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The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs ~ hearty, meaty, and bursting with Italian-style flavors! They bake up perfectly and they won't fall apart! (Air Fryer instructions included)
What are Vegan Meatballs made of?
There are many ways to make meatless meatballs using various grains, veggies, beans, and legumes. To get the perfect meaty texture, I used a combination of mushrooms and chickpeas.
This combo not only creates great texture but also adds moisture to prevent dry meatballs. It worked perfectly for my Vegan Wellington too!
I sautéd onions, garlic, and mushrooms, together and browned them slightly for phenomenal flavor. Then I added Italian seasoning, fennel seed, and crushed red pepper for a subtle kick. The fennel is optional, but I highly recommend it.
To bind everything up, I used a combination of rolled oats, breadcrumbs, and ground flaxseed. They also create a nice texture, too.
Baking Instructions
(full ingredient amounts in recipe card below)
- 1 - Sauté the onions until softened and browned. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
- 2 - Now add the seasoning and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 3 - Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until they have reduced in size and are slightly browned. You want them to release their moisture and the pan to be mostly dry.
- 4 - Add the tamari sauce and cook for another minute.
- 5 - Add the chickpeas to a large food processor container and pulse a few times to break down the beans.
- 6 - Now add the cooked mushrooms, oats, breadcrumbs, flax egg, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Process until well combined and it ALMOST forms a paste. Now place the mixture uncovered in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
- 7 - Remove mixture from freezer and form into smooth balls using your hands. Place on a baking sheet and repeat until mixture is gone. Spray with oil and place in the oven until golden brown and the outside is dry and firm.
- 8 - Flip the meatballs midway through. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet so they firm up a bit.
Success Tips
- If you don't have a large food processor, you may have to work in two batches. You'll need to combine the mixture in a mixing bowl first before doing this. I have this 14-Cup Food Processor by Cuisinart. It chops like a dream and has a very sturdy base to keep it from moving around the counter.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can still make these vegan meatballs. Just mince the mushrooms, finely dice the onions, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher and you can pulse the oats in a blender (or use quick oats). Combine all ingredients well.
- If you don't have ground flaxseed, you can use chia seeds instead. You can grind them in a coffee grinder or just leave them whole (of you don't mind the texture). The method of making the chia 'egg' will be the same as the written recipe.
- If you want to cook them in sauce, you can add them in the last few minutes of the cooking time of your sauce. Just make sure they are fully baked (or air-fried) before putting them in the sauce.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Place the meatballs in your air fryer basket and lightly spray them with oil. Don't overcrowd the basket so they have room to cook and brown. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Set to 390°F and cook for 10-12 minutes until heated throughout and firm on the outside. Shake halfway through. When done, let them cool for 10 minutes to firm up.
Can I freeze them?
Absolutely! They freeze really well fully baked or raw for about 3-4 months. If you freeze them in their raw state, just separate them with wax paper so they don't stick together. That will make it easier to use the portion you need.
To cook from their frozen uncooked state, spray lightly with oil and bake them at 375°F for 35-45 minutes until heated throughout and golden on the outside. You can also put them in the air fryer at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Shake halfway through.
To cook from their frozen fully baked state, spray them lightly with oil and bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes until heated throughout. Or you can pop them in the air fryer at 350 F for 10-12 minutes until heated. Shake halfway through.
Serving Suggestions
- Turn them into meatball parm subs with sauce and Vegan Mozzarella Cheese.
- Top them on spaghetti and smother them with sauce and Vegan Parmesan Cheese.
- Use them for Italian Wedding Soup.
- Serve them as appetizers with bbq sauce or teriyaki glaze (omit the Italian seasoning and add cumin, smoked paprika, and liquid smoke).
- Slice them up and top them on pizza. Here's my Easy Vegan Pizza Recipe.
Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out these 35 Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes by Vegan Heaven. So many tasty options!
