Vegan meatballs recipe
Savory, hearty gluten-free vegan meatballs packed with the rich flavors of crimini mushrooms, walnuts, and classic Italian seasonings. Perfectly browned and deliciously textured, they're an ideal buddy for your subs, will love being drowned in your favorite marinara sauce, and will make your vegan spaghetti dreams come true!
Servings: 20 meatballs
Calories: 62kcal
Cost: $7.50
Ingredients
- 8 oz. crimini mushrooms or portabello mushrooms, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup oats (rolled oats or quick oats)
- 3 pieces dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
- ⅓ cup onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds toasted
- 15 oz. canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper, and brushing it with olive oil.
- Toss the chopped mushrooms and walnuts in a bowl with olive oil and roast them on the prepared pan for 18 minutes until the mushrooms are tender, and slightly wrinkled looking.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, put the oats, dried porcini (if you are using them), onion, garlic, salt, pepper, coriander, red pepper flakes (if you're using them), oregano, thyme, and toasted fennel seeds into a food processor. Give it a few pulses until it's all coarsely ground.
- Now, take the roasted mushrooms and add them to the food processor, along with the black beans and tomato paste. Pulse everything together until it's well mixed. You want to keep some chunky bits of mushrooms for texture.
- With your hands, make small balls from the mixture. Keep a bowl of water on hand to keep wetting your hands as you roll the balls so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Over medium-high heat, warm a skillet with 4 teaspoons of olive oil. After 2 minutes, when the oil is hot, put the meatballs in the skillet. Cook them for 5-6 minutes, turning them or shaking the pan every 30 seconds or so, so that the meatballs brown lightly on all sides.
- After they've browned, move the skillet into the oven. Bake them for another 18-20 minutes. They should be firm and a bit crisp on the outside when they're done.
- Take them out and allow them to cool to room temperature. Once you can handle them comfortably, give them each a gentle squeeze in your hands to compress them before you ladle on marinara, or the sauce of your choice and garnish with fresh herbs.
Video
Notes
🍄 Drain Those 'Shrooms:
If your mushrooms get watery while roasting, drain the excess liquid. This step prevents your meatballs from becoming too soft.
🌀 Coarse is Key:
Pulse the ingredients to a coarse texture, not too smooth. It's crucial for that meaty bite and to avoid mushy meatballs.
🍳 Skillet Swap:
No oven-safe skillet? For skillets with wooden or plastic handles, transfer your pan-fried veggie meatballs to a lined cookie sheet for roasting.
💨 Air Fryer Alternative
You can forgo the initial pan-frying and do that bit in your trusty air fryer. Just pray them well with cooking spray and air fry for 7 minutes at 375 degrees. Then transfer them to a baking sheet and finish them in the oven.
🤏 Cool, Squeeze, Serve:
Let the meatballs cool post-roasting, then gently squeeze them for firmness. This step helps them hold together without needing flour or breadcrumbs, keeping them gluten-free and flavorful.
Nutrition
Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg