Lentil-Spinach "Meatballs"
Whenever I do the Daniel Fast, I typically make at least one batch of these plant-based meatballs. The beautiful green pigmentation you see is from the spinach, which contains chlorophyll (rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E). Also, the lentils and walnuts add a nice amount of protein, making this dish one that's full of nutrients your body needs.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth or water see Recipe Notes
- 1/2 cup diced onion, divided
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped white button mushrooms
- 1/2 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour or oat flour see Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place lentils and broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat, and add 1/4 cup onions and garlic. Cover, and simmer with lid tilted for 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While lentils cook, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add remaining 1/4 cup onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
- When lentils are done cooking, drain and stir into onion-mushroom-spinach mixture. Add oat flour, walnuts, flaxseed meal, basil, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Stir well. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process 10-15 seconds or until smooth. Form mixture into balls (about 2 tablespoons per ball) and place on an 11 by 17-inch baking dish that has been rubbed with olive oil. Bake 30 minutes.
- Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 meatballs)
Video
Notes
- To sort lentils, spread them in a single layer on an 11 x 17-inch baking sheet. Look for discolored or misshapen beans, and discard any unwanted debris. Place good lentils into a colander and rise thoroughly with warm water.
- Make your own oat flour by placing old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or blender and process until fine (1 cup old-fashioned oats will yield about 3/4 cup ground oats).
- Serve alone as an appetizer or as part of a main dish.
- Make a Daniel Fast spaghetti and meatballs dish by topping with Classic Tomato Sauce and brown rice, spaghetti squash, or whole grain pasta.
- If you don’t have time to make your own vegetable broth, you can use a store-brought brand that’s Daniel Fast friendly. I recommend Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock.
What can I replace the mushrooms with? Anything?
Hi, Julie! The mushrooms are optional. You can leave them out, if you wish. Thanks for your question!
Yum! I didn’t super chop my veggies because they would be put into the blender. I used a bunch more garlic (is there ever to much?) and also fresh spinach. I didn’t want to get my hands messy so I used my cookie scooper to scoop and plop onto my baking sheet. We ended up with about 40 1″ ‘meatballs’. Yummmmm. I served them on the spaghetti squash with cream sauce. My kids and my hubby cleaned their plates. Thank you for dinner! I may try these again and add the taco seasoning next time.
I’m thinking of starting the Daniel fast tomorrow. I’ve never done this before and I don’t what to eat and not .can u pliz send me some of the recipes and daily devotions.I will definitely begin with meatballs.
Hi, Sylvia! I’m glad you’re considering doing the Daniel Fast. To help you prepare, I recommend getting my book, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast, which you can find in bookstores or online. It contains 21 daily devotions, 100+ recipes, meal plans, grocery shopping lists, and fasting tips. May the Lord bless you abundantly as you seek Him!
This seems very interesting, do I have to use frozen spinach? I have tons of fresh spinach in my fridge
You can definitely use fresh! Thanks for your question.
Decided to forego the blending. They looked beautiful with all that texture going on. The raw material is delish! Can’t wait to pop them out of the oven. Will serve them over garlic sauteed spinach (we can’t get enough of it!). Thanks for a great recipe Kristen!
Sandy, I hope you enjoyed the “meatballs!” Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Can you freeze the meatballs? I want to make double so I can have a quick meal later.
Yes, you can! That’s the way to plan ahead. 🙂 May the Lord bless you abundantly as you seek Him on your fast!
Is there something I could substitute for mushrooms? Or would it mess up the consistency to leave them out altogether? I was excited to try this but my husband REALLY doesn’t like mushrooms.
You can omit the mushrooms. I’ve had to do it when I didn’t have mushrooms on hand! The meatballs will still hold together and be fine. Thanks for your question!
I ended up substituting the mushrooms with 1 cup of cooked Quinoa and they turned out amazing! Very tasty and held together perfectly. They crisped up just like real meatballs. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome!
I was a little unsure about these meatballs, but they are delicious! As I was making them i was a little unsure because they don’t look particularly appetizing, but I was pleasantly surprised! Definitely one of my faves! And I will most likely make them again during and after the Daniel fast!
That just shows you can’t judge by appearance, right? See what you would have missed out on! 🙂 I’m thankful you enjoyed them, and I hope you find many other winning recipes on my website!
Hello, will it work with mushrooms and lentils alone instead of spinach?
Yes, they should stay together just fine without the spinach.
These are delicious!!! My blender could not handle the mixture so I pounded it with my masher and the texture was just fine. Thanks for this recipe.
Mine look very promising! I have all but 2 in the oven. I’m trying the other 2 in a skillet on the stove because I’m so hungry lol
Just came back to say that I really liked these! I used fresh baby spinach since I had some and sliced mushrooms from a jar. My walnuts were chopped but not “finely” chopped. I didn’t mind a bit. I followed the recommendation to blend oats for oat flour (the quick cooking 1 minute oats). I tasted a tiny bit before making the mixture into balls. I recommend doing that so you can adjust the seasoning if you prefer. The ones I baked in the oven held together better than the ones I did stovetop but I liked them cooked both ways. I had these on top of roasted spaghetti squash with homemade sauce. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Thanks, Kina! So glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Did using fresh spinach cause the “meatballs” to break apart, or did they still keep their form?
Made these during my fast last year and they were a hit. I’m vegetarian, so I’m used to the idea of making meatballs, meatloaf, bugers, etc out of beans, but I love the use of leafy greens in anything! I had these with spaghetti squash and homemade marinara. Thanks for the recipe!
Lauren, you’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for your comments!
Thank you for your blog. I am trying out the Daniel fast for 3 days now. I know I can do it for three days but I was very unsure about 21 days starting the fifth of January. Thanks to your site I am going to give it a start. You have such great ideas like the banana and almond butter snack, I can live with that.
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you are ready to take the 21-day journey. 🙂 God will help you complete the three weeks, just as He helped you finish out the three days. Don’t let the enemy convince you otherwise. Remember, Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” May the Lord overwhelm you with His power, presence, and provision in January!
Hi! I’m on day 4 of the fast and I made these for dinner tonight with your tomato sauce. Yummy! Thank you! I bought your book last week and have enjoyed the devotions and the experiences of other people. Very helpful.
Deanna, thank you for your comment and kind words about the book! May the Lord bless you as you seek Him through prayer and fasting. 🙂
Marie, how did the spaghetti squash and meatballs come out?
Awesome. Thanks! Having this tonight with some spaghetti squash!
Oops! Sorry Marie. 350 degrees!
Bake 30 minutes at what temperature?? I’ve got this all ready to go in the oven, and noticed no temperature was given. Please advise!
Hi, Greg! So, you’re not sure about the meatballs, huh? Well, my husband, who, like any man, enjoys a nice, juicy steak or a thick burger, was kind of impressed by them! If you haven’t had meat in a couple of weeks, those Lentil-Spinach Balls might taste pretty good to you! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comments!
So this is where Kelly got her ideas. The sauce sounds great but I am not sure about those meatballs. Maybe just some mushrooms with the sauce. I could do that.