Vegan Lentil Meatballs with Garlic Cashew Cream: Two Ways
I’ve been putting off posting this recipe because, well, it’s summer and these are meatballs. All we’re really craving are heirloom tomatoes and watermelon and fresh summer salads with the grill going. However, the people (via Instagram poll) have spoken, and they need the meatballs! So, here we are on a lovely Friday morning, with a vegan lentil meatball recipe two ways.
For this recipe, you can use the base “meatball” and change up the sauces and dips. In this post, you’ll find a pesto, a roasted red pepper sauce, and a garlic cashew cream sauce. I personally favored the red pepper sauce, but the garlic cashew cream works really well for a hearty, warm meal. The red pepper sauce can also be used on veggies, sandwiches, etc., and is good warm or cold. I actually ended up serving it cold most of the time with some veggies or bread. So easy and lasts for a week or two in the fridge! For serving, I spread a bit of the cashew sauce on the plate, added greens and meatballs, and topped with pesto. I didn’t test the red pepper sauce with the garlic cream, but largely because it didn’t sound appealing to me. Instead, I did the red sauce with some dairy free yogurt to keep it vegan but still add a creamy texture to the bottom. It was heaven.
Vegan lentil meatballs with garlic cashew cream, Two Ways
For the Vegan Meatballs
2 cups cooked lentils
1/4 c chopped parsley
3 gloves garlic
1/2 t salt
1/4 c chopped shallot
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 flax egg
1 tbs flax
1/4 c oat flour
1 tbs fresh basil ribbons
For the Red Pepper Sauce
1 jar roasted red peppers, liquid discarded
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp minced shallot
4 T pine nuts
1/8-1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs pepitas
2 tbs olive oil
fresh ground pepper
for the garlic cashew cream sauce
1 c cashews, soaked overnight
4 tsp nutritional yeast
2 gloves garlic
3 tsp lemon juice
small nub shallot (about 1/2 inch)
1/2-3/4 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
Pesto recipe here
Preheat the oven to 350. To make the meatballs, mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. I actually used an immersion blender here (less mess) and it worked great. Use a 1 inch cookie scoop to form balls and place on a silicone baking sheet. You may have to pack them in a bit to make sure they’re compact enough to hold. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until they form a bit of a hard outer shell.
To make the red pepper sauce, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend.
To make the garlic cashew cream sauce, drain your soaked cashews. Rinse them delicately. Add to a blender, add remaining ingredients, and blend. If needed, add a bit of olive oil or water to thin.
For serving, pair the pesto and garlic cashew cream sauce for one version, and the red pepper/coconut yogurt for another. There are plenty of ways to serve this, but these two are a great start!