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Lentil Meatballs with Mushroom and Couscous

Lentil Meatballs with Mushroom and Couscous

I always say, when in doubt go to your staples! Actually, I had never said that before, but I meant it! Staples are lifesavers and I have the perfect lentil meatballs to help me prove my point.

These lentil meatballs remind me of home so much and that's why I was so excited to share this recipe with you. It has all the typical flavours of German cuisine and it has that comforting feel to it. 

I always say how much I like trying food from all over the world and experimenting with different cuisines. But that doesn't mean I don't crave the food and flavours I grew up with. That's why I like coming up with recipes like this one. It makes being away from home a lot easier. 

Food is a big deal in Germany, it has a very special place in our days. Sometimes we can sit for over two hours while having lunch! We really take our feeding time seriously. Also, our cuisine is known for being heavy and hearty. And that's what our lentil meatballs are all about, more so hearty than heavy but really filling for sure. 

Lentil meatballs with mushroom and couscous ingredients

The meatballs are made mostly with lentils, breadcrumbs, almond butter, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion and a few other things. These ingredients are all staples in my kitchen. I like to have them around to make my life easier throughout the week.

The couple things I didn't have already were parsley and shiitake mushrooms. There's the dry version of both that you can easily keep in the pantry but I wanted to use them fresh. So I decide to make a quick trip to the store.  

The lentil meatballs are served on a bed of couscous and covered with an incredible sauce that is both creamy and flavourful. Cashew nuts make the sauce super creamy and the nutritional yeast adds a cheesy, silky texture and flavour. The sauce pairs great with the lentil meatballs but you will want to add it to absolutely everything! 

lentil meatball mix

Finally, the lentil meatballs are served on a bed of fluffy couscous. I don't use couscous a whole lot. Honestly, I forget how easy it is to cook and how good it is as a side dish. I definitely need to incorporate it to more meals. And like some of the other ingredients in this recipe, you can have couscous in your pantry at all times. Just boil it with a veggie broth and it is ready!

When you stack the couscous, the lentil meatballs and the sauce you a get a delicious meal packed with nutrients and a whole lot of protein, 27g to be exact. It has only 543 calories and it only takes 30 minutes to make. Even less if you have good multitasking skills. As a busy mother, I have some experience with that. 

So, when you are not sure what to cook, always go to your staples! You might find some treasures in there as we did when we made these heartwarming lentil meatballs! 

Lentil meatballs with mushroom and couscous top down

Ingredients
12
Prep time
10 minutes
Total time
Category: Lunch, Dinner
Serves: 4
Allergens: Gluten, Mushrooms, Soy

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • 2 tbsps almond butter
  • 4 tbsps breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup brown lentils (washed)
  • 1 tsp canola oil
  • ½ tsp dried smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsps fresh parsley (thinly sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsps ground flaxseed
  • 1 tbsp italian herb mix
  • 2 tbsps nutritional yeast
  • 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • 4 cups shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 tbsps soy sauce
  • 2 tbsps water

For the couscous

  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1½ cups vegetable broth

For the sauce

  • 1 dash black pepper (ground)
  • ½ cup cashew nuts (soaked)
  • 2 tbsps mustard
  • 2 tbsps nutritional yeast
  • 1½ cups vegetable broth

For the garnish

  • 2 tbsps fresh parsley (thinly sliced)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 390F (200C). Combine the flaxseed with water and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Pour the boiling vegetable stock into the bowl of couscous and cover with a lid and let stand for 10 minutes, or until the liquids are absorbed.
  3. Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package until soft but not too mushy.
  4. Sauté onion for about 3 minutes, add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  5. Add the mushrooms to a food processor or chop them really thinly, make sure they don't get mushy.
  6. In a big bowl mix all the ingredients for the meatballs, mix well and use your hand to make the balls, I recommend making 3-4 balls per serving.
  7. Place the meatballs in a baking dish or on a baking tray covered with baking paper and bake for 15 minutes.
  8. For the sauce add soaked cashew nuts and vegetable broth to a blender and blend until smooth.
  9. Use a saucepan to heat up the sauce and add the rest of the sauce ingredients, adjust taste before serving.
  10. Serve the meatballs on top of the couscous with some sauce and garnish, enjoy!

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