Lentil Mushroom Meatballs (High Protein, Grain-free)

Lentil mushroom meatballs that are vegan and grain-free! High in protein and low in calories (10 grams protein, 149 calories per 4 meatballs), they are also nut-free, very high in fiber, and can be made without oil.

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High Protein Vegan Meatballs

Given all of the cookie recipes I post here on Power Hungry, you might think desserts comprise all of my meals.

Not all of them :).

For example, I love a good meatless meatball, like my Lentil Mushroom Meatballs. Pair them with noodles or zoodles, tuck into submarine sandwiches, or serve straight up as a snack or appetizer.

Recipe Benefits

You’ll fall in love with their taste and texture, as well as the fact that they are:

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• High in protein (almost 10 grams for 4 meatballs)
• Grain-free (no grain binders, such as oats, brown rice or breadcrumbs)
• Gluten-free
• Nut-free
• Soy-free
• Very high in fiber

Ingredients for Mushroom Lentil Meatballs

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

The ingredients for these meatballs are minimal (and frugal), too.

• uncooked lentils
• mushrooms (white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms)
• flaxseed meal
• onion
• coconut flour
• dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• nutritional yeast
• garlic
• olive oil (only a smidge, plus, I have an option in the notes for no oil)
• salt & black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Cook the Lentils

Begin by cooking the lentils in a saucepan with enough water to cover the lentils by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat and  then simmer for 10 minutes.

You’re aiming for mostly, but not entirely, cooked lentils. They should be soft, but still have a bit of bite, and definitely not falling apart.

Step Two: Rinse the Lentils

Immediately rinse the cooked lentils under cold water (to stop further cooking) and drain.

Step Three: Chop the Lentil Mushroom Meatballs Mixture

Place the lentils in a food processor, followed by the mushrooms (cut these into pieces), nutritional yeast, and flaxseed meal. I don’t recommend a blender; it can over-process the meatball mixture.

The mushrooms and nutritional yeast add tremendous umami flavor to the meatballs. The yeast also adds a boost of protein.
Pulse the whole mélange until it is chopped to a “meaty” texture (see below). It does not (and should not) be completley uniform in texture, but most of the lentils should be broken down.

Be sure to stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl several times so that the mixture is evenly chopped.

Step Four: Cook the Meatball Mixture

Ok, one more step before shaping and baking the meatballs. The extra time spent making these is well worth it, trust me.

Time to deepen the flavor of the meatballs with aromatics. Cook a medium onion (chopped) in 1 tablespoon olive oil until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Oil-free option: If you cannot/do not eat oil, saute in water instead of oil.

Next, add 3/4 cup (175 L) water, along with the chopped lentil-mushroom mixture, 4 cloves garlic (you can use garlic powder if pressed for time), Italian herbs, salt and  pepper.

Important Note: Adding the water at this stage allows you to cook over medium-high heat, to brown (and deepen the flavor) of the ingredients in the meatballs, without scorching and drying out the meatballs. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes longer until slightly browned and much of the liquid has been absorbed. The mixture should be thick and meaty, not wet. If it is still wet, cook several minutes longer (if they are too wet, they will not be very firm after baking). 

The mixture should look fairly dry (see below), but will still be slightly moist.

Step Five: Add the Coconut Flour

Next, stir in the coconut flour. Rolled oats are often used to absorb moisture and act as a binder for meatless meatballs.

Flaxseed meal handles much of the binding in this recipe, while coconut flour absorbs much of the moisture (while still keeping the meatballs tender). It also contributes a slightly springy texture, making them taste a lot like their meaty name.

Let the lentil mixture cool until it can be easily handled. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F (200C). and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step Six: Shape the Meatballs

Use a medium size cookie scoop or generous tablespoon-full to create meatballs that are about 1.25 inches in diameter.

Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.

Step Seven: Bake the Meatballs

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the surface of the meatballs looks somewhat dry, like so:

Serve or Store for Future Use

Serve immediately (e.g., with marinara sauce, noodles, zucchini noodles, etc.) or cool completely and store for future use.

Happy cooking, everyone!

FAQ

• How should I store the lentil mushroom meatballs? Store the cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
• What variety of lentils work best for the recipe? I used common brown (light tan) lentils, but you can use any variety of lentils iyou have on hand, or prefer.
• How do I make the recipe oil-free? Cook the onions in 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetarian broth or water instead of oil.
• What can I use in place of Italian herbs or herbes de Provence? You can use a combination of your favorite dried herbs (total amount of combined dried herbs between 2 tsp and 1 tbsp) such as dried parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, and/or thyme.

Related Recipes

• Vegan Oat Mushroom Ground Beef
• 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Vegetable Nuggets
• Mushroom Almond Flour Ground Beef (2 ingredients)
• Vegan Lentil Taco Meat
• Vegan Ground Beef
• Lentil & Vegetable Kefta
• Grain-Free Lentil Loaf

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4.76 from 25 votes

Lentil Mushroom Meatballs (High Protein, Grain-Free)

By: Camilla

Lentil and mushroom meatballs that are vegan and grain-free! High in protein and low in calories (10 grams protein, 149 calories per 4 meatballs), they are also nut-free, very high in fiber, and can be made without oil.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 32 meatballs

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
• ▢ water
• ▢ 8 ounces mushrooms, white or crimini, quartered
• ▢ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil, or oil of choice
• ▢ 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 3/4 cup 175 mL water
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• ▢ fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons coconut flour

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and enough water to cover by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes (the lentils will be slightly undercooked). Drain and rinse under cool water. Place lentils in a food processor.
• Add the mushroom pieces, nutritional yeast, and flaxseed meal to food processor with lentils. Pulse, using on/off pules, until chopped to a meaty texture (see photo), scraping sides and bottom of bowl several times so that the mixture is evenly chopped.
• In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup (175 L) water, lentil-mushroom mixture, garlic, Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes longer until slightly browned and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Note: The mixture should be thick and meaty, not wet. If it is still wet, cook several minutes longer (if they are too wet, they will not be very firm after baking).
• Remove from heat and stir in the coconut flour until blended. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cool.
• Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Shape lentil mixture into 1.25-inch (3.175 cm) meatballs; place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately (e.g., with marinara sauce, noodles, zucchini noodles, etc.) or cool completely and store for future use (see notes).

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Lentils: I used common brown (light tan) lentils, but you can use any variety of lentils in this recipe.

Oil-Free Option: Cook the onions in 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetarian broth or water instead of oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.4g | Protein: 9.7g | Fat: 3.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 290mg | Fiber: 9.4g | Sugar: 1.9g

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