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    Hummusapien » Recipes » Lunch and Dinner » Vegan Meatballs

    ★★★★★ from 11 reviews

    Vegan Meatballs

    Published Jun 16, 2020 · Modified Jan 27, 2022 · by Alexis Joseph · 30 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Delicious, heart-healthy Vegan Meatballs for the plant-based spaghetti dinner of your dreams! Gluten-free option and kid-friendly.

    plate of vegan meatballs with fork

    We're makin' meatballzzzz!

    If I had to choose one dinner recipe that we make *most* often, it would be these here vegan meatballs. Considering Jeff eats like ten per sitting, I like to make a double batch so we can have plenty of leftovers and some to freeze for lunches.

    Bean balls, vegetarian meatballs, plant based meatballs...whatever you call 'em, know that these gems will hit the dinner jackpot every time!

    food processor with meatball ingredientsIngredients in vegetarian meatballs

    Flax: we're making a "flax egg" to bind the mixture together. You can also use a real egg if you're not vegan.

    Walnuts: toasted for delicious nutty flavor and crunchy texture. No one wants a mushy meatball!

    Mushrooms: for that meaty texture and an additional flavor boost.

    Onion and garlic: essential for flavor town!

    Beans: you can use pinto beans or chickpeas here, which make up the base of this recipe.

    Italian seasoning: an easy blend to season the meatballs. You could also use a mixture of dried oregano and basil if you don't have Italian seasoning on hand.

    Nutritional yeast: I love adding this for cheezy flavor, but you can leave it out if it's not in your pantry.

    Breadcrumbs: these are essential to help the meatballs hold their shape and stick together. I like panko the best! Italian-style adds extra flavor but plain breadcrumbs work just fine.

    Marinara: go with a marinara you love for serving. My favorite is Vero Gusto or Rao's.

    sheet pan of mushrooms and walnutsHow to make vegan spaghetti and meatballs

    First, we toast our walnuts and mushrooms to bring out more umami flavor. Next, we whisk together the ground flax and water to create a plant based binder.

    Then we combine the mushrooms and walnuts with the beans, onion, garlic and seasoning in a food processor so everything is uniformly broken down. Next, we dump the mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the flax egg and breadcrumbs.

    Lastly, we roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls. These meatballs are baked in the oven on their own, without sauce, for crisp, bean ball perfection. Once they're done baking, we'll pair them with the sauce and noodles.

    sheet pan of uncooked meatballsHow to make gluten-free meatballs

    Adapting this recipe to be gluten-free is super easy. I actually used gluten-free panko breadcrumbs when I tested the recipe and it worked out swimmingly.

    Just make sure you use a gluten-free pasta made with rice, corn, beans, or quinoa for example instead of wheat pasta, and that's it!

    How to store leftover meatballs

    Store leftover meatballs separately from noodles and sauce in an air tight container for up to five days in the refrigerator. I simply reheat them in the microwave with sauce and noodles when I'm ready to eat them.

    up close cooked meatballsHow to freeze meatballs

    These freeze really well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place leftover meatballs on the sheet in an even layer. Freeze and then transfer frozen balls to a baggie and freeze for up to three months.

    To reheat, place them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat from frozen in the microwave.

    What to serve with meatballs

    These are of course stupendous with noodle and marinara for classic spaghetti and meatballs, but they're great on their own, too kinda like a a veggie burger of sorts.

    They're also fab with marinara smushed into a bun and topped with cheese if you're feeling extra (hello, meatball subs).

    We've even crumbled them on top of pizza. So good.

    white plate of spaghetti with red sauce on gray linen

    Dinner is calling!

