Air fryer lentil meatballs
Savory, parmesan-rich lentil meatballs crisped in the air fryer and simmered in marinara, and they freeze beautifully.
- 55 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $1.34 a serving
- 350 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- ¾ cup lentils, brown or green, rinsed
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 cups water
- ¾ tsp salt, divided
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 350 calories, 17 g protein, 44 g carbs and 12 g fat, and costs about $1.34 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the lentils, water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a and over high heat.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
20 to 22 minutes, until very soft. well and let cool 10 minutes.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Medium heatTimer: 21 min
Mash the lentils in a big bowl with a fork until mostly smooth.
Mix in the panko, ¼ cup parmesan, the egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper until it holds together.
Dolly’s tip: Too soft to roll? Add another spoonful of panko and let it sit 5 minutes.Roll tablespoons into 16 balls and brush them with the oil.
Heaping. Heaping means a rounded mound piled above the rim of the spoon or cup, not leveled off. It’s a little more than the measure, on purpose.
How you’ll know: The pile sits above the edge of the spoon, and you leave it there instead of scraping it flat.
Dolly’s tip: Damp hands keep the mixture from sticking to you.Air fry at 375°F for 12 to 14 minutes, turning halfway, until and firm.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 13 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Meanwhile, warm the marinara in a large over medium-low heat.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Low heat
Add the meatballs to the sauce and spoon it over them, 2 minutes.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Low heatTimer: 2 min
Serve topped with basil and the rest of the parmesan.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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