When I was in college I lived in a shady apartment complex in Wichita. The laundry room was in a separate building, which meant I had to lug my clothes back and forth in the rain or shine to ensure I didn’t run out of presentable clothing for work and school.
Society, why do you impose such harsh rules on us?
Well, that lasted about a month. Before long I was trucking it back to my dad’s house just 20 minutes away where he’d often cook me dinner while I was folding my socks.
(Just kidding. Who folds their socks? Ugh, Rhonda. You would.)
If your dad is anything like mine, he’s all about simple, hearty meals.
Spaghetti was one of his specialties. A little pasta, a lotta sauce, and a considerable amount of meatiness.
In fact, one evening (whilst doing laundry), I had two platefuls then promptly passed out on his couch from sheer exhaustion. My father proceeded to fold all of my clothes for me and wake me up with a kiss on the forehead reminding me it was time to go home.
Aren’t dads the best? Mine is.
I still love spaghetti and crave it almost weekly.
And the good news is, meatless meatballs can taste just as delicious and are even healthier than their meaty counterparts. Who knew?
Origin of Meatballs
These days, meatballs are enjoyed all over the world and come in many different forms. But it’s believed that the idea originated from Persian meatballs known as kofta.
Our plant-based take on meatballs most closely resembles the flavors of Italian-American meatballs which are made with breadcrumbs and herbs. The story of Italian-American meatballs says that Italian immigrants served them with spaghetti and tomato sauce to make the dish more filling without much additional cost.
How to Make Tempeh Meatballs
These meatballs are based with tempeh, which is made from fermented soy beans.
I know, sounds suspicious. But think of nutritious soy beans processed in a way that makes it like tofu, but less processed. (More info here.) This not only means it’s firmer to work with, but also more nutritionally dense! One 4 ounce serving contains ~20 grams of protein.
WHAT? Now that’s a meatball.
Plus, this recipe is simple with just 10 ingredients and roughly ~45 minutes total prep and cook time. That’s manageable, right? Even for the busy cook.
And the important part: What do they taste like? They’re
Warm
Savory
Tender on the inside
Firm with a crust on the outside
Italian herb-infused
Fresh
Simple
Satisfying
& PERFECT with marinara and pasta
This recipe would be the perfect special weeknight meal. Though it takes a little more time to prepare, it’s still simple in nature and yields an incredibly satisfying meal that’s wonderfully healthy and nutritionally dense. What more could you ask for?
While I can’t offer you laundry service while you enjoy this meal (thanks, dad), I can say it’s worth the effort and is sure to satisfy the whole family.
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! If you give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment, Pin it, or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We genuinely love seeing what you cook up. Cheers!
Simple Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
FOR MEATBALLS
- 1/2 cup white onion (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
- 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax egg)
- 8 ounces tempeh* (or as recipe is written, sub 1 heaping cup rinsed and drained chickpeas for similar result)
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasonings (or 1/2 tsp each dried basil and oregano)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegan bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters // or sub almond meal)
- 2 Tbsp your favorite marinara or tomato sauce
- Olive oil (for sautéing)
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
FOR COATING
- 1/3 cup vegan bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and prepare flax egg in a small dish by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let it rest for a few minutes.
- In a large, deep skillet, sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) over medium heat until soft and translucent – about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Add tempeh to food processor and pulse to break down. Then add sautéed garlic, onion, and remaining ingredients (except olive oil) and mix, scraping down sides as needed. You want it to form into a moldable “dough.”
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The tempeh will come across as a little bitter, but once coated, baked and served with marinara it’s not nearly as apparent.
- NOTE: Depending on how salty your vegan parmesan cheese is, you may need to add a little salt and pepper at this point. However, I didn’t find it necessary.
- Scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. At this time, heat the same skillet you used earlier to medium heat.
- Mix remaining bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Add tempeh balls one or two at a time and roll to coat.
- Add enough olive oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of your hot skillet, then add your coated tempeh balls in two batches, as to not crowd the pan. Brown for about 5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around to brown all sides.
- Add browned meatballs to a baking sheet and add to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, or longer if desired for a crispier result.
- At this time, prep any pasta your want to serve with your meatballs, as well as your favorite marinara sauce (I love this pizza sauce).
- Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
- To serve, top cooked pasta with meatballs and pour over marinara sauce. Top with another sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh.
