Friends, this feels big. Vegan meatballs made with real food that are full of flavor, don’t fall apart, aren’t mushy, and are easy to make! Let’s do this!
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 Vegan Meatballs
This 10-ingredient recipe starts with black beans that have been baked to dry them out – this is important, as it helps prevent the meatballs from becoming mushy.
The beans are then blended with herbs, spices, and sautéed garlic and shallot for layers of flavor.
Next comes the cooked and cooled quinoa, more herbs, tomato paste, and vegan Worcestershire (which is optional, but it adds more depth of flavor). Pulse a few more times and you’re ready to form your meatballs! After a quick chill in the refrigerator, it’s time to cook (and eat)!
To cook the meatballs, we went for a stovetop-oven combo. A quick sauté in the skillet you used to cook the onions and garlic in provides a crusty outer texture, while a bake in the oven dries them out a bit and ensures they’re cooked through the center.
At the end, heat up add your favorite marinara sauce until bubbly and gently add in your meatballs. Swoon. Then it’s meal time!
We hope you LOVE these meatballs! They’re:
Firm but tender
Not mushy
Packed with flavor
Made with wholesome ingredients
Protein- + Fiber-packed
& Incredibly delicious
These meatballs are delicious on their own, but they would also pair well with just about any pasta, like our Simple Chickpea Bolognese or 30-Minute Cashew Alfredo or Chili Garlic Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower. I could also see them working well on things like pizza and even sub sandwiches! Melt a little Vegan Mozzarella on top and you’re in business!
If you try this recipe, leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you cook up. Cheers, friends!
The Best Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa* (ensure it’s cooked + completely cooled before using)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans* (rinsed, drained, dried)
- 2 Tbsp water (or sub olive or avocado oil)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup diced shallot
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 1/2 tsp fresh oregano (or sub half the amount in dried)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flake (reduce for less heat)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley (we mixed both // plus more for serving)
- 1-2 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce (optional // adds depth of flavor // ensure gluten-free for GF eaters)
FOR SERVING (optional)
Instructions
- If you haven’t prepared your quinoa yet, do so now (make sure it’s cooked and cooled completely before use). 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa will yield ~1 cup cooked. *Prep/cook time does not include preparing quinoa.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Add rinsed, dried black beans to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until beans appear cracked and feel dry to the touch (see beans in food processor photo). Remove beans from the oven and then increase oven heat to 375 degrees F (190C).
- Heat a large (oven-safe) skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add water (or oil), garlic, and shallot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly softened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat (and reserve pan for later use).
- Add black beans to a food processor along with garlic, shallot, sea salt, oregano, red pepper flake, and fennel (optional) and pulse into a loose meal (DON’T overmix). Then add cooked/cooled quinoa, vegan parmesan cheese, tomato paste, fresh basil or parsley, and Worcestershire (optional). Pulse to combine until a textured dough forms (you’re not looking for a purée, but it should be semi-tacky).
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness/depth of flavor, red pepper flake for heat, herbs for earthiness, or Worcestershire (optional) for more depth of flavor. If it’s too tacky or wet, add more vegan parmesan cheese and pulse to combine (we added a bit more).
- Scoop out heaping 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts (using this scoop or a Tablespoon) and gently form into small balls using your hands. Add to a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Heat an oven-safe metal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a small amount of oil to prevent sticking, then add the meatballs. Sauté for a few minutes, gently turning the meatballs to get a slight crust on either side. Then transfer to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and slightly dry to the touch.
- These meatballs are delicious as is, or you can add some marinara to the pan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes (or until bubbling / hot) to infuse more flavor.
- Serve with marinara and additional vegan parmesan cheese (optional)! These are also delicious atop any pasta. Leftover meatballs keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or in a 375-degree F (190 C) oven until warmed through.
Video
Notes
*Prep/cook time does not include preparing quinoa.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 12 meatballs calculated without optional or serving ingredients.
Elizabeth says
I was excited to try these, but thought they were just ok and too much work to make again. I made exactly as the recipe said. My husband liked them better than me, so it was probably just a personal taste thing.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Elizabeth. Sorry they weren’t quite what you were hoping for!
