Vegan “Feetballs” … Great Faux Meatballs Adapted From NYC’s Meatball Shop

Feetballs

Feetballs?  Recently, on the Today Show, the owners of the Meatball Shop in New York City demonstrated how to make three types of their most popular meatballs.  To my surprise and excitement, one of them was a veggie ball recipe and, even more amazingly, it’s their personal favorite!

Veggie Balls can be comprised of so many different ingredients, similar to their big mama, the veggie burger, that each recipe has it’s own personality and flavor. I couldn’t wait to try these but I had to adapt the recipe to replace the eggs and the Parmesan cheese, as this recipe was originally billed as vegetarian.  I also took some shortcuts using dried thyme and parsley, instead of fresh.  You want more shortcuts?  Ok, go to Trader Joe’s and buy their refrigerated vacuum packed cooked lentils and their container of mirepoix (mixture of chopped onions, celery and carrots).  Now that’s a recipe that’s convenient enough but super delicious for a vegan american princess and her family!  Of course you can always do it the old fashioned way too!

Speaking of family, mine gave their resounding stamp of approval on this recipe. I will gladly give credit to my husband for proudly coming up with the name “feetballs,” which is a mash-up of the words fake and meatballs, (and which, thankfully,  have nothing to do with feet at all and just a little to do with balls!)

Faux Meatballs “Feetballs” Recipe adapted from the Meatball Shop, NYC

Makes 24-30 feet balls.

Ingredients

• 2 cups lentils (cooked and cooled, or if canned, rinsed and drained)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs. dried  thyme
• 2 tsp. salt
• 3 tbs. tomato paste
• 8 oz . white mushrooms, chopped
• 3 Ener-G egg replacers
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tbs. dried parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

 Directions:

1) In a large frying pan, pour in the olive oil and saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and salt over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until tender and just beginning to brown.

Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic, Thyme & Salt

2) Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.

3) Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add Tomato Paste and Mushrooms

4)  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the lentils.

5)  Add the Ener-G egg replacers, nutritional yeast, bread crumbs, parsley and walnuts to the bowl.  Mix by hand until completely blended.   Refrigerate for 25 minutes.

Add Ener-G Egg Replacers, Nutritional Yeast, Bread Crumbs, Parsley, Walnuts

6)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Evenly coat a large baking dish with olive oil.

7)  Roll mixture into round gold-ball sized meatballs.  Pack firmly!  Line up the balls in grid formation in the baking dish allowing 1/4 inch of space between balls.

8)  Roast for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.  Check after 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

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Enjoy!!

xox Ellen

Ellen Francis