Video
Notes
*Heavily adapted from One Green Planet
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Dean says
I want to use a slow cooker and serve them
For super bowl gathering . After I make the balls , before they go in oven I’m guessing
Than how long in slow cooker
Thanks
I haven’t tried these in the slow cooker, but I’m guessing you’d bake in the oven as instructed, then keep them on low with the lid cracked so steam can escape up to several hours. If you try it let us know how it goes!
Cori says
I wanted to like these so much but unfortunately I just didn’t :(
So sorry to hear that was your experience, Cori! Would you mind sharing what you disliked about it? We’d love to help troubleshoot, if possible.
Cindy says
I must have done something wrong. They were too sticky and wet. Turned out mushy. Oh well, I’ll try again.
Oh no! Sorry to hear they didn’t turn out for you. It sounds like maybe they needed more breadcrumbs or another dry ingredient?
Elizabeth Hill says
These meatless meat balls taste so good . There is so much flavor. I had one problem mine came out flats. Any suggestion on what I could of done wrong .
Hmm, did you form them into balls? How did they come out flat….?
Leigh says
I read this comment and thought hmmm, they must have done something very wrong for them to turn out flat! However, I have just made them and the same thing happened! I’ve made them before and they were firm and perfect. This time, I think I overworked the mixture making it too sloppy. I think this is the problem, even after forming nice balls, they just didn’t hold.
Sorry to hear that, Leigh! But thank you for sharing. Hope it goes better next time! Let us know if you are still having issues.
Susan May says
These are my new favorite meatballs!! I used 1/4 C of egg beaters (instead of the flax egg) and 1 can of chickpeas-rinsed and drained (instead of the tempeh) since I had those items on hand. This is a keeper for sure!!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Susan! xo
Joan says
Love, love, love! Made these last night to go with a vegan sun-dried tomato pasta dish. Used chickpea and aquafaba (instead of tempeh and flax egg) and they turned out great! Husband is obsessed ??
Pat says
I’m wondering if I can stew the meatballs straight into some tomato sauce (without browning them in the pan and in the oven. Just straight from the processor to a stew).
They won’t hold their shape as well but let us know if you give it a try! What about brushing with sauce and then baking?
Grace says
I’m wondering if I can sub extra-firm tofu for the tempeh? If not I’ll try the chickpeas. Thanks!
We haven’t tried that. But if you do let us know how it goes!
Whitley says
I made this with chickpeas instead of tempeh. I have an ordinary blender so I recommend blending the chickpeas, egg (or flax egg) and sauteed onion/garlic together, then putting mixture in a bowl and mixing the rest of the meatball ingredients in with a wooden spoon. Turned out great!
Thanks for sharing, Whitley! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Maddy says
Really love this recipe and have made the meatballs for spaghetti a handful of times. Was wondering if anyone had any advice on making these for a party? Like in a Crock-Pot to eat with toothpicks.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Maddy! We aren’t sure how they would hold up in a crockpot, but if you do some experimenting, we would love to hear how it goes!
Brianne says
I made these last night, using my ninja blender instead of a food processor, tempeh straight out of the package, regular parmesean cheese, parmesean bread crumbs and the 1\4 cup fresh spinach. They were amazing! I served them as part of a Thanksgiving type feast, and they paired so well with mashed potatoes and gravy and cranberry sauce. They were also great just on their own. All of my meat eating friends went back for more, and my husband even asked me to make them again! So so good. I found that these required more of a squish into a ball shape, as opposed to rolling like cookie dough, but they stayed together really well in the pan. I was so impressed. I feel like these would be really great made as falafel too!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Brianne! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! xo
Jessica Crandall says
Thank you!
I made the recipe subbing an egg for the flax, and used tempeh which I did not steam. The meatballs came out great. I will definitely make it again.
Wonderful – thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Alexandra says
These meatballs are the best! I have made the tempeh version many times and they are always perfect. My meat eating partner regularly requests them. I make them with an egg and Parmesan cheese as I’m vegetarian rather than vegan, I also add some dried chilli for some spiciness.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Alexandra!
Laurence says
Best vegan meatballs recipe ever tried! They are full of flavours even though it doesn’t require much ingredients and way too easy for the DELICIOUSSS result. Now, when it’s time to make some vegan meatballs to pu on my spaghetti squash, I’m always using this recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Laurence! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Sabrina says
I made this today. We love it…. I used chickpeas… It was very tasty! Even, my five year old son said that it is tasteful…
Great! Thanks for sharing, Sabrina! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Kay says
What a wonderful story about your father and you. He sounds like a dear man. You are one lucky woman. And I will try ur meatball recipe using garbanzo beans since I have so many (dried) in my food storage.
Amy says
Hi. Just made these wonderful “meatballs” with tempeh and flax egg as part of our first attempts to cook hearty vegan comfort foods after my boyfriend was diagnosed with cancer. I added turmeric and ginger to the garlic saute for nutrients and flavor. They turned out great! Topped with a spirulina spiked marinara sauce makes for a cancer fighting superfood meal. Thanks!
Wonderful – thanks for sharing, Amy!
Ella says
Sooooooo yum!! I use chickpeas and it is such a hit!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Ella!
Breanna says
These are delicious!! My whole family loves them. However, I am having a lot of trouble with then falling apart and not sure what I’m doing wrong. I used chickpeas and an almond flour/gf bread crumb combo. Any ideas why I’m having so much trouble with making them into actual meat balls instead of weird squished lumps or them crumbling apart??
Thanks for sharing, Breanna! Sounds like they may just be a little too dry? Scale back on the almond flour / GF bread crumb combo next time!
Breanna Meo says
Thank you! So I actually had ended up adding extra almond flour because the “dough” seemed to mushy and sticky to mold into ball. Is there something else I should have done instead to make it more moldable?
I think you did the right thing! The other ingredient that I find helps with binding is puréed sundried tomatoes, which can be subbed for tomato sauce or added as needed for moisture. Hello flavor bomb.
Kit says
Xanthan gum, an extra egg, and lots of chickpea flour as a replacement for almond flour worked great for me.
Magaly says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I wanted to cook for lunch zucchini “pasta” with natural tomato sauce and I thought I would like to add some vegan “meat”balls. I enjoyed following your recipe a lot! I used chickpeas instead of Tempeh and made my own bread crumbs. I used a little bit more of seasonings. Everything worked out great, they were crunchy outside and the texture inside was a little bit like meat. I even heard my husband saying more than once “this is gooood” ???
Yay! So glad you and your husband enjoyed them! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Alysia says
I made the recipe as written. The flavor was amaaazing! However, the texture was kind of airy / disintegrate-y. I’m not sure what caused this.
Thanks for sharing! These should actually be pretty dense considering they’re mostly tempeh. Perhaps add fewer bread crumbs next time?
Alysia says
That’s what I was thinking. Thank you!
Beth says
These turned out to be so delicious! (I did make the poor choice to substitute in seitan after being unable to find tempeh in any nearby grocery stores. It did not work well — the mixture was too sticky and loose and didn’t properly form into balls.) Besides my misguided attempt to substitute the tempeh, these were so flavorful and definitely a worthy plant-based alternative to traditional meatballs. Yum!
Brooke says
I was super excited to find this tempeh recipe & even more excited when I tasted them! YUM!
The three changes I made are: I used egg instead of the flax, I didn’t put the vegan cheese in the coating and I made 8 large meatballs instead of so many small. These were easy to make and delicious. (I even convinced my meat loving hubs to try and he said they were good – that’s HUGE!)
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
cis says
Unfortunately, had some tempeh the other day and my tummy bloated up like crazy!
Don’t think I can take it at the moment (or anymore)
And yet, I would probably have been ok with high quality meat (not that I eat it often at all…)
Go figure…
Margot says
Hi!
This is the second tempeh-based meatballs recipe that I try. The first one was meh, yours is amazing!
I substituted the flax seed with real egg, didn’t coat them and only fried them (I was careful not to make them too big then).
Their taste really reminded me of traditional meatballs. It’s not the same, but it feels “meaty”. The parmesan really does a lot of the job (I used a good farmhouse parmesan that is stronger than storebought one)
However it’s good to note that when I tried to freeze the leftovers I had of raw “meat”balls in order to cook them only 2 days later the taste was a lot milder, so I would advise not to. They were OK, but they didn’t have that “wow” effect.
Thanks again for this recipe, and sorry for the broken english.
Margot says
(so my version is vegetarian, not vegan! I’ll try the vegan version later, but I already had the non-vegan ingredients so)
Hi Margot, thank you for the kind review and for sharing your experience! Happy cooking!
Cathy says
Forgot to put the stars in my earlier review!
