch, form your balls and keep in the freezer for a month. When you are ready to cook let them slightly thaw and bake and or pan fry.
- Try forming these into patties for a plant-based veggie burger...yummm
- You can make smaller balls so it can serve as an appetizer.
- Experiment with different sauces with these lentil balls! (A vegan gravy sauce or top over spaghetti!)
- The rice helps give it a hearty texture but you can substitute the rice with quinoa or walnuts
Nutrition
Equipment used for photos:
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Am going to make it tonite I love lentil
Awesome let me know how it turns out for you!
Awesome! Let me know how it turns out!
I followed your instructions I doubled up on
The ingredients and it came out perfect!
Delicious, thank you.
Awesome! So glad it worked! People have reported it was too mushy so I will be updating this recipe next week as I have retested some things. I will putting the original in the notes for those who it worked for tho 😊 Thank you for your feed back!!
I am using a loaf pan because batter was too mushy. I’m waiting now to see how this turns out as a meatloaf!
Oh no! So sorry to hear that! I hope it comes up well! I will be updating the recipe soon as I have noticed some have mentioned it being too mushy! Thank you for the feedback!
These are phenomenal! I tried another plant-based “meatball” that was way more work (involved oven-drying cooked beans and many more steps) that beer were horrible, so I approached this recipe with some trepidation, but it was truly delicious. The flavor and texture were both excellent. The only issue I had was that my mixture still seemed a little wet even after a stint in the fridge, so I added another 1/4 cup of oats (this time quick cooking), and then stiffened it enough to hold its shape. The resulting product was perfection. I misted mine with olive oil and baked at 400 degrees, turning them over once, till they were super crispy, then finished them on the stove with the sauce. I can’t wait to try them with different flavorings to use with marinara sauce. Thanks for this recipe!
Awesome! So glad you enjoy! And I do have plans to update the recipe to prevent them from being to wet. I will be retesting it. It will take some time as I run this blog by myself so I thank you and everyone else for the feedback and suggestions! And also thank you for your patience!
I would really like to try this but was wondering if I could use just regular cooked white or brown rice instead of the basmati? And can I use sesame or sunflower seeds in place of the flaxseed? I’m afraid they would upset my stomach.
Thank you.
Yes regular rice will work just fine! The purpose of the flaxseed is to form a substitute for an egg? Flaxseeds gel up when mixed with water to act as an binding agent. Sunflower seeds and sesame seeds don’t have that capability and will not be a good substitute for it. However you can substitute with ground chia seeds.
Sooo yummy! Meatballs are a favorite around our house and everyone loved these. The texture is really good for a “nonmeat” meatball. I followed the recipe exactly and pan fried them. Just perfect
Awesome! The rice really helps with the texture a lot! Glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for leaving a comment!
I made these tonight and I left out the bbq sauce since my husband isn’t a fan and I used quinoa. AMAZING! Really really good. I froze half to see how they hold up. I will be making these often!
Awesome! And yes the BBQ sauce is totally optional these vegan meatballs can take on any flavor you like. So glad they worked out for you! Thank you for your comment!
I’m surprised that you use Worcester sauce in this recipe, as it contains anchovies….
Hi Karen
The recipe ingredients states that I used “vegan worcestershire sauce” There are no anchovies used in vegan worcestershie sauce. If you click the link you can see the specific brand and I used and in the video I also explained this as well.
Hope that helps!
Would I make this with 1/2 cup cooked rice or uncooked rice?
1/2 cup of cooked rice. I will updated that in the recipe. Thank you for catching that!
Do I use 2 cups dry lentils?
Hi! I’m just wondering if you had a preference between the pan fried neat balls or the oven baked?
I prefer them pan fried
What do you mean by ” I often force myself NOT to make all the time in order to prevent burn out.”? I am not English and I am interested in being informed. Thank you!
“burn out” is an expression we use meaning you do something so much you get tired of it. I like this recipe a lot so if I would be tempted to make it all the time and even though it is good doing the same thing all the time would cause “burn out”. So I force myself to make other meals to prevent that. Hope that helps!
I can’t believe how yummy these were and so easy to make!
Delicious!
I made these tonight, and they were amazing! Even my carnivorous husband liked them, and didn’t miss the meat on his dinner plate at all. Thank you for this great recipe! Delicious.
So glad you enjoyed them!!
The recipe says gluten free, and there’s no breadcrumbs listed in the recipe, but in line 5 of the directions it says to add the breadcrumbs after the dried basil. Can I just use more ground up oatmeal to make it gluten free, and hope they keep their shape?
My apologies that was an error. I have since updated the recipe. You can add just the oatmeal no need for bread crumbs the oats will give it a firmer hold.
I actually liked your original recipe better…would you be able to provide the original measurements of breadcrumbs? I can’t remember how much it was or if it was equal to the oatmeal which I didn’t care for. Thank you! ?
