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    You are here: Home / Main Dish / Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Basmati Rice

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Basmati Rice

    Published: July 29, 2018. Last Updated: May 3, 2020 by: Ginny McMeans

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    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices and red onion slivers add color.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice is a great well balanced meal. The lentil balls can be made ahead and frozen to be served in a myriad of recipes.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices and red onion slivers add color.

    I am so happy to be sharing a recipe from Jackie Sobon of Vegan Yack Attack and her new cookbook Vegan Yack Attack On The Go.

    It was so hard to decide which recipe I was going to make. Seriously I changed my mind three times. Everything looks so delicious.

    Lentil balls that are baked sounded like a winner. The fact that they were combined with zesty lemony rice and a salad sounded refreshing too. All in one bowl.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Cherry tomatoes and more lentil balls are piled in bowls behind.
    I was right - it was a good choice. There was no problem devouring the meal and everyone was pleasantly full.

    The baked lentil balls were firm and went really well with all of the other flavors.

    In fact, they seemed so versatile I made another batch but this time they got baked in the air fryer. Directions - below.

    Those are all gone now too and we had them for lunch dipped in vegan chipotle mayo with no-bake stuffed mini peppers on the side.

    See what I mean? Very versatile.

    This is only one of the recipes that you'll find inside Vegan Yack Attack on the Go! A hardbound book with color photos for every recipe is also a plus.

    Recipe Chapters Inside!

    1. Vegan Eating Made Easy: a quick intro with tips and tricks
    2. Quick Breakfasts, Snacks & Treats: and the delicious Crustless Quiche Bites
    3. Prep-Ahead Recipes: such as Freezer Black Bean Burritos
    4. Lunch Box Stuffers: including Veggie Sushi Bento Box
    5. Meals in 30 Minutes or Less: with a favorite Party Nacho Platter
    6. Bulk Cooking: starring Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice. This recipe is easily doubled.
    7. Food on the Move: including Chocolate Chunk Oats on the Go
    8. Make Your Own Staples: don't forget the Coconut Bacon

    Take a peek at the cover!

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice comes from inside the cookbook in this photo. Jars of pastas and meal prepped salad are sitting next to wrapped sandwiches and cookies.

    Can You Also Air Fry Lentil Balls?

    • Yes, and I cooked them that way the second time around. Yeah, they're that good!
    • I have a big T-Fal air fryer and was able to do all 20 lentil balls at once.
    • Lay in a single layer and air fry at 375° for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and turn over each ball and air fry another 10 minutes.
    • They come out just perfect.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices, red onion slivers and cherry tomatoes add color.
    The baked lentil balls are the largest I've made and I don't know why I hadn't done this before. Love the substantial size! You get five in a single serving too.

    So get your copy of this beautiful book. You need it in your collection so that you can easily find quick recipes and also great snacks for on the go.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices and red onion slivers add color. Looking down from above.

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices, red onion slivers and cherry tomatoes add color.

    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Basmati Rice

    Ginny McMeans
    Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice is a great well balanced meal.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Save Saved
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Lentils, Salad
    Servings 4 Servings
    Calories 582 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    LENTIL BALLS:

    • 30 ounces 2 cans, 15 ounces each (850 g) black or brown lentils, drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves
    • 3 tablespoons (25 g) chopped dried mushrooms
    • 1 ½ tablespoons (25 g) tomato paste
    • 3 tablespoons (5 g) fresh parsley
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup (80 g) gluten-free bread crumbs

    ZESTY RICE:

    • 2 ⅔ cups (635 ml) water
    • 1 ⅓ cups (255 g) uncooked basmati rice
    • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
    • 1 ½ teaspoons (5 g) minced fresh parsley
    • 2 teaspoons (4 g) lemon zest
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste

    ASSEMBLY:

    • 2 cups (100 g) chopped lettuce
    • 1 cup (130 g) halved cherry tomatoes
    • ¼ cup onion - (35 g) slivered red onion
    • 4 lemon wedges

    Instructions
     

    TO MAKE THE LENTIL BALLS:

    • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC, or gas mark 5), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
    • Place the lentils, walnuts, dried mushrooms, tomato paste, parsley, salt, and pepper into a food processor equipped with an S-blade.
    • Pulse the mixture until it is broken down into smaller pieces, but is not yet a paste. 
    • Fold the bread crumbs into the lentil mixture until combined.
    • Form twenty 2-tablespoon-sized (30 g) lentil balls with your hands, and place them on the baking sheet.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over, baking for an additional 10 minutes. Cool on a rack for 7 to 10 minutes before removing them.

    TO MAKE THE ZESTY RICE:

    • In a pot, bring the water and rice to a boil over medium heat. Cover with a lid, and adjust the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. 
    • Stir the lemon juice, parsley, lemon zest, and salt into the rice until evenly combined. Taste and add more salt, if preferred.

    TO ASSEMBLE:

    • Combine lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions in a bowl, then divide it between 4 plates or containers. Then, divide the rice and lentil balls between each plate. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve.

    Reprinted with permission from Vegan Yack Attack On The Go! © 2018 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2018 Jackie Sobon.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1ServingCalories: 582kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 26gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 583mgPotassium: 1275mgFiber: 27gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 755IUVitamin C: 80.4mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 7.2mg
      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

       Can you Freeze Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice?

      Yes! The lentil balls can be made in bulk in advance, then frozen for later use!

      So there you have it! Now get on over and order Vegan Yack Attack on the Go! via Amazon.

      Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice are piled in a wooden bowl next to a green salad and rice. Lemon slices and red onion slivers and a fork are also included.
      About Jackie: Jackie Sobon is a recipe developer, food photographer, and author specializing in vegan food.

      She is the founder of the popular food blog Vegan Yack Attack, which has been showcasing her creative recipes and stunning photography since 2011 and has been placed on many top blog lists.

      Jackie has photographed cookbooks for the likes of Jason Wrobel, Happy Herbivore, and other plant-based authors.

      Her work has been featured on websites such as KTLA News, ABC News (Good Morning America), VegNews, Kris Carr, PureWow, Babble, and BuzzFeed.

      She is also the author of Vegan Bowl Attack! and has self-published three e-books and is the Sweet Treats columnist for VegNews magazine.

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        Recipe Rating




      1. Ginny McMeans

        May 12, 2019 at 10:45 pm

        Yes, I'm sure they can Sandy. I would reheat in the oven or air fryer after defrosting.

      2. SFerd

        December 24, 2020 at 1:55 pm

        Is there a substitute for the walnuts? Maybe raw almonds?

      3. Ginny McMeans

        December 24, 2020 at 4:05 pm

        Yes, raw almonds would work well and so would cashews SFred.

      4. Deb

        February 12, 2021 at 6:43 am

        5 stars
        This was a really nice dinner. We all enjoyed it - even my 11 year old.

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      For years I dabbled in cooking vegan food, but since I became a mom it has become more important for me than ever. What I’m after is a great collection of healthy and not time-consuming vegan recipes that make the whole family look forward to meals together.

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