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    Home » Recipes » All Plant Based Recipes

    Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce and The Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook Review

    Published: Jan 15, 2016 · Modified: Jan 5, 2022 by Jenn Sebestyen

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    Make Ahead Vegan Lentil Balls in Sweet & Sour Sauce

    These Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce from the new cookbook The Make Ahead Vegan are the perfect party fare! They also make a delicious main meal served over rice!

    Make Ahead Vegan Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

    I am so excited to share this cookbook, The Make Ahead Vegan by Ginny McMeans, with you today. I have gotten to know Ginny pretty well over the last year and both she and her recipes are wonderful! Her recipes are perfect for busy families, as they are ALL freezer friendly. Make up a double or triple batch, freeze your leftovers and enjoy the fact that homemade food is always at your fingertips.  Keep reading for my full review of Ginny’s cookbook, the recipe for her Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce, and even a giveaway you can enter to win your very own copy of the cookbook (plus some extras!).

    Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook Cover
    Photo credit: Ginny McMeans. Photo reprinted with permission from The Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook by Ginny McMeans.

    Freezer Meals Make Dinner Easy

    When your freezer is stocked with homemade food, there is no excuse for not eating well. Ginny expertly explains for each recipe how to store it in the fridge, freeze it for later, and how to thaw, reheat and/or bake after being frozen. There are recipes for not only breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also, party foods, side dishes, condiments and sauces, snacks and desserts! Whatever it is you are craving, this book has got you covered!

    Make Ahead Vegan Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Take a Look Inside

    Let’s take a peak inside at the chapters and some of the delicious recipes you’ll find in each one:

    Party Pleasers: Cauliflower Chickpea Pizza Bites, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Soft Cinnamon-Sugar Pretzel Bites

    Wake Up & Eat: Chocolate Layered Cinnamon Rolls, Energy Date Muffins, Loaded Breakfast Burritos

    To Warm You From The Inside Out: Poblano Chiles Pinto Bean Soup, Creamy Mushroom Tomato Soup, Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew

    Side Dishes To Complement: Green Bean Casserole, Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Italian Roasted Cauliflower

    Hearty Meals: Cowboy Lasagne, American Tetrazzini, Chipotle Lentil Patties

    Extra Embellishments: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, Slow Cooker Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce, Blueberry Ginger Preserves

    Sweetness: Big Fat Cherry Pecan Cookies, Apricot Oatmeal Crumb Bars, Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Dough Balls

    Always Frozen: Chocolate Espresso Ice Cream, Strawberry Bonbons, Watermelon Citrus Pops

    Do I have your attention yet? I thought so.

    In addition to these mouthwatering chapters, you’ll also helpful tips and tricks for prepping, blanching, freezing, storage times, and even which containers work best – all in the introduction section to make sure you get off on the right foot!

    Make Ahead Vegan Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Make Ahead Healthy Homemade Meals

    If you believe homemade food is the healthiest way to feed yourself and your family (I think we can all agree on that, right?), but are short on time – The Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook is a must!

    Thank you so much to Ginny for allowing me to share one of my family’s favorite recipes from her book – Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce. This recipe is in the Party Pleasers chapter and, YES, they are fabulous all on their own! I liked them so much, however, I decided to make a meal out of them. I served them over a mix of brown and white rice with a big green salad on the side. Let me tell you, there wasn’t much leftover. Everyone happily gobbled these down and asked for second helpings. I even got a “Thanks for making dinner, mom!” on this night and that doesn’t happen all that often. 🙂

    Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce
    Photo Credit: Ginny McMeans. Photo reprinted with permission from The Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook by Ginny McMeans.

    The pic above is Ginny’s picture from the cookbook and shows how awesome they are as party fare!

    The flavors in these lentil balls are so yummy and they hold up perfectly!  Even without the sweet and sour sauce, I was popping them in my mouth one after the other!

    Lentil Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

    I hope you love these Lentil Balls as much as we do. If you try them, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. You can also find me on social media. Be sure to tag @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it. Enjoy!

    Lentils Balls in Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Ginny says, "There are so many tasty ingredients wrapped up in these little balls. You may find yourself eating them without a sauce and that’s okay, too."
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Entree
    Cuisine: dairy free, vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 12 people
    Calories: 115kcal
    Author: Jenn Sebestyen

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (plus more for baking sheet)
    • 1 cup dried lentils
    • 2 cups water
    • ¼ cup white onion (finely diced)
    • ¼ cup red bell pepper (finely diced)
    • 1 carrot (grated) (about ½ cup)
    • 8 ounces button mushrooms (wiped clean with a clean, damp cloth)
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay)
    • ½ cup vegan vegetable stock
    • ¾ cup vegan bread crumbs
    • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup of your favorite sweet and sour sauce

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Lightly grease a baking sheet with coconut oil and set aside.
    • Pick through the lentils to make sure there are no pebbles. Rinse.
    • Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the lentils. Bring back to a boil and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
    • Drain the lentils when done.
    • Place the coconut oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
    • Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
    • Add the grated carrot and cook for another 5 minutes.
    • Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse a couple of times until coarsely chopped.
    • Add the cooked lentils and pulse again until chopped a little bit more but still coarse.
    • Add this mixture to the vegetables in the skillet. Add the garlic powder and cook for 4 minutes.
    • Add the wine and cook for 1 more minute. Add the vegetable stock, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
    • Stir and let cool so that you can handle the mixture with your hands.
    • Roll the mixture into 48 balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven.
    • You can refrigerate or freeze the balls at this point.
    • If serving immediately, toss lightly with sweet-and-sour sauce.
    • Serve with toothpicks.