Cathy says
My son is living with us while saving for a house. He is a vegetarian. My husband has stage 3 kidney disease and his nephrologist really recommends a plant based diet. With those factors in mind, I am always on the hunt for good recipes. I had planned on fixing spaghetti and meatballs but forgot to pick up some vegan meatballs when shopping. My husband was thrilled (he continues to say the vegetarian meals I fix would be perfect with some meat!). Undeterred, I looked online for a vegetarian meatball recipe. I happened on this one. While I did not have the tempeh, I did have chickpeas so I subbed those. My son said that these were better than any store bought premade that he has had before. More importantly, my husband liked them…not just tolerated them, but LIKED them! Definitely a keeper in our house (and I bought your cookbook for more inspiration!).
So glad to hear this, Cathy! Thank you for the lovely review!
Kim Kacer says
On the kidney disease, please look into “slippery elm bark” and alpha-lipoic acid @300mg max/day I like the Jarrow Brand. See if that won’t mitigate your husband’s kidney disease a bit.
Vicky Glen says
May I inquire about where you get your tempeh for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Vicky, we like to use the Tofurky or Lightlife brands and have found them at Whole Foods and other health food stores. Hope that helps!
Rachel Hill says
I love Amy’s frozen vegan meatballs, and wanted to try to make my own – your recipe was perfect! Thanks for sharing. :)
Jojo says
Hi how do the meat balls freeze? I a man making them tomorrow.
Hi Jojo! I would recommend just freezing them WITHOUT baking, and then just baking them at 350 or 375 until golden brown and hot. Hope that helps!
Stefanie says
I am super excited to try these, however I can’t have nutritional yeast… any recommendations for substitutions?
Thanks!
I would just omit!
Emily Garcia says
I just made these and they were absolutely incredible. I did steam my tempeh as suggested for 15 min. I doubled the recipe and instead of another 8 oz tempeh I did about 2 c cauliflower and broccoli rice mix to add some veggies for my toddler. After sautéing the onions and garlic I added the veggies for a couple min so they were soft. I used the almond flour option and Dana’s recipe for Parmesan cheese. Thank you Dana- your recipes never disappoint!
Yum! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Emily!
Amanda says
These look great! I was wondering if you think these could be made without a food processor by just combining/mixing the ingredients in a bowl? (I don’t have a good processor). Thank you!
Hi Amanda! Another reader used a potato masher instead of a food processor and had success. That might be something you want to try?
Mick Barr says
OK so I followed the recipe perfectly. And I found the mixture to be a bit dry so it added 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce and couple tablespoons water. They looked great when I put them in the oil to fry them. But once in the oil they started to fall apart. I think maybe because I was playing them with a spatula rather than just rolling around in the frying pan. Second batch I didn’t touch I just moved this is Brian Perron around and they stayed together . Then when I transferred them to the baking sheet bake them everything was good. But then when I put them in the marinara sauce afterwords they started to disintegrate again. Any thoughts? The ones that stay together tasted OK but didn’t look so good. Any thoughts?
Jesse says
I was super hesitant about making these since isn’t never worked with tempeh before, but these looked so goo I had to try! Made them tonight and they turned out amazing!!! Even the carnivore bf loves them ?
Yay! We’re so glad to hear that, Jesse! If you wouldn’t mind leaving a star review as well, that would help us out a ton :D
Judy Chancey says
Made these and they are great! Served with spaghetti squash. Thanks! Loved you Dad story.
Kyttin Richards says
I’ve made this several times, and LOVE it, to the extent I wanna double up on making it, however in that size, I’m unable to cook all of them at the same time…any tips on preserving remaining mix while waiting for the first batch to bake?? Can I just pop it in the fridge???
Loren says
Hi! I just came across your recipe and I am excited to try these tonight. My first time making vegan meatballs, I used chickpeas and they pretty mch fell apart. I never thought to use tempeh, the consistency is a lot more firmer and should hold better. My question to you is how much is a ‘batch’ of flax egg? I understand how to make flax egg (1tbsp flax to 1.5 tbsp water) but I am curious as to how much I would need for this recipe? Would 1:1.5 be enough? Thank you.
Yes! 1 batch is 1 flax egg, so 1 Tbsp flax seed : 2.5 Tbsp water
Jo says
So I made these, they were quite difficult to fry because they turned squishy and the coating would fall off if not careful. I made it with chickpeas, not tempeh. I will admit they could have gone wrong due to my aversion of accurate measuring, but I’ve been cooking a long time so I tend to eye my ingredients. The taste was great, but I need veggie meatballs that are truly easy. Any chance you have a recipe that results in crispy veg balls without the frying step?
Hi Jo! You might enjoy this recipe perhaps?
