Vegan Meatballs
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
4 to 6
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Vegan Meatballs
Description
Vegan Meatballs are made by roasting a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms to concentrate their flavor and remove moisture. These are combined in a food processor with walnuts, black beans, oats, yellow onion, garlic, and a blend of spices including fennel seeds, cumin, smoked paprika, and sage, imparting a complex savory profile. Flaxseed, tamari, and balsamic vinegar add binding and depth, while panko breadcrumbs provide structure when folded in.
After forming the mixture into balls using a cookie scoop, the meatballs are browned in avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet. Browning develops a satisfying crust while keeping the interior tender but firm. The result is a flavorful and textured vegan alternative to traditional meatballs, suitable for serving with marinara sauce over pasta or in sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms stemmed and sliced, mixed
- 16 ounces shiitake mushrooms stemmed and sliced, mixed
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup yellow onion coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic grated, cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for sprinkling, sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more for sprinkling, freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds toasted
- ½ teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sage ground
- 1½ cups black beans drained and rinsed, cooked
- ¼ cup rolled oats whole
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Flaxseed ground
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- avocado oil for the pan
- marinara sauce for serving (for store bought, we love Rao's)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until slightly shriveled around the edges.
- In a food processor, place the walnuts, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, fennel seed, cumin, paprika, and sage. Pulse until coarsely ground, then add the roasted mushrooms, black beans, oats, olive oil, tomato paste, flaxseed, tamari, and balsamic vinegar. Pulse until the mixture is well-combined but still has a few larger bean and mushroom chunks remaining.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold in the panko. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the mixture, then use your hands to roll it into balls.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with avocado oil. Add the vegan meatballs and cook, rotating the balls as they brown, until browned all around, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the vegan meatballs are firm and lightly crisp around the edges.
- Serve with marinara.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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