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Vegan Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy | A delicious plant-based Thanksgiving entree!
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

These vegan meatballs with mushroom gravy are a great plant-based alternative to Thanksgiving turkey and way more tasty than any store-bought veggie loaf!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree, Main Dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Servings: 13 meatballs
Calories: 136kcal

Ingredients

For the Lentil Meatballs

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils rinsed
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 5 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrot
  • 1 cup chopped button cremini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste (Start with 1/8th teaspoon and increase as needed)

For the Gravy

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter
  • 8 oz button (cremini) mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch OR all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon white miso OR soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oregano fresh or dried
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

To Make the Lentil Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add lentils and broth to a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and then cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender but not falling apart. Take off the lid and cook off any remaining broth if needed. Otherwise, remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Combine ground flax and water in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
  • Add the olive oil, celery, onion, carrot, and mushrooms to a non-stick skillet and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the red wine, garlic, soy sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until liquid is cooked off. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add walnuts to a food processor and pulse until ground into breadcrumb consistency. Add the cooked lentils, cooked vegetables, flax seed egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse until dough forms.
  • Spray a baking dish or cookie sheet with cooking oil and form 13 balls out of the lentil mixture using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until browned.

To Make the Mushroom Gravy

  • Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the mushrooms and onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms start to wilt and release their moisture.
  • Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
  • In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Add to the saucepan.
  • Stir continuously while you add in the soy sauce, miso, and oregano. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes or until gravy begins to thicken. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. (You can also transfer to a tradition blender to puree.) Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.
  • To serve, portion meatballs onto a plate and cover with gravy. One serving is about 3-4 meatballs.

Notes

Makes 13 meatballs and 1 1/4 cup gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 3meatballs | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1064IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg