Lentil Bites with Broccoli Pesto and Rice

As I continue to work within more of the meal plans, I’m finding ways to use old favorites to create new, delicious meals. These lentils bites have long been a solid staple in my repertoire. The same could be said for the broccoli pesto. So what happens when you combine the two? You get this delicious bowl!

The pesto

I’ll forever add and swap different greens into the pesto. I love broccoli because you get a small bit of the broccoli flavor but it’s not overwhelming. Plus, it’s a great way to reduce the amount of basil during the cooler months (or as I call it, the non-basil growing season).

Play around with the amount of the herbs. I sometimes go parsley only if I don’t want to buy basil. Chives and/or dill all work as well.

Make it vegan

There’s only one thing you need to swap out and it’s actually something I’ve yet to decide the recipe even really needs: the egg in the lentil bite. Use a flax egg or leave the egg out entirely. The lentil bites still hold together fairly well without it.

Prep Ahead

I’ll be honest, there are a few moving parts in this recipe but it’s one that makes for a wonderful prep ahead recipe. The pesto, lentil bites, and the rice can all be prepped ahead of time and assembled the day of. I like to make extra bites and freeze for quick meals in the future as well.

Lentil Bites with Broccoli Pesto and Rice

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Erin Alderson
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: dinner
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: international

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 recipe for lentil bites

1 cup uncooked brown rice

Broccoli Pesto

2 cups broccoli florets

1 clove garlic

¼ cup toasted walnuts

¾ cup parsley and/or basil (see note)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons light miso

Salt, if needed

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Instructions

• To begin, start the lentil bite recipe by cooking the lentils. While the lentils are cooking, cook the rice. Continue with the lentil bite recipe as instructed. 
• To make the sauce, bring a large pot of water, with a few pinches of salt, to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and blanch for 2 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath, let cool, then drain.
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the walnuts and continue to pulse. Finally, add the remaining ingredients and run the blender or food processor until the sauce is mostly smooth. 
• Add enough liquid to thin the sauce down enough to puree. The sauce should resemble a thick soup. Transfer to a pan and heat. When hot, add the meatballs and toss to coat. Serve on top of the rice with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper if desired.

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Notes

Notes

I use a mix of herbs, depending on the season. Parsley, basil, dill, and chives are all wonderful in the sauce. Use what you have on your hand or you favorite herb mix.

Keywords: lentil bites, broccoli pesto