The Meatball Problem
Meatballs are sacred. Touch them wrong and people riot.
So we didn’t touch them wrong. These are dense, savory, hold-together-on-a-fork meatballs. The secret? Cooked lentils and oats do the heavy lifting. The beef does the convincing.
The 75% Meatball Mix
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked green/brown lentils | 2 cans | Bulk + protein + binding |
| Rolled oats | 1 cup | Texture + binding |
| Beef mince | 1 pack | Flavor + fat |
Ingredients
The Meatballs
- 2 cans green or brown lentils, drained
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 pack beef mince (400-500g — standard pack size)
- 2 eggs (the glue)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Quick Tomato Sauce
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp sugar (cuts the acidity)
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil if you have it
To Serve
- Spaghetti, crusty bread, or just a fork and zero shame
Instructions
1. Mash the Lentils
In a bowl, roughly mash the lentils with a fork. You want about half mashed, half whole — gives texture without being mushy.
2. Mix Everything
Add the oats, beef mince, egg, garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined.
3. Shape
Roll into golf ball–sized meatballs. You should get about 16. Place on a plate or tray.
4. Brown Them
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches — don’t crowd the pan. Brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. They don’t need to cook through yet.
5. Make the Sauce
In the same pan (all those brown bits = flavor), add garlic. Cook 30 seconds. Pour in crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt, pepper. Stir.
6. Simmer Together
Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened.
7. Serve
Over pasta. With bread. Straight from the pan. We don’t judge.
Total time: 45 minutes Difficulty: Intermediate Cost: ~£9 for 4 servings
Tips
Make it easier
- Use canned lentils — zero cooking required
- Instant oats work just as well as rolled
- Jarred marinara instead of making sauce from scratch
Make it different
- Swedish style: Add a pinch of allspice and nutmeg, serve with mashed potatoes and lingonberry
- BBQ meatballs: Skip the tomato sauce, toss in BBQ sauce, serve as appetizers
- Sub sandwich: Stuff into a hoagie roll with melted cheese
Be Kind to Future Self
This recipe makes a big batch. Here’s the plan:
- Eat tonight with pasta and sauce
- Fridge a portion for tomorrow’s lunch (sub sandwich, anyone?)
- Freeze the rest in bags of 4-5 meatballs — reheat straight from frozen in sauce for 15 minutes
Frozen meatballs keep 3 months. Wednesday-night-you will be grateful.
The Lentil Secret
Lentils are the unsung hero of 75% cooking. They’re cheap (£1 a can), packed with protein and fiber, and they take on whatever flavor you throw at them. Cooked lentils in meatballs = invisible. The texture blends right in.
Stock up. You’ll use them constantly.
16 meatballs. 75% plant-based. Zero complaints from the dinner table. That’s progress.