    Notes

    Storing in the refrigerator:
    Will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
    Freezing:
    Freeze in a hard-sided freezer container for up to 4 months.
    This will better protect the balls. To defrost, put in your refrigerator overnight.
    Reheating:
    To serve, heat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Lightly toss with heated sweet and sour sauce and serve with toothpicks.
    *Recipe reprinted with permission from The Make Ahead Vegan Cookbook by Ginny McMeans.
     
    Nutrition facts calculated based on 4 Lentil Balls per person.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 415mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1250IU | Vitamin C: 23.9mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Veggie_Inspired or tag #VeggieInspired!

    Now for the good stuff! I KNOW you want this book. How about you try to WIN it! Enter Ginny’s giveaway here:

    Good luck!

    If you just can’t wait to see if you’re a winner, you can guarantee yourself a copy by purchasing it HERE.

    More Vegan Lentil Recipes to Love:

    Lentil Vegetarian Cottage Pie (can me made ahead!)

    Lentil Vegetarian Cottage Pie

    Lentil Healthy Mushroom Bolognese

    Lentil Mushroom Healthy Bolognese

    Sloppy Lentil Sandwiches

    Sloppy Lentil Sandwiches

    Make Ahead Vegan Lentil Balls in Sweet & Sour Sauce

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    Comments

    1. Hayley says

      November 27, 2018 at 8:35 pm

      What type of lentils did you use? Would red lentils work?

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 29, 2018 at 2:33 pm

        Hi, Hayley. Red lentils will get much soft. Go with brown or green. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Aliyah says

      July 19, 2016 at 11:09 am

      What sweet and sour sauce did you use?

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        July 19, 2016 at 12:03 pm

        I honestly don’t remember exactly. This is one I have bought before though: http://amzn.to/29Rwzv6

        Reply
    3. Mark, CompassandFork says

      February 02, 2016 at 4:44 pm

      I love the healthy and tasty ingredients that make up the lentil balls. Amazing how many cultures use lentils.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        February 02, 2016 at 7:18 pm

        Lentils are such a staple, right? They are so versatile! In fact we had lentil soup (in the Instant Pot) tonight because it’s so easy!

        Reply
    4. Lucy says

      February 01, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      I love Ginny’s blog! These lentil balls look delish. Your photos are so beautiful! Love the idea of serving them over rice with a salad.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        February 01, 2016 at 7:52 pm

        Thank you so much! Ginny is awesome!

        Reply
    5. mayihavethatrecipe says

      February 01, 2016 at 2:53 pm

      Looks like a really delicious recipe, I Iove lentils. The book sounds wonderful.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        February 01, 2016 at 5:19 pm

        Thank you!! The book is a winner for sure!

        Reply
    6. Molly ~ EasycookingwithMollym says

      February 01, 2016 at 1:45 pm

      What a delicious recipe of ‘Lentil Balls’ and I so enjoyed reading about the Vegan Cookbook review. The recipes look great and I’ll surely try few of them soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        February 01, 2016 at 2:10 pm

        Thanks so much, Molly! Super easy recipes in the book!

        Reply
    7. The Vegan 8 says

      January 18, 2016 at 2:39 pm

      Oh man, I’m drooling now! I was eyeing that recipe in her book and now am looking even more forward to making it! Looks so hearty and filling and you did a great job with the pics, look wonderful.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        January 18, 2016 at 4:04 pm

        Thank you! This recipe is definitely a winner! Even without the sauce…so addicting! You will love it!

        Reply
    8. Strength and Sunshine says

      January 15, 2016 at 10:00 am

      Sweet and sour sauces…ooo so good!!!! I’ve only made my own once, but it must happen again!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        January 15, 2016 at 3:26 pm

        Yes! Homemade is where it’s at!

        Reply
    9. Linda @ Veganosity says

      January 15, 2016 at 9:11 am

      Great review, Jenn! I love Ginny’s book. I reviewed it a few weeks ago and her recipes are awesome.

      Those lentil balls look sooooo good! I’m putting this recipe on my list of things to make from her book. Yum!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        January 15, 2016 at 3:25 pm

        Thanks, Linda! You will love them! I couldn’t stop eating them!

        Reply

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    Jenn Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired

    Hi, I'm Jenn! This is where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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