The only Vegan Meatball Recipe you’ll ever need! A delicious plant based alternative to traditional meatballs, these meatless balls are easy to make with canned beans and will taste great with your favorite pasta sauce. Vegan comfort food that’s simple and crave-worthy…I’m literally obsessed!
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Looking for a plant-based dinner that EVERYONE will adore? Vegan spaghetti and meatballs is always a good answer!
Yes, I know these are meatless meatballs and those are zucchini noodles….but guess what? Mamma mia….EVERYONE loved them….and now I’ve got another great recipe to choose from when I need a vegan main dish.
More breaking news: Not all vegan recipes are made with healthy ingredients. Read the ingredient list of your favorite vegan meatball brands like Trader Joes Meatless Meatballs and IKEA plant balls….I’ll wait here while you decide to look in your pantry for ingredients to make this healthy meatball recipe, made with pantry staples that are real food, instead.
Serve these veggie balls with your favorite marinara sauce to make a meatball sub, or to make vegan Swedish meatballs….there are lots of ways to enjoy this easy vegan meatballs recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
My plant-based take on traditional meatballs…loaded with plant-based protein and fiber from wholesome ingredients and pantry staples. We’re using mashed beans instead of ground beef or turkey, but with all the same flavors you’d add to regular meatballs.
- Beans: I used a combination of chickpeas and pinto beans to give these a hearty texture. Red kidney beans or black beans are other good choices.
- Ground oats: I use ground oats for a gluten-free alternative to flour or breadcrumbs. Chickpea flour and brown rice flour are good subs.
- Tomato paste: Gives this vegan meatball mixture the right color and flavor.
- Ground flax: Binder extraordinaire and I don’t even bother making a flax egg, I just add it with the rest of the ingredients. Ground chia seeds are a good substitution and will also help the meatballs hold together.
- Nutritional yeast: I love the nutty and cheesy flavor this adds. Vegan parmesan cheese is a good sub, but often overly processed. I like nutritional yeast better. I always have some in the pantry.
- Shallot: substitute with finely diced purple onion, scallions or leeks.
- Fresh herbs. Use fresh basil or parsley.
How to make this recipe
Start by preheating your oven to 425 and lining a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
First rinse and drain the beans. If you’re making them from dried beans, you’ll need a total of 3 cups.
Good news, there’s no need for a food processor, it’s easy to use a potato masher or even a fork to get the beans mashed, leaving a bit of texture.
Add remaining ingredients to the large mixing bowl of mashed beans. A little oil helps the batter gel, but you could use water instead of the olive oil if your prefer. Use a microplane to grate the garlic right over the bowl. Or, you can mince the garlic cloves or use a garlic press.
Mix with a fork to get everything well incorporated. It will be a pasty, chunky mixture that will easily hold together when pinched between two fingers.
This recipe will make about 18 golf-ball sized veggie meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to easily portion them out. Or use the cookie drop method with 2 tablespoons.
Use wet hands to roll them into actual balls. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then roll over and bake for another 15, until golden brown.
Plant based meatballs are right at home served with spiralized zucchini noodles and marinara sauce. Let me know in the comments how you’re serving yours…maybe a vegan meatball sub with bbq sauce? What about mashed potatoes and vegan gravy? I’ll take mine with some mushroom sauce please!
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Serve with marinara sauce and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast plus some crushed red pepper…just saying!
- Make the batter, but instead of rolling into Italian meatballs, form into veggie burgers and bake as directed.
- Leftover plant-based meatballs plus zoodles from last night can be reheated in a large skillet, over medium heat with a bit of extra sauce.
- Make mini veggie balls to serve as appetizers with toothpicks. Use my sweet and sour meatballs recipe or cover with marinara sauce and keep on low in a crockpot.
- Make super small and add to vegan minestrone for an Italian wedding soup vibe.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Vegan Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can chick peas 15.5-oz
- 1 can pinto beans 15.5-oz
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup ground flax
- ½ cup oat flour grind old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic finely grated, minced or pressed
- 1 shallot minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Line large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Rinse and drain beans. Place all 3 cups into a large mixing bowl and use a potato masher or fork to roughly mash. Some chunks are ok, but not whole beans. The goal is slightly chunky, definitely not a smooth paste.
- To the bowl, add tomato paste, olive oil, ground flax, oat flour, shallot, parsley, nutritional yeast, spices, pepper and salt. Finely grate the garlic cloves over the bowl. Mix until everything is well distributed.
- Use a medium sized cookie scoop or 2 Tablespoons to scoop out 18 golf ball sized portions onto the prepared pan. Wet your hands and roll each portion into a ball.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Roll onto another side and then bake for another 15 minutes, until edges are crisp and center is tender.
