Thank you to Now Real Food® for sponsoring this Vegan Meatballs with Lemon Dijon Sauce recipe post, and thank YOU for supporting the brands that help make Meal Prep On Fleek possible. All opinions are our own.
These herb-filled vegan meatballs are made with hemp protein powder which contains all 9 essential amino acids. They bake up crisp on the outside while staying tender and moist on the inside. Served over sautéed zucchini noodles and topped with a creamy lemon Dijon sauce, this is a veggie-packed meal that satisfies.
Making vegan meatballs that have a good amount of protein in them is easier than you think! One of the struggles I often hear from people converting to a more plant-forward diet is that they can't get their protein in with vegan meals. Well, I am here to prove that it is easier and so much more delicious than you could imagine!
It is recommended that a male on a vegan diet consume around 63g of protein per day and a female 52 grams per day. Please keep in mind that these numbers will vary slightly by age, height, weight, and body composition. But they are a great minimum to shoot for.
When creating more vegan-based recipes, you normally think of things such as beans, lentils, and tofu to make a higher protein meal. But there are so many other delicious options on the market! For example, nutritional yeast is an excellent source of protein and B12. Just one tablespoon has 5g of protein. Seeds, such as hemp seeds or organic hemp protein, are also great sources!
The Now Real Food® Organic Hemp Protein has been part of my daily routine lately! I've been adding a scoop to my post-workout smoothie 4 days a week. I also enjoy mixing it into my oatmeal (it makes the oats eeeextra thick!) and then top the bowl off with some nut butter, fresh berries, and a few walnuts. I'll mix it into my yogurt bowl for a nighttime snack and finish it off with fruit and dark chocolate.
Those are my favorite, no-bake ways to use the organic hemp protein, but it also works so well in sweet and savory baked/cooked recipes. If you love protein pancakes for breakfast, you can replace ¼ cup of coconut flour in this recipe with ⅓ cup protein powder!
I highly recommend using the organic hemp protein in these mouthwatering vegan meatballs with a tangy lemon dijon sauce for a savory recipe. Swoon! 😍 The meatballs are crispy on the outside and soft inside (IMO, just the way a perfect meatball should be!)! I served them over zoodles because I know many people trying to eat more plant-forward say there are 'too many carbs' in a vegan diet, so the zoodles keep the carbs and calories a bit lower. However, serving these in a pita to make a sandwich or over pasta would be my preferred choice to increase the calories a bit! If serving with pasta, I recommend adding a veggie such as steamed broccoli. Gotta feed that body if it's working out!
The other thing I love about this meatball recipe is that the meatballs are freezer-friendly! Hello, batch meal prepping! I like to bake mine and then freeze them for quick reheating later, but you can also freeze them unbaked and cook them as needed.
The lemon dijon sauce is so good you'll want to keep a jar of it on hand in the fridge to top other things like tofu, tempeh, or even fish if you're into seafood!
Ok, enough chatter about all the ways to use this extra tasty protein powder that is full of essential fatty acids, fiber, iron, and protein: all things a plant-based diet should include. It's time to grab some, and let me know how you use it!
Vegan Meatballs with Lemon Dijon Sauce Ingredients:
For Meatballs
- 2 ½ cups cooked instant brown rice, cooled until warm
- ½ cup Now Real Food® Organic Hemp Protein
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Lemon Dijon Sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (flax, almond, oat, etc.)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
For Serving
- 2 tablespoon olive
- 4 cups zucchini noodles
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 2 ½ cups cooked instant brown rice cooled until warm
- ½ cup Now Real Food® Organic Hemp Protein
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Lemon Dijon Sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk flax, almond, oat, etc.
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
For Serving
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups zucchini noodles
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add ingredients for meatballs to a food processor. Pulse until thoroughly mixed.
- Roll mixture into 12 medium-sized meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- While meatballs bake, whisk together ingredients or lemon Dijon sauce in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until simmering, about 5 minutes. Whisk regularly until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool sauce slightly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add zucchini noodles. Sauté for 3-4 minutes—season with salt and pepper.
- Place 3 meatballs in large compartments of 4 teal meal prep containers. Divide sauce between 4 small cups and place next to meatballs. Divide zucchini noodles between small compartments.
