Everyone needs a good meatball recipe up their sleeve! They're fabulously versatile, ideal as a snack, paired with pasta, or served alongside mash and your favourite seasonal vegetables. These beef and lentil meatballs by Healthy Always use less meat in favour of brown lentils, which work fantastically as a substitute as they take on flavours well, have a similar texture to mince, and are a good source of plant-based protein.

BEEF AND LENTIL MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS
500g prime beef mince
1x 390g tin brown lentils
1/2 brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1 egg
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt

METHOD

1. If using the oven, preheat to bake 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray or dish with baking paper. If pan-frying place pan on stove top, and add a light drizzle of oil.

2. Open tin of brown lentils and pour contents into a sieve. Drain excess liquid, then rinse with water until it runs clear. Keep aside.

3. Peel and finely dice onion and garlic. 

4. In a large bowl whisk egg, then add other ingredients. Evenly mix everything using hand. Roll evenly into 16 meatballs.

5. Place meatballs into the baking dish and cook in oven for 15 minutes, or oil up the pan and pan-fry meatballs until cooked. If cooking in a baking dish then you may get a little leakage out of the meatballs - this is expected and totally fine.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Per 2x meatballs
Protein: 16.9g
Carbohydrates: 8.4g
Dietary fibre: 1.7g
Sugars: 0.8g
Fat: 7.1g