Name: Turkish Lentil Balls (Mercimek Koftesi)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cup red lentils; 1 cup quinoa; 6 cups water; ½ tsp salt; ½ cup EVOO; 6 scallions, (sliced, whites and greens separated); 1 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp red pepper paste, ( or Turkish red pepper paste); 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp crushed red pepper, (or Aleppo); ½ tsp ground black pepper and salt; 1 bunch of Italian parsley, (chopped); 2 lemons, (zested); sumac, (optional)

Turkish Lentil Balls (Mercimek Koftesi)

These lentil balls are an easy, economical, and nutritious recipe to celebrate spring

produce! The original recipe uses fine bulgur as the binder, but this recipe instead is

modified to substitute quinoa to make it gluten free.

Print Pin

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Turkish

Keyword: Easy, Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 745kcal

Ingredients

2 cup red lentils
1 cup quinoa
6 cups water
½ tsp salt
½ cup EVOO
6 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp red pepper paste, or Turkish red pepper paste
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp crushed red pepper, or Aleppo
½ tsp ground black pepper and salt
1 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped
2 lemons, zested
sumac, optional

Instructions

Rinse lentils and quinoa, then add to pot with water and salt. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Lentils should be very tender and falling apart; quinoa should be tender. There should be no cooking liquid left. Set aside.
In a small sauce pot, heat EVOO. Once hot, add green onion whites. Saute for 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste and pepper paste. Saute for 1 minute.
Turn heat off and add cumin, red and black pepper, and salt.
In a large bowl, add: lentil-quinoa mix, pepper oil, and parsley-scallion greens, and lemon zest. Also add in your tomato paste mixture. Mix well.
Form into balls, and serve with a squeeze of zested lemons on a bed of arugula, and garnished with matchstick radish and sumac.

Nutrition