Description
These Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki are a delicious and healthy twist on traditional meatballs. Made with protein-rich brown lentils and packed with fresh herbs and spices, these meatballs are baked to golden perfection and served with a refreshing homemade tzatziki sauce. Perfect as a main dish for a light lunch or dinner, they are gluten-free option friendly and pair well with pita bread, quinoa, or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown lentils (canned is fine)
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ¾ cup bread crumbs (gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped mint
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 egg
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Juice from ½ lemon
Tzatziki Sauce
- ½ cup yogurt
- ¼ cup shredded cucumber
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs, ensuring they cook evenly and develop a golden crust.
- Prepare the Meatballs: Add the cooked brown lentils, finely chopped red onion, bread crumbs, chopped mint, parsley, tomato paste, egg, salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, soy sauce, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined but still retain some texture to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form the Meatballs: Using your hands, roll the lentil mixture into evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Bake: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the outside and firm to the touch, ensuring they are cooked through.
- Prepare the Tzatziki: While the meatballs are baking, combine the yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and fresh chopped dill in a bowl. Mix well to create the refreshing tzatziki sauce that complements the meatballs.
- Serve: Serve the baked lentil meatballs warm alongside the homemade tzatziki sauce. They pair beautifully with pita bread, quinoa, or a side of roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use gluten-free bread crumbs if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- You can substitute brown lentils with green lentils if preferred.
- If you want a vegan version, replace the egg with a flax egg and use a dairy-free yogurt for the tzatziki.
- To add extra spice, consider adding a pinch of chili flakes to the meatball mixture.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