I love to hear from you
If you make this vegan meatball recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flax meal + 5 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil , or preferred oil (+ more for baking)
- 1 small onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced or crushed
- 12 ounces mushrooms , chopped (about 4.5 cups)
- 2-3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seed , crushed (optional but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tamari , low sodium (sub soy sauce)
- 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas , drained well but NOT rinsed
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup breadcrumbs , Italian-style
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (a vegan variety)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the ground flax and water in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 min. It will thicken and gel up a bit.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened and lightly browned. About 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Now add Italian seasoning, crushed fennel, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until softened and slightly browned. Cook for 5-7 minuted until they reduce in size and release their moisture. You want the pan to be dry. Now add the tamari and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Add the chickpeas to a large food processor container. Pulse a few times to break down beans.
- Now add the cooked mushrooms, oats, breadcrumbs, flax egg, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, salt, and pepper to the processor. Process until well combined and it ALMOST forms a paste (about 30-60 seconds). You don't want it completely smooth so leave some texture. You just want the ingredients to stick together well (see process photos above for example). Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Place mixture uncovered in the freezer for 20-30 minutes (or in the fridge for 1-2 hours).
- Remove mixture from freezer and form into balls using your hands. Roll them until smooth. To keep the size uniform, use about 1.5 tablespoons of mixture (use a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon). Place on baking sheet and repeat until mixture is gone. Spray or brush with oil and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and the outside is dry and firm. Flip the meatballs midway through. Remove from oven and let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. This helps firm them up. You can now serve them with warm spaghetti sauce or cook them in the sauce for 5 minutes to warm them up. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you don't have a large food processor, you may have to work in two batches. You'll need to combine the mixture in a mixing bowl first before doing this. Combine well.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can still make the meatballs. However, they will be more fragile and may crack a bit more. You won't be able to warm them in sauce. You'll need to mince the mushrooms, finely dice the onions, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher and you can pulse the oats in a blender (or use quick oats). Combine all ingredients well in a mixing bowl and follow the method in the recipe.
- If you don't have ground flaxseed, you can use chia seed. You can leave them whole of grind them in a coffee grinder. The method is the same as the flax 'egg'.
- Yields about 30-32 meatballs.
- See post above for air fryer instructions.
Mike j
These tasted fantastic, but we're a little soft to the touch, not sure if they are supposed to be a little dense like meatballs but they were closer to a falafel in texture. They were delicious and will make again.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Mike, thanks for the feedback and great rating. The meatballs should be tender inside but not too dry or moist and they should have a meaty texture. Was the outside firm? Maybe they needed to cook longer or you can try a slightly higher temp. They also work well in the air fryer. Instructions are in the blog post. I hope you'll try them again. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Heidi
I’m going to make this recipe with mushroom gravy and wondering if I should go without the tomato paste and use something else? What would you suggest?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Heidi, I would just leave the tomato paste in the recipe. It will not overpower the mushroom gravy at all. Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Betty
I would like to make these for Christmas for a person who is vegan, but I waited too long to order a vegan Worcestershire sauce and cannot find it in my local markets. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute that would mimic the vegan Worcestershire sauce? Thank you for your help.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Betty, you can just leave it out, but if you want to replace it, you can use barbeque sauce or vegan steak sauce. Also, you can also use a combination of 2 teaspoons of ketchup, 1.5 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce. These options won't perfectly replicate Worcestershire, but they will add a wonderful flavor and subtle zing. Please reach out if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! 🙂
Jeanette Holder
Really enjoyed them, even though I processed them in the food processor to long. Next time I’ll do as you suggested and process in two batches. I’ll try your bbq version next with smoked paprika and liquid smoke.
Melissa Huggins
I am glad it still worked out for you, Jeanette. 🙂 Thank you for trying my recipes.
Connie Manuel
Made these for my son and d-i-l, prouder pare ts of triplets. They loved them..May
Made subs with them as well as using them for pizza topping. When I asked which meal they wanted me to prepare next it was the meatball recipe.,no hesitation.Thank yiu for a wonderful recipe.
Melissa Huggins
You are welcome Connie. I am glad you all enjoyed them in subs and pizza as well. 🙂
Connie
Would it be possible to use this recipe for burgers?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Connie, I haven't tried it, but it should work fine. Also, here is a burger recipe of mine that you may want to try out, too. https://veganhuggs.com/bean-mushroom-burger/
John D
You don’t have to be vegan to love these!
They are the best we have tried. Made them a couple times. Really good!
Melissa Huggins
Exactly! Your comment made my day John. Thank you. 🙂
Henryka Nottingham
These are ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL ... 'Thankyou'. They can be used in MANY ways, ... from spaghetti with sause, pizza toppings, inside Burittos etc. .. AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS.,
Melissa Huggins
Hi Henryka, this comment made my day! I'm so glad you love the recipe. Thank you for sharing your feedback. 🙂
Suzanne Goll
Excellent- as I vegan 5 star; meat eaters or those who just starting to go vegan will experience these as 4 star… I cooked/fried in pan and threw into sauce; made meatball sub too! All super. Fennel a must
Margaret
These look fantastic! But, I am gluten free. Is there anything I can use in place of the breadcrumbs? I so need a vegan meatball recipe that works!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Margaret, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Can you find those? The gluten helps them stick a little bit more, but it's not needed...just be gentle with them. The other ingredients in the recipe help with binding too. I hope this helps 🙂
Kristin
Have you tried making these with any other bean, like great northern or black beans? I do t have chickpeas on hand, and thought to sub out another bean.
Melissa Huggins
Hi Kristin, you can use any type of bean, but the will vary slightly. Still delicious though. 🙂
mychael robinson
My oven stopped working right before I was set to bake these - so I ended up mixing everything into the sauce for a makeshift bolognese. Delicious! Love this recipe. Thank you!!
Melissa Huggins
Too bad about your oven but kudos to you for making it work still! 🙂
david Peevers
chickpeas broke the ice of many other web searches looking for 'meatballs'. binding, spicing, handling and all other techniques were spot on! perhaps just a tad more elaborate verbiage than old 'hash slingers' like myself might prefer but, lordy! they are just YUM to the Nth power. sign me up...
Michele
Can you freeze the meatballs?
Many thanks!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Michele, Yes, They freeze really well fully baked or raw for about 3-4 months. If you freeze them in their raw state, just separate them with wax paper so they don't stick together. That will make it easier to use the portion you need.
To cook from their frozen uncooked state, spray lightly with oil and bake them at 375°F for 35-45 minutes until heated throughout and golden on the outside. You can also put them in the air fryer at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Shake halfway through.
To cook from their frozen fully baked state, spray them lightly with oil and bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes until heated throughout. Or you can pop them in the air fryer at 350 F for 10-12 minutes until heated. Shake halfway through.
I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Denise G.
All I can say is wow!! This recipe makes the best meatballs!! I’ve been plant-based for 6 years now. I’ve tried several meatball recipe but my husband and I agree this one is by far the best. I made a couple modifications (used 1 cup chickpeas and 0.5 cup black beans; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast; rolled them in pano bread crumbs). They were slightly crispy on the outside and not mushy inside. Great flavor. Will look for more of your recipes. Clever name for your site Melissa. Mangia, mangia! Thank you.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Denise! What a compliment! We are so happy to hear that you loved the meatballs and that they worked out with the substitutions as well! Thanks so much for stopping by and we hope you find more recipes here that you love 🙂
Lil
I don't really leave comments on recipes, but these were so delicious that I had to!! They tasted meaty and spicy, so much flavour! I used to be a big meat fan before i became vegan, but I love these a lot more than any actual meat ones i ever had.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lil! Thank you so much for the review! We are so happy that you loved this recipe and enjoyed them more than meat 🙂
Adrienne
Oooooo, this sounds so delicious! Question: do you think this would hold up for several hours on the warm setting in a slow-cooker? I have been asked to provide several comforting vegan soups for my son's fall wedding reception, and I want to make the best version of each of my choices. I would have to make several batches to feed at least three vegans and however many carnivores who dare to sample such herbiforous greatness.
By the way, when I share an online recipe with people, I always provide a printed copy with the author's website highlighted, and I'll do the same then. That way guests can look out for any food sensitivities, check out the website, and it gives credit where credit is due.
Thank you.
Smoosha Swyt
How many egg substitutes are needed? My kiddos don't like the flax or chia eggs. Thanks!
Melissa Huggins
Hi there, I haven't made them with eggs, but I think one egg would work for binding. Hope this helps. Thank you for stopping by 🙂