These vegan, Lentil Meatballs with Coconut Curry Sauce are truly delicious! Infused with fragrant Indian spices, they are healthy and full of flavor.  Vegan and Gluten Free! Video.

Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Indian Coconut Curry Sauce- a delicious healthy meal infused with fragrant Indian spices. Vegan and Gluten Free! #veganmeatballs #lentilmeatballs #vegan #indianmeatballs #veg

These flavorful vegan, Lentil Meatballs are served over a fragrant Indian-spiced Coconut Curry Sauce. The aroma will drench your kitchen in goodness.  The lentil meatballs are baked, rather than fried – so they remain relatively low in fat. Served with basmati rice or a salad, this meal is hearty, healthy and delicious. I also just learned… it also won BEST vegan recipe over at Food 52! 

Lentil Meatballs | 60-second Video

Lentil Meatball Ingredients

Indian Coconut Curry Sauce:

TIP: Dried fenugreek leaves truly elevate this dish! We use them often here on the blog- so they won’t go to waste!

How to make Lentil Meatballs

Cooked Lentils and cooked quinoa are mixed with cilantro, garlic and spices.

Tofu is whipped in a food processor into a thick paste, and acts as the binder here. Fold this into the lentil-quinoa mixture.

With wet hands, form, into ping-pong-sized balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

lentil meatballs on a sheet pan

Bake the lentil meatballs in the oven for 20-22 minutes.

While they are in the oven make the coconut curry sauce. I highly recommend making a double batch of the sauce!

Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Indian Coconut Curry Sauce- a delicious healthy meal infused with fragrant Indian spices. Vegan and Gluten Free! #veganmeatballs #lentilmeatballs #vegan #indianmeatballs #veg

Place lentil meatballs over the sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

What to serve with Lentil Meatballs?

  1. Basmati rice
  2. Naan Bread
  3. Indian Spinach Salad 
  4. Palak Paneer
  5. Bombay Carrot Salad
  6. Authentic Chai!
  7. Chai Cookies! 

Enjoy the Lentil Meatballs- let us know what you think in the comments below.

xoxo

Sylvia

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Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Indian Coconut Curry Sauce- a delicious healthy meal infused with fragrant Indian spices. Vegan and Gluten Free! #veganmeatballs #lentilmeatballs #vegan #indianmeatballs #veg

Lentil Meatballs with Indian Coconut Curry Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 70 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 15 lentil balls 1x
  • Category: Vegan, Main
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Voted “Best Vegan Recipe” on Food 52, this Lentil Meatball Recipe with Indian Coconut Curry Sauce is a delicious healthy meal infused with fragrant Indian spices. Vegan and Gluten Free! Watch the video!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Lentil Meatballs:

  • 1 cup black caviar lentils (uncooked) Sub green or brown lentils, just not “split” lentils
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 1/2 cup quinoa ( uncooked)
  • ———
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 6 oz firm tofu, pressed down ( to release water) and patted dry – this acts as the binder ( do not use silken tofu)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Coconut Curry Fenugreek Sauce: ( if you like extra saucy, double the recipe)

  • 4 cloves garlic- minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric )
  • 12 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 extra large tomato, finely diced, with juices
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 14 ounce can coconut milk (not lite)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, more to taste
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

1. On high heat, bring lentils and fennel seeds to a boil in a small pot with 3 cups water. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer 25 minutes. Drain well.

2. On high heat, bring quinoa to a boil in a small pot with 1 cup of water. Cover, turn heat to low, simmer 15 minutes, turn heat off, leave covered.

3. Make the sauce. In a skillet or saute pan, over medium heat, saute garlic and ginger in olive oil,  until just golden, stirring often to prevent scorching. Add turmeric ( root, or ground)  sauté 1 more minute. Add diced tomato, and sauté until most of the juices evaporate, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, fenugreek leaves, lime, brown sugar, salt, cayenne and pepper. Taste for salt. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat until ready to serve.

4.Make the vegan lentil meatballs. Pre-heat oven to 400F. In a food processor, place the cooked quinoa, and half of the lentils, and pulse until the texture of coarse sand—place in a large bowl. Add the remaining lentils, salt, granulated garlic, and chopped cilantro to the bowl and mix well.

In the same food processor add the tofu (blotted well, broken apart) and olive oil. (The tofu will bind the mixture and oil will keep them from drying out.) Pulse tofu and oil until a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as necessary. Scoop it into the lentil mixture and mix it in well.

Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet. With your hands, kneed lentil mixture briefly so it’s thoroughly mixed and salt and spices are evenly distributed. With wet hands form small ping pong sized balls. Place on baking sheet and place in the 400 F oven for 20-25 minutes.

5.Warm the sauce and place lentil meatballs in the sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.


Notes

Double the sauce for extra saucy! Most people are enjoying this doubled. 🙂

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 lentil balls
  • Calories: 295
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 244.4 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40.2 g
  • Fiber: 6.8 g
  • Protein: 18.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. We really enjoyed this, we made the smaller potrion for the two of us as I happened to have a half can of coconut milk to use up. Very tasty and definitely a recipe I’d make again.






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