Vegan Apple Sage Seitan Meatballs
This delightful recipe is easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Simmering broth
- 8 cups water 2 L, or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp vegetable broth paste 15 mL, omit if using broth
- 2 onion peeled and quartered
- 3 carrot cut into 2 inch chunks
- 3 celery ribs cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1/4 cup tamari 60 mL
- 1 tsp sage ground, 5 mL
- 1 tsp black peppercorns whole, 5 mL
Meatballs
- 2/3 cup textured vegetable protein texturized vegetable protein, TVP
- 2 small about 1 cup Ontario Empire apples (or your favourite local tart cooking apple)
- 1 tbsp tamari 15 mL
- 1 tsp marmite 5 mL (if you don't have this, you could also use dark miso)
- 1 tbsp vegetable broth paste 15 mL, or vegetable broth powder + 2 tsp water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 mL
- 1 tsp sage ground, 5 mL
- 1 tsp garlic powder 5 mL
- 1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten 210 g, gluten flour
BBQ Sauce
- 2 onion finely diced, medium
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 mL
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp garlic powder 5 mL
- 1 tsp onion powder 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp sage 5 mL
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 apple about 1 cup diced apples, Ontario Empire variety
- 2 cups broth 500 mL, simmering (after meatballs cooked in it
Instructions
Simmering Broth
- Prepare the simmering broth by combining all ingredients in a large pot and let come to a boil. Lower to a steady simmer and cover. Cook for at least 30 min (up to 1 hour is good, but 30 min is fine). Remove large chunks of vegetables from the broth, and set aside to simmer the seitan.
Meatballs
- Soak the TVP in boiling water to reconstitute for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
- Meanwhile, grate 2 small Empire apples to get about 1 cup of grated apple. Add the wet ingredients & spices (tamari, marmite, broth paste, vegetable oil, reconstituted TVP, and ground sage). Stir until everything is well incorporated.
- Add the vital wheat gluten and knead until everything is incorporated. Try not to overknead because it'll be too tough. You'll lose some TVP bits in the process but it's okay. As long as you get most of it in the dough, it'll be fine.
- Roll into 1 inch meatballs. If you want to maintain a better shape for the meatballs, I highly recommend baking for 20 minutes (at 350F) before putting into the simmering broth. It's not absolutely necessary, but it definitely improves the texture. In any case, simmer in the simmering broth for 40-60 min (40 if you did a prebake, 60 if you didn't bake). Try not to boil the seitan, just let it cook in a very gentle simmering broth. Once the meatballs are cooked through, strain the broth and reserve 2 cups for the BBQ sauce.
- If you have the time, transfer the meatballs into an airtight container with about 1 cup of the simmering broth and let refrigerate overnight, or at least 4-6 hours.*
- Meanwhile, prepare the BBQ sauce.
Apple BBQ Sauce
- In a small saucepan cook onions in oil until browned, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes and ground sage and stir to cook the spices (about 1 minute).
- Add ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, diced apples and two cups of the strained simmering broth. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium low heat until everything is softened. Use a blender or immersion blender and blend until smooth.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a casserole dish, arrange meatballs into a single layer.
- Pour BBQ sauce on top and bake for 25 minutes until bubbling. Remove from oven.
- Optional: garnish with some fried sage (sage + vegan butter, fry the leaves until they're crisp).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- *Letting the seitan rest will help the seitan firm up and soak up more of the flavour, but I also baked it straight away afterwards, and it tasted fine too.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 331
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 6-8 servings | |
| Calories | 331kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 2178mg | 91% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.