Vegan stuffing

Make these red onion, lentil and sage stuffing balls for a welcome addition to any festive feast. Linseeds, pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios pack in a classic crunch

Prep:20 mins
Cook:30 mins

Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 123
fat 9g
saturates 1g
carbs 6g
sugars 2g
fibre 2g
protein 3g
salt 0g

Ingredients

2 tbsp linseeds
1 red onion, halved
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
200g mixed nuts of your choice (we used a combination of pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios)
400g can cooked green lentils in water, drained
50g breadcrumbs
small bunch sage, chopped
1 small apple, grated

Method

Put the linseeds in a small bowl and mix with 2 tbsp water, then set aside for 5-10 mins until the water thickens to a gluey consistency. Meanwhile, place the onion in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Heat the oil in a frying pan, tip in the onion and cook for 5 mins until softened.
Tip the nuts into the food processor and whizz until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle 3 tbsp of the nuts over a plate and set aside. Add the lentils, breadcrumbs, sage, apple, linseeds (and any liquid in the bowl), onion and plenty of seasoning to the processor. Pulse to blend the mixture until just combined – don’t chop too finely or the stuffing will lose its nice nutty texture.
Line a baking tray with foil and grease with a little oil. Remove the blade from the processor and oil your hands. Scoop out walnut-sized chunks of stuffing, roll into balls, then roll on the plate of chopped nuts to coat. Place on the prepared baking tray. Can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unwrap (if chilled) and bake for 25-30 mins until the nuts are a little darker and the balls have firmed up slightly – they will be softer than traditional stuffing balls but will firm up after a few mins cooling. If you’re cooking from frozen, bake for 35-40 mins.