    Print
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    plate of vegan meatballs with fork

    Vegan Meatballs

    ★★★★★ 4.8 from 11 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph | Hummusapien
    • Prep Time: 15 min
    • Cook Time: 40 min
    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 20 meatballs 1x
    • Category: Main Meals
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Italian
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    Description

    Delicious, heart-healthy Vegan Meatballs for the plant-based spaghetti dinner of your dreams! Gluten-free and kid-friendly.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • 8 oz sliced mushrooms
    • 3 large cloves garlic
    • ½ medium onion, sliced
    • 1–15oz can pinto beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • ¾ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (I used Italian-style gluten-free panko)

    For serving:

    • 1 ½ cups marinara sauce (plus more if desired)
    • 1 lb spaghetti (whole grain or gluten-free if necessary)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place walnuts and mushrooms on lined/sprayed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and leave oven on.
    2. Combine flax and water in a small bowl, stir, and set aside.
    3. Place garlic and onion in food processor and pulse a few times until chopped. Add beans, Italian seasoning, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and cooked mushrooms and walnuts (they will be hot, that’s okay) and pulse until everything is chopped and mixture will hold together. There should be some texture– it shouldn’t look pureed.
    4. Dump mixture into a bowl and stir in flax mixture and bread crumbs.
    5. Roll mixture into 20 balls (a bit larger than a golf ball). Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 20 minutes.
    6. Serve with pasta and marinara, if desired.

    Notes

    How to freeze meatballs

    TO FREEZE: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place leftover meatballs on the sheet in an even layer. Freeze and then transfer frozen balls to a baggie and freeze for up to three months.

    To reheat, place them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat from frozen in the microwave.

    Keywords: vegan meatballs, bean balls, vegan spaghetti and meatballs

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    Recipe by Alexis Joseph of Hummusapien™. Photos by Eat Love Eats. 

    Delicious, heart-healthy Vegan Meatballs for the plant-based spaghetti dinner of your dreams! Gluten-free and kid-friendly.

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Sarah says

      March 13, 2022 at 3:25 am

      What could you sub for walnuts? (My son has an allergy) Would petitas/pumpkin seeds work?

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        March 13, 2022 at 4:15 pm

        Sure!

        Reply
    2. Jenna Piechowicz says

      February 07, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      The flavor of the ‘meat’balls was absolutely delicious, however the texture of the balls was a failure.
      I baked them as recommended and they were still very soft so I pan seared them which helped to keep the form, but they still crumbled when they got to the plate 😏
      It would be nice to find a ‘meat’ball recipe that can keep the balls firm and not crumble.

      ★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        February 07, 2022 at 7:10 pm

        Hey Jenna, sorry you didn't love the texture! You could try more breadcrumbs next time and that may help. If you're not vegan, an egg would also do the trick.

        Reply
    3. Debbie Gladstones says

      February 06, 2022 at 8:10 pm

      I have made these several times and love them!! I also make them as burgers ….thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        February 08, 2022 at 5:56 pm

        Amazing, thank you Debbie!

        Reply
    4. Tara says

      September 13, 2021 at 1:28 am

      I've made this recipe countless times, but, it had been a while and I needed something super easy to whip up. I happened to have a can of beans, mushrooms, and walnuts but I ended up making a few subs/additions. First, I didn't whole onion or garlic so I left out the onion and used garlic powder. Next, I added in some tamari and Worcestershire sauce for some extra umami flavor. Also added in some red pepper flakes for some extra heat (I like my food a bit on the spicier side!). Lastly, after pulsing everything in my nutri bullet, I decided not to add an egg/flax egg because personally I didn't think it needed it - and I was right! I was able to form "meatballs" pretty easily.

      This recipe is super delicious and is so good with jovial foods GF penne and WF marinara. I also added some parm on top which took it over the top! SO good! Not sure why I don't make these more often, but I'm going to start now! Only regret was I wish I made a double batch!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        September 13, 2021 at 9:19 pm

        Mmmm the extra umami sounds so fab. I love how easy your version sounds, and I'm totally going to try out your subs! Thanks for letting me know, Tara 🙂 I so appreciate you taking the time.