Sure thing! It was 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. I will add that to the recipe for those who desire to use bread crumbs instead.
Appreciate the nutritional info! Am I missing the serving size? I don’t see it. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Yes it is including in the recipe card above servings. Depending on how small or big you make your lentil balls it makes app. 12 balls 3 balls per serving for a total of 4 servings. Let me know how you like it!
Oops!! Nvm, I see it..
These lentil balls look phenomenal. So delicious! And I love all the goodies you packed into them. I bet everyone would be happy to have a few of these!
Tried these vegan meatballs last night for our NYE party, and they were a hit! I also added the 1/3rd cup of oats and wow did they stick together marvelously! Held together better than any other recipe i’ve tried. I also baked them instead of frying, for about 20-25 min at 375c and brushed on bbq sauce once they had crisped up a bit, and then again when i flipped them. I found the recipe made a lot more then 10 meatballs, course maybe I made them smaller than yours? ( mine were bite sized) Anyways thanks for the great recipe, i can’t do gluten and its so hard to find these kind of meat substitutes in which yhe first ingredoent isn’t wheat gluten. Cheers!
I am so happy you enjoyed them! You are so welcome!!
These turned out great! I did make a couple small changes after reading some of the comments. First, I added about 1/3 cup rolled oats to the mixture before processing to help with binding. Second, I baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees instead of pan frying. The texture is amazingly close to real meatballs, mine didn’t flatten out at all. The flavor is subtle and super addictive. Do not skip the cilantro! I would bet a dollar that even folks that have a cilantro aversion (and I get that it’s a visceral reaction) will love this – the flavor blends and deepens and is not at all soap-y and cilantro-forward, it just puts a little something extra into the background. These also freeze extremely well if you bake them and freeze before you mix with additional bbq sauce. Simply defrost (in the microwave or oven), then mix with sauce or eat as is. Excellent recipe. I’ve made it twice already and have to keep them in the freezer and defrost a handful at a time – if I leave them out at room temperature, I would grab one every time I walk past until I’ve eaten an entire batch. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you for your response! I made them over again and I will be updating the recipe to add the oats as the oats help it hold better. I like mind kinda on the softer side lol but want to give people options 😉 I am so glad you enjoyed them!
I agree with you, I enjoy the slightly softer texture. I would describe it as almost like mashed potatoes in the middle, but firmer than that with a nice crispy exterior. I like the baked version because it freezes and reheats really well. I will definitely try the pan fried version sometime soon because I bet that has an awesome texture as well and a different level of yum. Thanks again for the recipe, I love finding new amazing new flavor combinations using simple, healthy, inexpensive ingredients. Thanks so much!
You are so welcome! Thank you for your feedback!
Hi there…
I was so excited when I started making these last night, I doubled the batch exactly with what the recipe called for. Once it was mixed, I put the bowl in the fridge for 45 min. I made all the balls and put back in the fridge for an 1 1/2 but they still weren’t set yet so i ended up leaving them in the fridge over night. This morning I pulled them out and started to fry them but they were still mushy inside. After frying on both sides I ended up putting them in the oven for 30 min but still mushy. Please help, what the heck did I do wrong?? They are now in the trash and I’m so bummed out!
Sorry to here that. The rice helps gives it somewhat of a hearty texture tho it is still beans so a little mush will be expected. Try adding some old fashioned oats or walnuts (grinding it in the mixture) to make it more stiffer and give it a better hold. That might give it some more texture. I will be adding these updates to the recipe. Thank you for your feedback and let me know if these suggestions work for you!
I agree. Adding more oats to the recipe would be helpful! Left my mixture in the fridge for 30, and when that didn’t work, I put them in the freezer for 30. Unfortunately, they are still piles of mush when attempting to place them on a pan. I see comments have been made to adjust the recipe, but yet the recipe still remains the same. I’m looking forward to the revised recipe.
Hi Devon.
Sorry, you are having so much trouble with the recipe. As a food blogger, I have to follow a strict seasonal schedule with the other content on my website. This recipe is on the schedule to be retested and updated but it takes time as run this blog alone. Thank you for your feedback!
Hi Pamela! I would suggest you try this recipe using chickpea flour as the binder/coating in place of the flaxseed and breadcrumbs. I’ve tried using it in so many ways(zucchini fries, quinoa burgers, homemade wraps) and it works perfectly to bind ingredients while offering the yummy crunch and coating we often desire for these types of food! Chickpea flour is used in equal parts to water and lends well to any desired seasonings(i.e. 1/2 cup flour mixed with 1/2 cup water)….this is the measurement i would use for this recipe in place of the breadcrumbs and flaxseed. …think you’ll love it! I’m planning to do the same when adapting this recipe. Hope this helps?☺
This is helpful! I do think the only issue with the recipe was/is the flaxseed “egg” as the “binding agent”.
Thank you for input on the chickpea flour! Will be utilizing that next time!