Lentil Walnut Beet Balls with Spicy Tahini Dressing

Beet balls that are vegan, gluten free, an oil-free. Serve as an appetizer or in a big bowl of your favorite roasted veggies. Drizzle with oil-free tahini dressing!

Whenever we go out, there’s always something I can eat.

It might not be the most appealing thing in the world, and more often than not it will be plain greens, raw veggies, or fries, but it’s something I can munch on to be social while I’m daydreaming about the giant glow bowl waiting on me for when I get home.

This year, I learned that cocktail parties can be some of the most inhospitable places for those who like to graze on whole foods and plants.

Dan and I attended a lovely holiday party this year, and aside from the fact that I had worn heels for the first time in months and it was standing room only (lots of shifting from left to right) we were standing around tiered tables of appetizers– none of which I could eat.

Let me just say that I’m not the type of person who expects their dietary choices to be catered to by the masses.

I’m the girl who shows up to a party with raw bars in my immediate bag and my purple lunchbox packed in the car.

So it must have been the three inch heels, because I was a little miffed that after circling the tables several times, I only saw more meats and cheeses.

Oh, wait, there were vegetables, but they were all covered in suspicious looking white sauces or deep fried.

No thanks.

It was about this time between greetings with fellow party goers (some in heels taller than mine, yikes!) that I started thinking about the arena of vegan appetizers, and how neglected it is.

And how nice it would be to have a go-to dish to share that made more of an entrance than your typical mound of hummus and neighboring veg.

If only…

These lentil walnut beet balls were the perfect solution to my conundrum.

If only the waiters had brought these beauties around on platters at the party…I definitely wouldn’t have been thinking about my poor feet.

They’re packed with protein from the lentils, walnuts, and oats so they’ll keep you snacking smart while you wait for the main course.

Or, hey, they can BE the main course.

Enjoy these Lentil Walnut Beet Balls with Spicy Tahini as a festive appetizer or main course!

Eat them solo dunked in spicy tahini, throw them in a macro bowl, or wrap them up in a collard greens.

I love how demure these beet balls look on the outside; just your average vegan meat ball- wanna be.

They have a bright cherry red interior with a satisfying crunch from the walnut crumble and a spicy kick courtesy of the sriracha.

Pair them with the spicy tahini dressing and you have a freakin’ party.

Yum.

If you try these Lentil Walnut Beet Balls with Spicy Tahini, let me know!

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums. 

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipe like this one to make later.

For more plant-based appetizers, check out my Baked Yam Fries with Oil-Free Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Purple Sweet Potato Fries with Beet Ketchup, and Baked Purple Sweet Potato Spiral Fritters, too!

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XO Lauren

Lentil Walnut Beet Balls with Spicy Tahini Dressing

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Flora & Vino
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
• Yield: ~20 balls

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Description

Beet balls that are vegan, gluten free, an oil-free. Serve as an appetizer or nestled in a big bowl of your favorite roasted veggies. Drizzle with oil-free tahini dressing!

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 15 oz. can of lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 medium red beets, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2–3 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 1 1/2 TBSP sriracha
• 1 TBSP tamari lite
• 1 1/2 TBSP lime juice
• fresh cilantro
• black sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup filtered water
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 TBSP sriracha
• 1/2 TBSP lemon juice

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Add the veggie broth to a pan and heat over medium. Add the diced white onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes Set aside.
3. Add the chopped walnuts and rolled oats to a food process and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
4. Next, add the drained and rinsed lentils, beets, carrots, cilantro, diced white onion, garlic, flaxseed, sriracha, tamari lite, and lime juice. Pulse until the mixture is minced and well combined. It should look like a thick red paste without any large visible lumps. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the oat and walnut crumble and stir to combine.
5. Form balls out of the mixture with your hands, adding about 2 Tablespoons to each ball, and place on the lined baking pan. You should have about 20 beet balls when finished.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the beet balls are golden brown underneath and firm to the touch.
7. While the balls are cooking, prepare your spicy tahini dressing by adding tahini, filtered water, nutritional yeast, Sriracha, and lemon juice to a high speed blender and blending until well combined. Alternatively, mix by hand with a fork until smooth.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Serve with spicy tahini dressing, fresh cilantro, and black sesame seeds.
9. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days and freeze for long term storage.

• Category: Appetizer, Snack, Entree
• Method: Oven-Bake
• Cuisine: Vegan, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

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