(1 1/2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve (or vegetarian alternative)
Small handful basil, shredded, plus extra leaves to garnish
60g
(2 1/2oz) fresh white or brown breadcrumbs
1Tbsp.
olive oil
For the sauce
1tsp.
olive oil
1
onion, finely chopped
2
garlic cloves, crushed
400g
tin chopped tomatoes
1tsp.
dried oregano
Pinch sugar
Directions
Step 1Drain and rinse the lentils. Leave in sieve to drain well again. Trim the courgettes and coarsely grate. Lift up handfuls over the sink and squeeze firmly to remove all excess moisture. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Add courgettes to a bowl and mix in the egg, garlic, Parmesan, basil, breadcrumbs and plenty of seasoning.
Step 2Whizz the lentils in a food processor until fairly smooth, then add to the courgette bowl and mix well. Shape mixture into 16 walnut-sized balls.
Step 3Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry balls, carefully turning occasionally (they will be fairly soft), until golden, about 15min. Set aside (still in pan).
Step 4Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a separate pan, heat the oil over low-medium heat and gently fry onion for 10min until softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients with some seasoning and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5min.
Step 5Add the sauce to the meatball pan and gently heat through. Serve with pasta, rice or cooked buckwheat, as we have, and garnish with basil. Sprinkle over extra Parmesan, if you like.
PER SERVING (without buckwheat):
Calories: 250cals
Protein: 15g
Fat: 9g
What to read next
Sat fat: 3g
Carbs: 25g
Sugars: 8g
Fibre: 6g
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An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
