Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (198g) cooked brown lentils, drained well
  • 8 oz (225g) finely chopped mushrooms (cremini or button)
  • 1/2 cup (60g) Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 medium (110g) yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves (6g) garlic, minced
  • 1 large (50g) egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp (5g) soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp (1g) ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
  • 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp (25g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (480ml) vegetable stock, low sodium
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Worcestershire sauce (vegetarian)
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Sauté the diced onion and mushrooms in a small pan until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms look shrunk and browned.
  2. Place the cooked lentils, sautéed mushrooms/onions, garlic, soy sauce, and spices into the food processor.
  3. Pulse 5-7 times until the mixture looks like coarse ground meat; do not let it become a smooth puree.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the beaten egg and Panko breadcrumbs until just combined.
  5. Shape the mixture into 16 equal balls, roughly 1.5 inches in diameter.
  6. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  7. Add meatballs in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until the exterior is a deep golden brown.
  8. Remove meatballs from the pan. Melt butter in the same skillet, whisk in flour to create a roux, then gradually stir in vegetable stock, Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice until thickened.