Cristina says
I love this recipe! I usually make them into a “meatball” sub sandwich with sauce and mozzarella so I don’t bother rolling in extra breadcrumbs before cooking. They come out great every time and I keep coming back to this recipe over and over. I don’t modify anything except leaving off the last step of rolling in breadcrumbs. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Mark Royer says
What do you think about substituting ground walnuts for the bread crumbs? Certainly a lot more heart healthy yumminess but I was wondering about the texture and moisture/possible dryness. I am definitely going to try this recipe but don’t want to screw it up and waste all these ingredients. Thanks.
Hi Mark! While we haven’t tried using walnuts in place of the bread crumbs, another reader had success with almond meal! If you give it a try though, report back on how it goes! Stay tuned as we have a new vegan meatball recipe coming out in the coming weeks :D
Doug says
I made the chickpea version and they were very good, probably the best vegan meatballs that I have ever made. They were far better than any of the lentil versions I have made in the past. I will definitely try the tempeh version. We love tempeh, but had recently used ours for some tacos.
Yay! We are so glad to hear that, Doug! :D
Lyn G says
Best vegan “meat”balls I’ve made so far! I substituted Grapenuts for the breadcrumbs, didn’t do the last step (rolling them in breadcrumb/parm mixture) and omitted oil.. and they still were amazing! (The longer they bake, the firmer they get)
Anisha says
Hi,
This recipe sounds great. I have been thinking of a meatless meatball recipe, but didn’t know such a thing ever existed! I am a vegetarian and my son (18 going on 40), is now such a picky eater. He used to eat everything as a baby and my friends with babies were jealous of me. But that has passed, and he now lives on pizzas and plain pasta. I am going to try it today and let you know how it turned out. I suppose I could use actual cheese because I eat dairy – just no meat.
Oh I’m so excited!
We hope you and your son enjoy it, Anisha!
Pamela Skinberg says
Woo hoo! These were great. I didn’t find the tempeh bitter as much as tangy, and it was just fine. The texture, the consistency, everything was perfect. I used some thyme and some basil for seasoning, and I also used a little bit of my Lizano Salso (a Costa Rican condiment which is not salsa, more like a vegan worcestershire sauce in addition to the marinara sauce. It added a wonderful depth of flavour and a bit of colour.
The balls held together perfectly through the sauteeing and baking, and were nice and crunchy but not dry in the dish. Game-changer. Thank you!!
Marie says
Hi Dana,
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it tonight with chickpeas and it was amazing!!! Had it with zucchini “spaghetti” and everyone loved it! Wondered if it’s possible to make these ahead of time and freeze them?
Very grateful to you!
Hi Marie! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe! I think they would freeze well and would recommend just freezing them WITHOUT baking, and then just baking them at 350 or 375 until golden brown and hot. Hope that helps!
judy says
Made these tonight, per recipe. Turned out terrific, just needed to bake them a little longer. My husband loved them. I had some quinoa, mushroom and walnut meatballs at Cashew in Chattanooga this weekend so while looking for a similar recipe, I came across these, and though different, were great and quick to make. So many great recipes Dana, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, Judy! :D
Maria L says
Made these vegan meatballs for dinner last night using canned and drained chickpeas. (We try to avoid soy.) My family commented that of all the vegan meatballs I’ve made so far, these were the BEST!!! I used them on top of spaghetti squash with some tomato and basil marinara sauce —- so delicious!
Since we’re avoiding oil, I baked these on parchment paper for about 30-35 minutes, turning them over after 15 minutes. These were so tasty right out of the oven! Had to tell myself to stop eating as I would have been too full to sit down for dinner. Lol
Major thumbs up on this recipe, Dana!
Marie says
Thanks for that tip on just baking them, Maria!
Pip Shoemaker says
I normally buzz past the story part on recipes to the i gredie ts first (although they do look incredible).
After noting the grocery list I cannot find your Instructions. The section is plastered with a giant knorr ad? Visiting on an iPad
Where are the directions?
Hi Pip! I’ll pass along your feedback to the team regarding the ad – sorry you had some trouble with that. If you email us at support@minimalistbaker.com, I’d be happy to email you the directions. Lastly, would you mind emailing us a screenshot of what you’re seeing so we can solve the issue? Thanks!
Donna says
Hi! I made the meatballs your dad made….so great! Now I’m craving meatloaf….think this will translate?
Hi Donna! I think that would work! Report back if you give it a try!
