Ingredients
Dry
- 16 oz Spaghetti (Ensure it is egg-free/vegan)
- 1.5 cup Brown lentils (Cooked and well-drained)
- 8 oz Cremini mushrooms (Finely chopped)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (Vegan)
- 2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp Salt
- 0.25 tsp Black pepper
Wet
- 3 cup Marinara sauce
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 unit Flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested for 5 mins)
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce (Use tamari if gluten-free)
- 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
Method
- 1. Prepare the flax egg in a small bowl and set aside to thicken.
- 2. In a food processor, pulse the cooked lentils and finely chopped mushrooms until coarsely ground, but do not puree into a paste.
- 3. Transfer the lentil-mushroom mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the flax egg, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
- 4. Scoop out the mixture and roll it into golf-ball-sized meatballs using your hands. This should yield about 12 to 15 meatballs.
- 5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the vegan meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Turn them gently to prevent crumbling.
- 6. Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the meatballs. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes so the meatballs absorb the flavors.
- 7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
- 8. Serve the warm meatballs and marinara sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with fresh basil or vegan parmesan if desired.
Chef's notes
For firmer meatballs, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before rolling.