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Lentil Meatballs
February is Heart Health Month, a good reminder to make small changes that support cardiovascular health. This season I’ve been tweaking some favorite dishes to be lighter and more heart-friendly by swapping a few ingredients. One change I made was switching to Mazola® Corn Oil after learning a clinical study showed it reduces cholesterol more effectively than extra virgin olive oil. I tested it in a dinner recipe and liked the results. For more information on the study and corn oil’s heart-health relationship, see Mazola.com.
Looking for more dinner recipes to try?
- Turkey Orzo Soup
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
- Venison Stew
Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol-free oil that’s a practical choice for everyday cooking. It works well for baking, grilling, sautéing, stir-frying, or making marinades and dressings. With a smoke point around 450°F, it stands up well to higher-heat cooking—important because heating oil past its smoke point can change flavor and reduce nutritional value.
Recent guidance from the American Heart Association emphasizes replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats to help reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Corn oil is rich in polyunsaturated fats, and dietary swaps—like using corn oil instead of butter or coconut oil—can be a simple way to improve heart health. As noted earlier, a clinical study found that Mazola Corn Oil lowered cholesterol twice as much as extra virgin olive oil; more details are available at Mazola.com.
For Heart Health Month I adapted classic spaghetti and meatballs into a lighter version: lentil meatballs instead of beef and pork, Mazola Corn Oil in place of other oils or butter, and zoodles (zucchini noodles) instead of wheat pasta. The result keeps the comforting flavors of the original while being vegetarian and more heart-conscious.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and can easily be made vegan: replace the egg with a flax egg and swap regular parmesan for a vegan alternative. The meatballs are simple to prepare, and you can double the batch and freeze extras uncooked for quick meals later.
I like to serve these lentil meatballs with homemade marinara and a sprinkle of parmesan. Zoodles are my go-to, but you can also serve them over other spiralized vegetables like butternut squash, carrots, or beets, or over whole-grain pasta for a heartier option.
Looking for side dish ideas?
- Herb Quick Bread
- Roasted Radishes
- Mediterranean Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot White Rice
Lentil Meatballs
A simple vegetarian twist on classic Italian meatballs using lentils instead of meat. Ready in about 30 minutes and delicious topped with marinara sauce.
15 minutes
15 minutes
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup Mazola® Corn Oil
- 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg (or flax egg for vegan)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked green lentils
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (or vegan alternative)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons Mazola® Corn Oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
- In a food processor, combine the cooked garlic and shallots, egg (or flax egg), cooked lentils, Italian seasoning, parsley, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture holds together but still has some texture.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup Mazola® Corn Oil to the skillet, arrange the meatballs in the pan, and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating or stirring every 5 minutes so they brown evenly.
- Serve the meatballs topped with marinara sauce over zoodles or your choice of vegetable or wheat-based noodles.
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