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.
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.
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!
- Vegan Eating Made Easy: a quick intro with tips and tricks
- Quick Breakfasts, Snacks & Treats: and the delicious Crustless Quiche Bites
- Prep-Ahead Recipes: such as Freezer Black Bean Burritos
- Lunch Box Stuffers: including Veggie Sushi Bento Box
- Meals in 30 Minutes or Less: with a favorite Party Nacho Platter
- Bulk Cooking: starring Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice. This recipe is easily doubled.
- Food on the Move: including Chocolate Chunk Oats on the Go
- Make Your Own Staples: don't forget the Coconut Bacon
Take a peek at the cover!
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.
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.
This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Baked Lentil Balls with Zesty Basmati Rice
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
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.
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.
michele
Even this non vegan person can appreciate this delicious lentil balls! Im making them for a luncheon tomorrow! I love that they are so unique and yet the with the fresh lemon and lentils I know I will be full!
Joanie
Such a unique recipe and full of so much flavor! I love lentils so this recipe immediately caught my eye, these balls are so easy to make and even non-vegans will love them.
Natalie
I love all the flavors in this recipe and they are so filling!
Rie
Even this meat eater is gonna try these. QUESTION: How much lentils would I use if I made my own (have dried in the cabinet that I'd like to use.) Thanks Ginny!!
Ginny McMeans
Yay! 1 1/2 cups dried lentils should do the trick to equal 2 cans of lentils drained. You'll love them Rie!
Sandy
These look so good! Do you think any extras could be frozen?
Ginny McMeans
Yes, I'm sure they can Sandy. I would reheat in the oven or air fryer after defrosting.
SFerd
Is there a substitute for the walnuts? Maybe raw almonds?
Ginny McMeans
Yes, raw almonds would work well and so would cashews SFred.