Karen says
I made this recipe but substituted balsamic vinaigrette for the vegan egg. It was delicious!
Michelle says
Made these for dinner last night. They really were delicious. I’ve only tried cooking with tempeh once before and it was a total mess. This time I took the boiling first step and that worked great.
Zoe Swinson says
Is it possible to make the meatballs without a food processor?
Hi Zoe! While we haven’t tried without using a food processor, you may be able to do it in a blender? If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Esther says
I’ve made these using chickpeas twice and they turned out great both times. They are tender but they don’t fall apart. The second time I’ve made them I’ve used different nuts for parmesan and it turned out just as good
Christina says
Is it possible to substitute tofu for tempeh in this recipe?
I don’t think so, sorry!
I think it could work? But we have not tried it. If you try, report on how it goes! Happy Cooking!
Jasmine says
I love this recipe. I use chickpeas instead of temper and, almond meal instead of bread crumbs; works perfectly. Easy to make, delicious and nutritious. My 3 year old loves it too. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa says
I’m not vegan, i am a total meatball whore, and am equally obsessed with cheese stuff. That said, I just plain can’t get over how great these are.
First of all, the vegan parm is shockingly similar to its dairy counterpart.
Secondly, the MEATBALLS themselves. I’m half Italian and grew up with my grandma’s Sunday gravy and meatballs – these are not the same, but I can honestly say I’d be just as happy to eat these. I even made them for my father, the reigning meatball sub king, with Daiya provolone slices, and he was blown away. Next time I make these will be with your mozz recipe.
Thanks so much for what you do. When I need a vegan recipe, yours are the first I perouse, hands down.
N says
Is it possible to freeze these? I’m a student, so batch cooking is helpful…
Spenser Rush says
I made them subbing chickpeas for tempeh and they taste great but they flattened out when I baked them :( any tips?
Kris says
Okay… what am I suppose to do with the flax egg? I read it like 5 times and didn’t see what to do with it..
Hi Kris! You can add the flax egg to the food processor in Step 2 when you add all of the remaining ingredients. I agree, it is not super clear so I will adjust the directions for future recipe makers. Happy Cooking!
Bonnie Harnden says
Excited to try this – love your recipes! I was wondering, my family always makes meatballs in a slow-cooker for the holidays (traditional – in a jam sauce). Do you think these might hold up in a slow cooker after I bake them? Also wondering if I could make ahead and freeze?
Sheri says
Do these meatballs call for soft breadcrumbs or dry breadcrumbs?
Hi Sheri! Dry breadcrumbs work!
Princess Anthony says
Excellent recipe! The meat balls were dilicious, I used a habanero seasoning to spice it up. My girlfriend who is not vegan loved them!
Thanks
Mandy F. says
Hi!
I was wondering, is there anything I can use instead of tempeh? Can’t really have that much soy :'(
Thanks! :D
MF
Shwetha says
Hi,
Can I use tofu instead of tempeh? I have the extra firm kind.
Eager to try this soon.
Cheers,
SJ
Shannon says
I just gave this paired with some spaghetti squash, marinara, and extra nut parmesan to some of my clients (I’m a personal chef) and have gotten back RAVE reviews. I will definitely be keeping this in my rotation. I think I made them a tiny bit bigger than in the recipe, but it was fine. I baked them for about 18 minutes.
Maryann says
These are good, but unfortunately fall apart is put in tomato sauce because they fall apart. You can only put sauce on them. I only made about a dozen meatballs with this recipe.
Megan says
Love the anecdote about your dad! Reminds me of my dad:) These look amazing! I want to try to make barbecue meatballs… i.e. vegetarian meatballs in barbecue sauce… so hopefully they turn out well!
Hope they turn out well, Megan! Happy Cooking!
Kim says
These vegan ‘meatballs’ are a staple in our house. We LOVE them, the kids love them, and even our meat-eating friends can’t get enough. For those who have asked – I tried them in a slow cooker, they still taste amazing but tend to break apart as they cook/you stir – I prefer them fresh from the oven for the crispiness.
Corey says
Made these for the second time tonight and love! I omitted the parsley and bumped up the herbs a tad, a tablespoon. Used the tempeh and chickpea breadcrumbs since I’m gluten free. Served with sauce over chickpea pasta, sprinkle of vegan parm! Satiating and easy. Thanks for this recipe!
Kathryn says
So yummy and so easy!!
