Soft lentil meatballs in tomato sauce are an easy and irresistible vegetarian main dish, perfect for the whole family.
You’ll see these little meatballs win over even the little ones: when I make them they disappear in minutes.
Fragrant, tender and wrapped in a creamy sauce, they can even convince those who are not big fans of legumes.
I make them starting from dry lentils, slowly cooked and turned into a tasty mixture, but you can also make them with pre-cooked lentils (from a jar) for a quicker version.
They are baked first and then finish cooking in a fragrant tomato sauce: the result is meatballs that are soft inside and slightly crisp outside.
Ideal with fresh bread or as a light alternative to classic meatballs.
If you love legumes and light but indulgent preparations, you’ll find more ideas right below.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 3 Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups cooked lentils (I cooked about 8.8 oz (≈1 1/4 cups) dry lentils to yield about 15.2 oz (≈2 1/4 cups) cooked)
- 1 egg
- 1 oz pecorino (grated (about 1/4 cup))
- to taste garlic powder
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (about 2 oz)
- 2 1/4 cups lentils
- 1 carrot
- to taste celery (leaves)
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch curry (optional, if you like)
- 1/3 cup white wine (about 3.4 fl oz)
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 2/3 cups tomato purée (about 14 oz)
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch sugar
- to taste green olives
- to taste basil
Tools
Below is the list of tools I used to make the recipe.
For some of these you’ll also find a clickable Amazon icon, so you can purchase them directly if you wish.
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Mini chopper
- 1 Knife
- 1 Fork
- 1 Baking tray
- Parchment paper
Steps
To prepare the soft lentil meatballs in tomato sauce, start with the dry lentils.
Rinse them thoroughly under running water, removing any impurities.
Transfer them to a large pan with the carrot chopped into pieces, a few celery leaves, chopped onion, one clove of garlic and a pinch of curry (if you like).
Deglaze with a little white wine and let it evaporate.
Cover with water so that it comes about two finger-widths above the lentils.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and stir.
Cook over low heat for about 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the water is almost completely absorbed.
It is not necessary to brown the vegetables: this way the lentils will remain more delicate and perfect for the mixture.
Meanwhile prepare a simple but flavorful sauce.
In a saucepan or skillet put the garlic, chopped onion and carrot diced into small cubes.
Let them gently release their flavor without letting the vegetables brown.
Add the tomato purée, olive oil, adjust salt and add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
Perfume the sauce with a few fresh basil leaves.
To make the sauce even tastier, add a few chopped olives.
Simmer over low heat until the sauce has slightly reduced and becomes soft and fragrant.
Transfer the cooked lentils to the chopper and blend until you get a smooth puree.
Add one egg, grated pecorino and the breadcrumbs, mixing well to obtain a soft but workable mixture.
If you cooked the lentils yourself, you don’t need to add too many extra spices because the flavor is already rich.
If you use store-bought cooked lentils, you can add some spices to taste, such as paprika, curry or aromatic herbs, to flavor the mixture and make it tastier.
Mix the mixture well until uniform, ready to shape the meatballs.
Take portions of the mixture and shape small balls between your hands.
Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, leaving some space between each meatball.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (convection) for about 20 minutes, until a light golden crust forms on the outside.
At this point, transfer the meatballs directly into the prepared tomato sauce.
Let simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes, so the meatballs absorb part of the sauce and remain soft and flavorful inside.
The result will be lentil meatballs soft inside, slightly crisp outside, wrapped in a fragrant, tasty sauce.
Perfect to serve as a light vegetarian main course.
How to store soft lentil meatballs in tomato sauce
Soft lentil meatballs in tomato sauce keep in the refrigerator, well sealed in a container, for 2–3 days.
To enjoy them again, gently reheat in a skillet or in the microwave so they retain softness and flavor.
To enjoy them again, gently reheat in a skillet or in the microwave so they retain softness and flavor.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
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Variations and tips to make the meatballs even tastier
Serve them with a side of roasted vegetables or a fresh salad for a complete and colorful plate.
