Bread-Free Stuffing Balls

Name: Bread-Free Stuffing Balls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 53 min
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 (8-ounce/225 g) package cremini mushrooms*; 3 large garlic cloves, minced; 2 cups (50 g) stemmed kale leaves; 1/2 cup (50 g) gluten-free rolled oats; 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can lentils, drained and rinsed; 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves**; 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh); 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh, minced); 1/3 cup (40 g) dried cranberries, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground flax; 2 tablespoons (30 mL) water; 2 1/2 teaspoons (12.5 mL) sherry vinegar; 3/4 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 cups (210 g) fresh or frozen cranberries; 1 large (230 g) ripe pear, peeled and finely chopped; 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup; Small pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:23min

My recipe tester Nicole likes to call these “bread-free stuffing balls,” and I think I would have to agree! These festive bites have all the flavours of traditional stuffing, but they’re protein-packed, bite-sized, and gluten-free as well. This is a new and improved version of my popular Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls recipe. I've streamlined the procedure and provided a make-ahead version in the Tips below. This recipe moves quickly using quite a few components, so my advice is to gather all of the ingredients and do as much prep as you can before you begin. If you aren't a cranberry sauce fan, my Vegan Mushroom Gravy is a nice option too!

Updated at: Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:17:45 GMT