Cari-Lenn Miles says
I made these last night for my hubby and I. I couldn’t wait to taste it. I knew it would be scrumpdiliumtious! Thank you for sharing your gift. Sooooo delish!
Lynne says
I just made these (with non-vegan egg and cheese) and I love them! I wanted a tasty high-protein veggie ball and this does it. Thank you so much. One discovery – I found that the parmesan for the coating had to be finely grated or it wouldn’t stick.
Inga says
Hi how many servings does this recipe make
Hi Inga! It makes 22 meatballs!
Nick says
Can I cook them in a slow cooker
Hi Nick! We haven’t tried it, so we can’t say for sure! If you try it out, let us know how it goes!
Andy L says
Really delicious! Made this with chickpeas, a little crumbly when I made it so I added a little bit more of the pasta sauce- turned out amazing and I will definitely make this again!
Jessica says
simply amazing! put these on top of zoodles with vegan pesto and it was delicious! i will most definitely be making these again. i also used nutritional yeast for my cheesey umami flavor and it worked perfectly :)
Rebecca says
I made these tonight, and was really impressed by how nicely they rolled into a little ball shape. It seems like they would be pretty easy to modify into something that looks a lot like chicken nuggets. Any ideas on flavorings to head in that direction? I’m happily vegan for just about two months now, and am looking for ways to move my three kiddos in that direction. Thanks!
Cassia says
Just made these! Used chickpeas instead. They were so good! I made some zucchini pasta and I’m so excited about the vegan Parmesan! This recipe is a keeper!
Kelley says
I made these tonight for dinner.. delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written and they turned out great!
Aavichu says
Just made these with chickpeas. Very tasty indeed! Another person had a texture problem when making the chickpea version but mine turned out fine. I used the whole can of chickpeas and just upped the other ingredients correspondingly, adding breadcrumbs until I had the right dough consistency. Nice with a tangy Arabiatta sauce on a roll as a meatball sandwich.
Miranda says
These are *the* best vegan meatballs I have ever made (and I’ve made many, many, many)!! I still love some other recipes (your lentil ones, the Isa Does It tempeh ones) but these just knocked everything else out of the park. I think the key is using the food processor to really soften these babies up, and then not forgetting to pan-fry them before heading to the oven (I accidentally did those with the lentil ones!). Seriously amazing — flavors were spot-on and the smell is intoxicating. The texture is just right, too, and these balls didn’t crumble on me and fall apart like all the others. I will be making these for many days to come!! Thank you, Dana, for this absolutely perfect recipe!
April El says
These turned out amazing. I cannot believe how good they are and will absolutely be making them again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Linda says
Where does the flax egg get added? It’s not in the recipe
Hi Linda! It is to be added with the “remaining ingredients.” But, I saw that could be confusing so I added a note. Thanks!
Sherri says
I mean it is Nationals Meatball Day! Love your website. Every recipe has been spot on delicious, including this one. Thank you! Cheers!
Monique says
These are amazing!
I’m recently vegetarian and this was literally the first recipe I tried and I’m in love. I used chickpeas instead of tempeh as I couldn’t find any and they turned out amazing.
My family loves them too and they are avid meat eaters!
I’m totally gonna make them again.
KInara says
Oh. My. Heck. I made these for dinner with spaghetti and a big salad with your vegan caesar dressing. Fantastic and surprisingly meaty. The texture was similar to turkey meatballs but the flavor was incredible.
Dara says
Hi Dana! I am OBSESSED with these meatballs and have been making them every Sunday for dinner for my fam! I have a question for you, would I be able to prepare the meatballs (but not cook them) and then keep them in the fridge overnight? We’re traveling for my dad’s birthday and I really want to make these for my parents, but I just thought it would be easier to have them already made up when we got there. So I’d just have to fry them and bake. Do you think that would work? Thank you!!
Hi! That should work okay! Have a great time with your Dad on his birthday!
Dara says
Aw, thank you so much!! Can’t wait to make these for him! ;-)
Alexandra says
These were soooo delicious! I made them with tempeh last week and am keen to try the sundried tomato meatball recipe next! I added extra chilli and a little more of the other spices but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
Aubrey says
While comments about how good a recipe looks are nice, I always find it more helpful to know of those who tried it and what they thought. So I’m writing this to say I made these meatballs tonight and they were AMAZING! I have made vegan meatballs before and every problem that I’ve ever had making them was solved with this recipe here. I followed it exactly and the flavoring was perfect and the meatballs held together. I served it over a mix of spaghetti, zucchini noodles, homemade sauce and vegan parmesan to top. They are to die for! I will be making these in batches, putting them in a jar and freezing them for nights where I just want to whip something amazing together. It’ll definitely be added to my staple recipes.
