Lentil Meatballs in Tahini Turmeric Sauce

This easy recipe is a magnificent dish in both taste and presentation. Best yet, you can cook lentil meatballs in either vegetarian or vegan preparations without losing any of the incredibly rich flavor.

We love to adapt childhood recipes whose combination of elements and flavors can live up to a variety of ingredient substitutions and cooking methods (see below for our suggestions). These quinoa lentil meatballs in tahini-turmeric sauce is a great example of a Middle Eastern dish that offers endless possibilities to incorporate into your mealtime.

Inspiration for this Recipe

We created this recipe back in 2018, to celebrate our Cookbook launch.

Our delicious Tahini and Turmeric Sauce is not only a mouthwatering combination of tahini, lemon, water, and turmeric, it is also the title of our cookbook TAHINI & TUMERIC: 101 Middle Eastern Classics, Made Irresistibly Vegan which was released in May 2018.

The recipes in the cookbook Tahini and Turmeric, are easy-to-prepare, heart-healthy, and include 62 gluten-free dishes. You’ll love our time-saving shortcuts and tips for showcasing these sophisticated flavor profiles in beautiful, crowd-pleasing presentations.

Ingredients for lentil veggie meatballs 

• Sofrito. red bell pepper, onion, garlic cloves 
• Black Lentils. Also known as beluga lentils
• Quinoa. See our guide for how to cook quinoa. 
• Grilling Seasoning. Also known as hamburger seasoning
• Aleppo Pepper. Or red pepper flakes
• Cumin. 
• ​​​​​Salt. 
• Fresh Cilantro. 
• Egg. Or flax egg
• Vital Wheat Gluten. 
• Garbanzo Bean Flour. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 
• Neutral Oil. We like to use avocado oil or cooking spray 
• Tahini Turmeric Sauce. Tahini, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, black pepper, garlic, water

Instructions for How to Make Vegetarian Meatball Recipe with Tahini Turmeric Sauce

1. Step 1: Sauté the bell pepper, onion, and garlic until soft.

2. Step 2: In a large bowl, mix the sofrito with the remaining ingredients. Mash with your hands to form a chunky dough. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

3. Step 3: Working with 1 ½ tablespoons at a time, form the lentil meatball mixture into balls. Press firmly to compact the ball, you should get about 32 meatballs meatballs.

4. Step 4: Place the meatballs into a greased mini muffin tin or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

5. Step 5: In a large saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients and cook to heat through and thicken.

6. Step 6: If the sauce becomes too thick, simply loosen it with a few tablespoons of water.

Substitutions

These Lentil Meatballs are made with lentils, quinoa, and a delicious sofrito of red pepper, onions, garlic, and spices including Aleppo pepper, cumin, grilling seasoning, and cilantro. Quinoa lentil meatballs can be adapted to meet any of the following preparations:

• Gluten-free. Our Quinoa Lentil Meatballs recipe uses vital wheat gluten to bind the quinoa and lentils together. Create gluten-free meatballs by substituting garbanzo bean flour, rice flour, or other non-gluten flour instead of wheat gluten. Start with ¼ cup of flour and add 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to hold the mixture together, but not more than ½ cup. Keep in mind the flour will absorb the moisture as it sits. 
• Vegan. While you may use egg in the lentil quinoa mixture, you can make these meatless meatballs vegan using a “Flax Egg” (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water). We tested the recipe both ways!
• Fried. The meatballs take on a beautiful glazed crust when pan-fried in olive oil. Heat the olive oil in the large skillet. Add the meatless meatballs in two batches, cooking them for 6-8 minutes, making sure to turn them on all sides. Wipe the skillet clean using a paper towel after they are cooked.
• Baked. Heat the oven to 400ºF. Generously spray a mini muffin tin. Place one lentil meatless meatball in each of the muffin tin cavities and spray the top of the meatless meatballs. Alternatively, you can just place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Lentils. We like using black lentils because they hold their shape better. However, you can use any type of lentil for this recipe.
• Grilling Seasoning. Grilling seasoning is mainly made with onion, garlic, black pepper and salt with added herbs and spices that vary from brand to brand. Use any grilling or everything seasoning you have on hand. The salt content will vary by brand, so adjust the salt according to your taste.

Serving Suggestions 

Veggie meatballs can be served as is in their tahini and turmeric sauce, garnished with bell peppers, cilantro and pine nuts. They're packed with protein, fiber, and other nutrients so this is a great appetizer or main course. 

With a hearty and meaty texture, you can also serve the meatballs on top of pasta, rice, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash. 

If you're looking for a different flavor profile, you can use your favorite jarred marinara sauce and parmesan cheese, or try one of these other savory options: 

• Easy Peanut Sauce Recipe (Gluten-Free + Vegan)
• Cashew Cream - A Magical Vegan Sauce
• Chimichurri - A Fresh Sauce from Argentina
• Tahini Sauce - One bowl, 3 ingredients
• Pumpkin Pasta Sauce

Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips

This recipe makes 32 vegetarian meatballs, so we like to use only half for dinner the night we make them and save the rest for another meal. 

Store lentil meatballs and tahini turmeric sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, freeze the meatballs in a single layer and then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then place in a large skillet over medium heat with sauce until warmed through.

More Meatless Meatball Recipes 

• Quinoa Cauliflower Meatballs in Coconut Turmeric Sauce
• Spaghetti and Vegan Meatballs
• Eggplant Meatballs in Pomegranate Sauce
• Veggie Meatballs in Pumpkin Sauce
• Sweet Potato Meatballs
• Italian Eggplant Meatballs
• Spinach Chickpea Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
• Vegan Meatballs in Mango Coconut Sauce