These meatless lentil meatballs are savory, hearty and garlicky with a fresh mint flavour. The meatballs and dip are both whipped in the food processor making an easy meal! Serve as an appetizer with the whipped cottage cheese yogurt dip, salad or your favourite tomato marinara sauce.
A fresh minty and garlicky take on vegetarian meatballs with Mediterranean flavours are a great start to a meal with whipped cottage cheese and yogurt with dill! If you rather add it to your next marinara sauce or creamy pasta dish would be a fantastic addition!
Who doesn’t love an easy recipe, when all it takes it adding ingredients to a food processor, blend and roll into meatballs! Then give your food processor a quick wash and rinse or using a blender, whip up the cottage cheese yogurt dill dip and there you have it, quick and easy!
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE MEATBALLS
So easy to prepare…simply add all your ingredients into a food processor, pulse until the ingredients are combined. Shape the meatballs and place on a prepared baking sheet. Other options are to pan fry these meatballs in a little olive or avocado oil or air-fry.
These make a great lunch for the week, simply double or triple the recipe and pop them into your lunch with a salad or dip.
Lentils don’t tend to have any flavour and these garlicky meatballs with fresh mint, a hint of paprika and onion gives these meatballs a delicious flavour.
The best part, other then everything is made in a food processor, is you can make these meatballs ahead. Have them ready in the refrigerator and when you get home from work, take them out of the fridge and set them out until they reach room temperature and pop them in the oven. While they cook, make your salad, dip or an easy marinara sauce.
MAKE AHEAD is my recommendation, the longer these meatballs sit the more flavourful they become! Similar to burgers or beef/pork meatballs the flavours will only be enhanced the longer they sit.
INGREDIENTS AND TIPS
MEATBALLS:
- Green lentils: requires cooking or canned lentils can be substituted
- Red onion
- Egg
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh mint
- Tomato paste
- Panko bread crumbs: or regular bread crumbs can be used
- Paprika: sweet Hungarian paprika
- Salt and pepper
WHIPPED COTTAGE CHEESE YOGURT DILL DIP:
- cottage cheese
- yogurt
- garlic
- lemon juice
- fresh dill
- salt
HOW TO MAKE THESE EASY VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS
Make ahead, rinse and drain lentils. Using a small-medium sauce pot, cook lentils until tender about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 425℉.
Using a food processor, add cooled lentils, red onion, garlic, egg, parsley, mint, tomato paste, panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Blend until combined, avoid over mixing. Shape into meatballs.
Shape meatballs and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray or mist with olive oil or avocado oil over the meatballs. Bake for 10 minutes, turn them over and spray lightly again, this will give the meatballs a crispy exterior. Bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Meatballs should be crispy on the exterior and a soft tender centers. There are many ways to serve these delicious meatballs. Serve with:
- arugula salad with whipped cottage cheese and yogurt dill dip and paprika air-fry or roasted potatoes
- marinara sauce for a spaghetti meal
- light creamy cashew or dairy sauce pasta dish
- as a wrap with pita bread
- a sandwich with this dip or hummus
WHIPPED COTTAGE CHEESE AND YOGURT DILL DIP
This delicious dip is a perfect combination of ingredients for these lentil meatballs It has a hint of garlic, with a freshness of the lemon juice and the fresh dill! It is high in protein content which makes this dish a satisfying and hearty recipe!
STORING
Once the meatballs are cooled, then store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an air tight container.
Again once cooled or cold if they were in the fridge, place in a zip lock freezer bag and they will keep up to 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. Reheat in the oven, covered for 20 minutes at 275℉.
Easy Lentil Mint Meatballs
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Baking sheet
- small-medium sauce pot
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1½ cups cooked green lentils, drained
- 1/4 small red onion
- 3 garlic
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp fresh mint
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
Whipped Cottage Cheese and Yogurt Dill Dip:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1 garlic
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Make ahead, first rinse and drain lentils. Using a small-medium sauce pot, fill with 1½ cups of water to 3/4 cup of lentils. cook lentils until tender about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 425℉.
- Using a food processor, add cooled lentils, red onion, garlic, egg, parsley, mint, tomato paste, panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Blend until combined, try to avoid over mixing.
- Shape meatballs and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray or mist with olive oil or avocado oil over the meatballs. Bake for 10 minutes, turn them over and spray lightly again, this will give the meatballs a crispy exterior. Bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Whipped Cottage Cheese and Yogurt Dill Dip:
- While meatballs are cooking, whip together in a food processor or blender, cottage cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill and salt until smooth. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
- Serve these meatballs as an appetizer with the dip or salad and paprika potato wedges. Add to your next spaghetti marinara sauce.