Thanks so much for the delightful dish!
darby says
These were awesome! (and probably would’ve been even MORE awesome if I had all of the ingredients… ahaha)
I *thought* I had chickpeas since I always have some on hand, but i didn’t! I also didn’t have tempeh, so I found a can of white beans and used 3/4 cup of those and 1/4 cup of walnuts.. I figure tempeh and chickpeas are slightly dry so I wanted to add something dry to the beans…
Still turned out amazing! Your recipe made them well-seasoned, crispy outside, totally meat-like (which I don’t need but it was almost weird rolling them. totally felt like hamburger – which now grosses me out so I was SO HAPPY it was just beans!!) and boyfriend was pretty jazzed about ’em! He wasn’t into plant substitutions at first, but after bring “Brave” and trying some of your recipes he actually loves whatever I make now. score!
LOVE your recipes as always. What a fun way to jazz up boring old spaghetti night (and not feel so poor). I chopped up the remainder of my onion and tossed it into my sauce, a can of olives, a bell pepper and it was a hearty, healthy and DELICIOUS meal – and SUPER easy!
Lisa says
Thank you for this recipe! Best vegetarian meatball Ive tried! I omitted the oil, and just baked them instead of frying first to save a step and actually forgot to to roll them in the extra coating (whoops!) But they turned out great! Cant wait to try more of your recipes!
Matt says
Thank you for this recipe. Garbanzo balls came out epic!
Charlie Goyer says
It took a little more than expected, but wow, totally worth it ! I didn’t have parsley so I put sun dried tomates instead. Add a little parprika and italian spices… mmmmmh.
I used the leftovers as a burger… that I ate right away cause it semelle just soooo delicious. Hihi !
Thank you some much for the recipe. Just discovered your blog and love it already !
++ Great pictures, good job.
Alicia says
Hi! My boyfriend and I LOVE these, they are so delicious I crave them all the time. The only problem is that whenever I put them in the skillet to fry they start to fall apart. What am I doing wrong, yours look perfect!
Erin says
Just wondering; why use chickpeas as a substitute for tempeh instead of tofu? I haven’t tried tempeh, but from what I read it’d seem tofu would make for a better substitute. (Feel free to correct me if I’m horribly off the mark with my assumptions)
Emily says
I use chickpeas because I can’t eat soy. Tempeh or tofu or anything that derives from soybeans creates a really nasty hormonal imbalance that makes the condition I have worse.
Nik says
These are excellent! I made two batches… I realized my second batch was better than the first. For anyone who might be interested, a tip: the hotter the oil (without smoking), the less soaked they get (and the less likely they are to crumble) My first batch, I had the oil on medium-low (which was too low, I think) and they did crumble a little bit in the oven. My second batch, I put the oil up to medium and let it heat up. This also allows you to fry them for less time (3 minutes rather than 5) and, I think, made it so that they set up better because they were not soaked with oil through the center.
Great recipe! Will definitely make again!
Janis says
If I substitute chick peas, do I need to mash them? Thanks for the recipe. I am anxious to try it!
Ashleigh says
Yes. I make mine with chickpeas and put them in the food processor.
TJ says
I realized last night that I have made these 5 or 6 times & I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment. Thank You for this amazing recipe! My husband & I tried countless recipes for vegan (& gluten-free) “meat”-balls but we’re always frustrated. They fell apart, didn’t cook easily or simply didn’t taste good. Not so with these. We LOVE them! I’ve always made them with garbanzo beans because we always have them on hand. (We buy bulk organic dried beans, soak overnight, cook the next day in a slow cooker & then store in 1-cup increments in freezer…) I’ve used both plain tomato sauce & pasta sauce – each worked beautifully. I’ve also used fresh or dried parsley. Both work great. Up until last night I’d always used Parma! cheese in & on these. Last night I still rolled them in Parma! but I used Follow Your Heart shreds (sold in a plastic cup-like container) & that was really good too! Leftovers also freeze really well. I just put the meatballs (no sauce) in a bag & pull out what I need. They really keep their form & texture. Very belated Thanks for this AWESOME recipe!
Adair says
I’m allergic to flax. Is there a vegan substitute that won’t impact flavor? Thank you!
Kelly says
What about chia seeds? I use them interchangeably with flax :)