Vegan Smoky Lentil Meatball Marinara (Printable version)

Smoky lentil meatballs in marinara sauce served on light zucchini noodles for a flavorful, plant-powered dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentil Meatballs

01 - 1 cup cooked brown or green lentils, well drained
02 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
03 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
05 - 1/4 cup water
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
08 - 1 small onion, finely diced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Marinara Sauce

16 - 2 cups crushed tomatoes
17 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
18 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
19 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
20 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
21 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
22 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
23 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
24 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Zucchini Noodles

25 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
26 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
27 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine ground flaxseed with water and let sit for 5 minutes until thickened to form a flax egg.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
03 - In a food processor, combine cooked lentils, sautéed onion and garlic, rolled oats, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, nutritional yeast, flax egg, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture begins to hold together while maintaining some texture.
04 - Shape mixture into 16 golf ball-sized balls and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and firm.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spiralized zucchini with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain excess liquid if necessary.
07 - Transfer baked lentil meatballs to the simmering marinara sauce and simmer together for 5 minutes to warm through and allow flavors to meld.
08 - Divide zucchini noodles among serving plates, top with lentil meatballs, and spoon marinara sauce over the top. Garnish as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These meatballs have a smoky depth that makes you forget they're made from lentils, impressing both vegan and non-vegan eaters equally.
  • The whole meal comes together in under an hour, making it weeknight-friendly without feeling rushed.
  • Spiralized zucchini keeps the dish light and fresh while the marinara and meatballs deliver all the comfort you crave.
02 -
  • The flax egg absolutely must sit for five full minutes or it won't bind properly and your meatballs will fall apart during baking, something I learned the hard way on my first attempt.
  • Don't skip the halfway flip when baking because the bottom side needs equal heat to develop that firm, golden exterior that keeps everything together in the sauce.
  • Zucchini noodles release water, so drain them well after cooking or your final dish will be watery and sad, pulling everything down with it.
  • The smoked paprika is doing almost all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so if you go light on it thinking you can add more later, you'll regret it because it's subtle and builds rather than punches.
03 -
  • Make extra meatballs and freeze them raw before baking, then you can pull them out anytime and bake straight from frozen with just an extra five minutes in the oven.
  • If your zucchini noodles release too much water, pat them dry with paper towels after cooking rather than draining them in a colander, which gives you more control over the final texture.
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