        Reply
    5. Erin says

      June 16, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      I forgot how good these were until I made them again a few weeks ago and couldn't stop eating them for days. I love how they are easy to make and are good for vegetarians and meat eaters. They are super easy to throw on pasta, but I also sometimes get creative with them and use them on salads, sandwiches, etc. This is definitely a keeper!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        June 16, 2021 at 7:12 pm

        Eeeee you're the sweetest, Erin!! So good on sammies!

        Reply
    6. Anna says

      January 20, 2021 at 3:04 am

      These were 10/10 - my whole family loved them!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 29, 2021 at 3:45 pm

        Amazing, thanks Anna!!

        Reply
    7. Sam says

      January 02, 2021 at 12:12 am

      Our family loves these meatballs. Delicious as a meatball sandwich! Thank you for creating this recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        January 05, 2021 at 4:38 pm

        Wonderful, thanks so much Sam!

        Reply
    8. Lindsay Remley says

      December 08, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      These were great. Even our kids ate them and were none the wiser that these were vegan. I suggest doubling the recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        December 09, 2020 at 12:27 pm

        Heck yes to doubling! Thanks so much, Lindsay. I'm thrilled they were kiddo-approved!

        Reply
    9. BF says

      September 14, 2020 at 12:23 am

      These were great! My family loved them. We added a vegan Parmesan cheese on the plates dish.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        September 14, 2020 at 11:31 am

        Mmmm sounds fantastic. Thanks for the lovely review and rating!

        Reply
    10. Leigh says

      August 26, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      Can these be made without mushrooms? Would I just omit them, or should I substitute them with something else?

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        August 26, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        I've never made them without mushrooms so I can't say for sure. They add bulk and "meaty" flavor, although it may work without them? If you try it, I'd love to know how they turn out.

        Reply
    11. Tiffany says

      July 10, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Hi Alexis! Thank you for this marvelous vegetarian creativity. These meatballs are insanely good.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        July 15, 2020 at 7:21 pm

        I so appreciate that, Tiffany! Thanks!

        Reply
    12. Valerie says

      July 08, 2020 at 1:16 am

      Just made these tonight and they were SO good!!! Didn’t make any subs or anything and was perfect! Roasted the onion and garlic along with the shrooms and walnuts but didn’t make any subs or anything and was perf!! Served with Rao’s arrabiata and spaghetti squash for a lighter summer dinner. So versatile, will totally repeat and use w other combos also. Best part... the rest are already frozen and prepped for next meal! ☺️🎉

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        July 08, 2020 at 6:28 pm

        Rao's is the best, right? I'm so thrilled you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for letting me know!

        Reply
    13. Jen says

      July 07, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      Loved these meatballs! They were so easy and fast to make and the perfect addition to our spaghetti night. The flavoring was on point too. We had plenty leftover and I definitely put them in buns and made meatball subs with marinara which was also a great way to use them. I love meals that can provide more than one meal and these meatballs are a keeper for that.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        July 08, 2020 at 1:06 am

        Me too! I'm a huge fan of leftovers--I want enough food for two nights. Thank you for such as glowing review!

        Reply
    14. Michele Bussey says

      June 17, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      I am on a nut free, oil free vegan diet. What can I sub for the walnuts?

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        June 22, 2020 at 9:28 pm

        I've never made these without walnuts, but you could try adding some oats or more breadcrumbs?

        Reply
    15. Dylan says

      June 16, 2020 at 3:23 pm

      This is a staple meal for us as well! Easy to throw together and packed full of flavor! I recommend enjoying with garlic bread and a big glass of wine 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        June 16, 2020 at 5:07 pm

        OMG now I'm craving garlic bread....and wine! Thanks, Dylan 🙂

        Reply

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    Well HELLO there, pal! I'm Alexis. Welcome to Hummusapien, a fantastical food blog brimming with nourishing (always delish!) recipes from a Registered Dietitian plus life tidbits to inspire you to live your most joyful, balanced life. Grab a super hot cup o' joe and let's get cookin'.

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