Notes
Meal Prep and Storage
- Make ahead: Absolutely! Stop after making “dough” and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. You can also freeze the batter before or after baking.
- To store: Store in airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for 3 months.
- To reheat: Already baked meatless meatballs can be reheated in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes until heated through. If your leftovers have tomato sauce on them, it’s best to reheat in a large saucepan over low heat.
- To freeze: Here’s the best part…you can freeze these meatless balls raw or fully baked to be used for different recipes at another time! To freeze meatball “dough” roll into balls and flash freeze, then transfer to zip top freezer safe bags.
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Emily
These are the perfect comfort food! Everyone loved the meat texture. Can’t wait to try these with zucchini noodles next time!
Debra Klein
Awesome Emily…thanks for letting us know!
Mary
What a great alternative to meatballs when entertaining vegans guests. Could even be made alongside conventional meatballs and let the guests choose.
Linda
What a great idea to have these for Meatless Monday!
Ramona
I made this yesterday for supper and it was absolutely wonderful. I am saving this recipe as kids will want it again super soon, I know it. Thanks so much for sharing this super yummy recipe 😉
Debra Klein
You’re welcome…glad the kids liked them.
Linda
OMG!! These are delish!! Made as written, no changes needed. DELIZIOSO!
Debra Klein
Thanks Linda! Totally appreciate that comment!
Lori
These look yummy and I would like to make them, but my husband can’t eat oats. Is there something that I can swap for the ground oats?
Debra Klein
Yes, you can replace with any type of flour that works within your dietary needs. Almond flour or additional ground flax would also be a fine choice.
Norma Salamanca
I made these, and they never made to the bowl of spaghetti or sauce. These are so tasty!! These are reserved for me, the cook, for my own lunches this week! What better way to celebrate my own busy week. Just for me.
P/ S Tomorrow dinner is spaghetti squash, so these will finally meet the sauce!
Thanks as always! Norma
Sent from my iPhone
Debra Klein
Aw, thanks Norma…so glad you enjoyed these as much as we do! Yes, always save some for yourself…Debra.
Natalia
First of all….I am a firm believer in meat as a healthy food! However, my family observes lent and I find that I am looking for vegan recipes twice a year. This was a great meat replacement recipe! I made this for church lunch and I received raves for this meal. Thank you so much!!!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome! I love this for you…you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy a non-meat meal.
Whack
Hi Debra,
Thanks for a wonderful recipie!
I’ve some friends that are truly sensiviticmve to gluten.
Is there an alternative to using oats as this article seems to indicate there’s a possibility for gluten reactions in some consuming oats.
Thanks in advance
—Whack
Debra Klein
You’re welcome. If you are concerned about the potential of cross contamination from gluten-free oats, you can substitute with any gluten-free flour you are comfortable with, or your gluten-sensitive friends have found works well for them.
Maria
I made this recipe and I was wowed over! I had our usual Sunday Italian homemade pasta sauce which I used for these vegan EASY meatballs and served for our dinner to my non-vegan eaters. It was a success! Some of the Easy Vegan meatballs I refrigerated and I found they were just as good if not better without the sauce! AND yes this was EASY! And satisfying. THANK YOU!
Debra Klein
Thanks….we feel the same about these meatballs!
KS
These were so delicious and easy to make. I used a can of black beans instead of kidney beans because that’s what I had on hand.
I did have to blend the chickpeas slightly with an immersion blender instead of a fork because my can was on the firm side.
Definitely going to be saving this recipe.
Debra Klein
Love how you adapted to use the beans you had and glad that you enjoyed the meatballs.
Patty
Tasty! How can I add more protein, and possibly less carbs?
Also, can these be cooked in the tomato sauce, or will they fall apart?
Thank you.
Patty
Debra Klein
A fair amount of the carbs come from the beans…which is also where the protein and the fiber come from. You could reduce the amount of oat flour by using only using 1/4 cup and replacing the other 1/4 cup with more ground flax…that will change up the ratios. Also, add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds for more protein. If you don’t bake the meatballs before putting them into the tomato sauce, they will likely fall apart. Baking (rather than browning in oil on the stovetop) creates a crisp exterior that prevents them from breaking apart.
Patty
This sound great. Thanks so much for your prompt reply.
Max
These were easy, quick to make and absolutely delicious. I made according to the recipe except I substituted cannelllni beans for the pinto beans (didn’t have pinto). This will be one of my go to recipes. Thank you!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome. Great strategy! I often sub one bean for another in recipes…it’s a great way to not have to run to the grocery store and just make do with what you have on hand.