Inspired by Katie Mae’s Swedish Lentil Balls TheCulinaryGym.com.
What a special treat to enjoy these flavorful vegan, gluten and oil free lentil balls with your preferred sauce like creamy mushroom gravy with mashed potatoes, and garden basil tomato sauce with pasta. They also work well in wraps, as a quick little finger snack, over a salad, served cold with a dip of barbecue sauce, and many other uses. I prefer them made in advance and allowed to cool, which makes them firmer, and lets the flavors blossom.
These lentil balls are also best with the sauce poured over because they will break up if reheated covered in sauce. They reheat well in the microwave or in the oven. The recipe make approximately 24 balls, so you can be creative and enjoy great leftovers.
20-24 balls. May store in the frig. For 5-7 days.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat a medium saute pan and add onion and celery. Stir a bit to lightly cook for 2-3 minutes (add a tablespoon of water if sticking). Add mushroom and garlic and cover for 5 minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Uncover and turn heat up to evaporate most of the liquid.
Transfer the veggies to a large food processor. Add the cooked lentils, rolled oats, and walnuts. (You may want to add only 1/2 at a time if the processor is not 12-14 cups). Pulse and stir down a few times to mix well, but leave it semi-chunky. It should look slightly dry.
In a small bowl whisk together the ground flax, vinegar, mustard, salt, and tomato paste or Worcestershire. Set aside until needed.
Transfer what is in the food processor to a large bowl. Add pepper, Italian seasoning, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, and the flax-vinegar blend. Mix well. You may use clean hands here.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Take a small handful of the mixture and roll it into a 1 1/2” ball, then place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, placing the balls about an inch apart.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or longer if necessary to reach a light brown, firm exterior. Check after 20 minutes because ovens vary. Turn the balls half-way through to give a more uniform appearance. Though they can be used immediately after baking, the flavors develop beautifully after the lentil balls cook, cool, and sit a bit.
Enjoy!
