Vegan Sweet & Sour Meatballs are my favorite game day or party appetizer. They’re super tasty, easy to make, gluten-free and also FUN. Plus they have the PERFECT texture so everyone will love them….even meat eaters. Put some toothpicks out and call it finger food!

Small dish filled with vegan meatballs in a bright red sweet and sour sauce. Meatballs have brightly colored toothpicks in them.

This recipe has everything I would look for in a healthy appetizer: Gluten-free. Refined sugar-free. Vegan. Plenty of protein and fiber…all that and tasty too!

Ingredients for Gluten-free “Meat”balls

Ingredients for vegan meatballs: fresh parsley, garlic, shallot, ground flax, ground oats, tomato paste, chickpeas and spices. — Vegan Sweet and Sour Meatballs made with nothing but REAL food.

Chickpeas: for plant-based protein and hiber
Fresh Parsley: add taste, color and super green nutrition.
Tomato paste: bring on the authentic meatball color
Ground flax seeds: a healthier choice than bread crumbs…they add fiber and omega 3s.
Old fashioned oats: An excellent whole grain, gluten-free choice for a binder….with plenty of fiber to make them low on the glycemic index.
Shallots: hello flavor…and a bit milder than onions.
garlic: more flavor, plus antioxidants and it’s anti-inflammatory too.
Spices: oregano, crushed red pepper, white pepper, sea salt

Easy Vegan Meatballs

Use a fork or potato masher to mash beans with other ingredients.

Beige bowl with large black fork mashing together beans, tomato paste, fresh parsley and spices to form vegan meatballs.

2. Use a small scoop to portion out batter into 30 “meat”balls on a large rimmed baking tray, lined with unbleached parchment paper.

Large rimmed baking tray lined with unbleached parchment paper. Small scoop portioning out vegan meatballs in neat rows on prepared tray. — First scoop and then wet your hands to roll. Simple.

3. Next, wet your hands to roll vegan meatballs into smooth rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven…and BAM…just like that, they’re done. So easy…and you can make the sauce while they’re baking.

Vegan meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray in neat rows.

What to serve with vegan meatballs:

Although I absolutely adore these with sweet and sour sauce, and served with toothpicks as healthy finger food, there are myriad ways we enjoy these plant-based meatballs in our house:

Make them larger (you’ll get about 18) and serve with tomato sauce and zoodles for a super nourishing spaghetti and meatballs.
Meatball subs anyone?
Keep them “naked” (without sauce) and crumble over salad for a plant based protein topping.
Make them even smaller and pop them on your pizza.
They’re delish as part of a buddha bowl…..I like to include some baba ganoush, and a chopped salad with mine.
Divide into 6 portions, flatten them out and bake as directed for delicious veggie burgers.
Cook them in mushroom stroganoff for a vegan swedish meatball vibe. YUM!
Serve them over rice or a basic cauli-rice for a delicious Meatless Monday Dinner idea.

A healthy appetizer that everyone will love.

Nutritious and Delicious aren’t mutually exclusive. Take these vegan sweet and sour meatballs for example. While they may not have any actual meat in them, they resemble something familiar to most people with a sauce that is delicious. Some people will appreciate how healthy they are, others will appreciate how tasty they are. Either way, I promise, people will eat them, and enjoy them.

Vegan Meatballs in a sweet and sour sauce. Appetizer size in a small bowl with a white tea towel/green design on the side. — So delicious, even meat eaters will love these.

Healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated or something you save for when you’re home alone. If you want healthy options when you go to someone else’s house, THEN BRING SOME HEALTHY FOOD WITH YOU TO SHARE.

Vegan Sweet and Sour Meatballs in a small dish with colorful toothpics. — Fun Food that’s tasty and healthy too!

📖 Recipe

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