We all already know that lentils are a very healthy product; I have talked to you several times in previous posts, so today, I will go directly to the description of this recipe.

Red lentil balls are from Turkish cuisine. They are very easy to prepare, healthy, and contain bulgur along with lentils, which is another big plus. This recipe is vegan/fasting, so you can use it at any time. And last, what is most important, it is very tasty, especially with lemon juice.

Vegan lentil meatballs (mercimek koftesi)

Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1.5 cup bulgur (fine)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 5-6 pcs green onion
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • to taste red chilli flakes
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions 

  • Put well-washed lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water and cook. It will take about 20 minutes.
  • When it is cooked and the water is completely absorbed, turn off the heat, add bulgur to the lentils, mix, cover with a lid, and let it stand for 30 minutes.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, saute finely chopped onion and garlic, when they turn golden, add tomato paste, mix well and remove from heat in a few minutes.
  • Place the red lentil and bulgur mixture in a large bowl. Add the sautéed onion and garlic, finely chopped parsley and green onion, cumin, salt, black pepper and red chilli flakes, and finally 1/3 cup of olive oil and mix well.
  • Make balls of the desired size, and put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  • Add lemon juice and serve with letuce.
    Bon Appetit!
Course: vegan
Cuisine: Turkish
Avatar
Author

Hello, I'm Medea, an endocrinology resident and avid cook. On this website, I share everything I love – delicious recipes, travel recommendations, and articles about healthy eating.