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Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet

February 14, 2022
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Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian "Meatball" Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!
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Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!

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I’ve been loving meatless meals recently. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I could still never be vegetarian… love chicken and fish just way too much. Still, I’m always pleasantly surprised with just how satisfied I can truly get from a plant-based meal. Now, when most people think about these omnivore protein sources, they often think about tofu, beans, and nuts/seeds… which are all great options (nuts are one of my favorite foods!). What’s more commonly overlooked, however, are lentils. Yes, lentils. The tiny edible legume, most popularly used in lentil soups, has about 18 grams of protein and tons of fiber. Plus, when mixed up with mushrooms, onions, garlic, and tons of spices and rolled up into the form of a meatball, they’re freakin DELICIOUS! So, if you’re a skeptic on lentils — or even just having a satisfying meatless dinner — you have to try this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet!

Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian "Meatball" Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!

The breakdown…

This Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet is truly so simple. Vegetarian meatballs (and really all vegetarian substitutions) can get over complicated so fast. I mean, I’ve seen recipes with 15 steps just trying to get the meatballs to have that “perfect” meat consistency. Honestly, I’m sure those are delicious… and maybe even taste more meat-like than these. Still, in my opinion, you really can’t beat a meal that tastes delicious, can be thrown together with just a few processors and a skillet, and is super quick and easy. That’s why I love this one. To start off that food processor mixture, I get my lentils cooked and out of the way. Lentils vary in cooking time, so I leave those instructions vague. Personally, I love to use the pre-steamed lentils that come in a bag. This is a real time savor, and they are usually just as delicious as if you cooked them yourself. Still, either way works!

all the flavor…

With those lentils ready to go, the next step is to get going on the aromatics. Simply sauté up some onions, mushrooms, and tons of garlic. Garlic is key here. The best part? There’s no need to finely chop everything up since it is all going in the food processor in a second. Just make sure they are small enough to get nice and golden in some olive oil. Then, go ahead and toss in a good amount of Italian seasoning… plus some salt and pepper. I usually have Italian seasoning on hand, but, if you don’t, you could easily make some yourself. This recipe is great.

Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian "Meatball" Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!

Get everything nice and flavorful with all of that seasoning, then get to pulsing your meatballs together. With some eggs to bind things together, steamed cauliflower rice to bulk it all up, some parmesan for a bite, and just a bit of panko, these meatballs truly come together beautifully. They should have a bit of a sticky consistency, and will be a tad looser than your average meatball. Still, they should hold together nicely into little balls. 

get cooking…

Ball up all of your meatballs and get to searing! This Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet recipe calls for both searing and baking the meatballs. Personally, I think this is the best way to ensure a crispy exterior and a firm meatball… nobody wants a soggy mess! So, let those metaballs build up a nice char on the stove before covering them in marinara sauce and you will have the perfect consistency. Speaking of which, I love to use Rao’s marinara sauce. Really, though, any brand works. You could even make your own using a recipe like this. Either way, make sure your sauce really covers all of those meatballs really well, then smother everything with cheese! You can use fresh or low-moisture mozzarella… either works wonderfully depending on your preference. Then, send everything to the oven to finish cooking and voila! Dinner is served.

Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian "Meatball" Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!

how to serve it up…

I love to serve up this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet recipe over linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle, or just about any long cut pasta. Pro tip? Toss your noodles in extra warm sauce and cheese to make everything delicious. Oh, and crusty garlic bread is also a must… sopping is the best! Then, hit everything with some fresh basil or parsley (or really any herb) and get to eating. You could even top this with some red pepper flakes or use an arrabiata sauce, too, if you love some spice. Serve it up for your family for a quick weeknight meal, or even go in with a whole spread of my Tahini Caesar, some charred broccolini, and any other Italian favs for a dinner party. Either way, it’s delicious, and a real crowd pleaser.

I hope you love this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))

Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian "Meatball" Skillet
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Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main CourseCuisine: Italian, American, FusionDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

40

minutes


Lightly seared, veggie-filled, and protein-packed vegetarian meatballs baked off in marinara and all the cheese: this Cheesy Lentil Vegetarian “Meatball” Skillet is my favorite meatless weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dried lentils, prepared according to package (about 1 cup cooked)*

  • 2 + 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

  • 8 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

  • 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  • 1 ½ tbsp Italian seasoning*

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 2 eggs

  • ¾ cup cauliflower rice, steamed or microwaved until softened*

  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free works)

  • Olive oil or olive oil spray, to coat

  • 1 24 oz jar marinara sauce, store bought or homemade*

  • 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

  • Fresh basil or parsley, to serve

  • Pasta or bread, to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare the lentils according to their package. Allow to cool slightly.
  • In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion and mushrooms. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Then, toss in the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a food processor with the lentils, eggs, cauliflower rice, and parmesan cheese. Pulse until the mushrooms are in tiny pea-sized pieces. Then, toss in the panko and pulse a few more times until everything is combined. Roll your mixture into 15-18 “meatballs.”
  • Heat an additional 2 tbsp olive oil in the empty skillet. Once hot, place the meatballs in the hot oil and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. If your skillet is not large enough for the meatballs to be spaced out, do this in two batches. Pour the marinara sauce over top of your meatballs, and generously sprinkle everything with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbling.
  • Garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and serve over pasta or with bread. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, you could easily make some yourself. This recipe is great.
  • I like to use frozen cauliflower rice for this dish. After just about 4 minutes in the microwave, it should be softened and ready to toss in.
  • I love to use the pre-steamed lentils that come in a bag. This is a real time savor, and they are usually just as delicious as if you cooked them yourself. 
  • I love Rao’s marinara sauce, but any brand works. You could also use a recipe like this. 
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