Lou says
I’ve made this a few times, with a few changes (to what I have available at home) subbed quinoa for couscous, used chickpeas instead of black beans and omitted worcestershire sauce and fennel seeds. Love the recipe, not sure how much my subs change it but still delicious.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lou! Thanks for sharing! xo
das says
I’ve made these a couple of times now–fantastic recipe. My daughter and I have been vegetarian for a year now, and while she likes some meat substitutes, she is not a fan of the ground beef (including pre-made “meatless” meatballs). So, this recipe fills an important food role for us! I made a few modifications, just for time and ease (and based upon years of making meatballs (with meat:). This recipe is step-intensive (having to make the quinoa and roasting black beans), so I was looking for a way to reduce. Instead of sautéing shallots and garlic, I substituted 1/2 – 3/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Also, instead of sautéing meatballs, I just scooped them directly onto parchment paper-lined tray, sprayed them with cooking spray (you could probably skip this), and cooked for 20 minutes (flipping them over half way). They still brown nicely. I used all fresh parsley (just b/c cheaper and keeps longer), so I added 1 tsp dried basil in addition to the dried oregano. Minus fennel (just not a fan in my meatballs), all other ingredients remained as written. Very important to roast the black beans first, so don’t skip that step! I made enough quinoa to make these 2 weeks in a row! We’ve had with pasta sauce, but I also used as part of a Korean rice bowl with brown rice, edamame, broccoli, bbq sauce, and Siraccha! Supper delicious! Thanks so much for your great techniques!
How great! Thanks for sharing, Das!
seya says
i made it with seitan and it was great. just adding onion. carrot and celery and some herbs. thank you
Thanks for sharing!
Tricia says
These look amazing! Do you think I can meal prep them ahead by forming them in balls and leaving in the fridge a couple of days before actually cooking them?
Yep! Or even freezing and then thawing the day of. Good luck, Tricia!
Natascha says
Oh my gosh! These meatballs are delicious. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I had them fresh out of the oven, in tomato sauce and in a sandwich :) that’s how delicious they are. I only changed one minor thing in the recipe and used nutritional yeast instead of vegan Parmesan and they came out perfectly. They were holding up nicely before cooking and have just the right crunch now, can’t wait to eat more of the leftovers. My husband loves them too and I will make sure to spread the word and recipe among my friends. These will surely be a regular dish in our house :)
Thanks so much for sharing, Natascha! We are so glad you and your husband both enjoy these! xo
joan says
I made these a little bit of work for sure. And I didn’t have a few items but still not bad. Made fewer then 12 but its ok for first time. Now what do I do with left over quinoa ?
If you go to our recipes page, you can filter by ingredient to see all of our recipes with quinoa in them! Hope that helps!
Elise says
This is the most amazing recipe. I tried it tonight and can’t believe how good it is -a million times better than the store brands. I didn’t make any modifications.
So glad you enjoyed these, Elise! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Ellie says
These are amazing! I am not vegan or vegetarian, just trying to eat less meat and these will help! I made a couple modifications, I used regular Parmesan and Worcestershire sauce and used dried herbs instead of fresh and they came out great. Great texture, stayed together well and easy to put together. I quickly cooked a couple to try but I froze the rest to have when we have spaghetti and meatballs! Thank you for the great recipe, I will make again!!
Thanks for sharing, Ellie!
Diana Demco says
I made these several times and loved them! They were approved by my boyfriend as well. Big on flavor and simple ingredients – can’t get better than this. We liked serving them with homemade marinara sauce and mashed potatoes.
Jessie Johnston says
The name does not lie – these are the best vegan meatballs! I’ve tried a number of other recipes, and they either don’t hold together, they get too soggy, they have too many ingredients, or they are simply just lacking. But THESE are none of that. They held together great – although I skipped putting them in the pan after they immediately started to stick – and threw them in the oven on a baking sheet with parchment paper instead. They still got a crunchy crust. The ingredients were all things I already had on hand. And they seriously tasted amazing. We are not vegans but like substituting plant based food for comfort food so I used regular Worcestershire. I like the combo of parsley and basil. My boyfriend kept saying “this is one of the best things I’ve eaten in so long… these meatballs are amazing!” I have to agree. We made a half batch and wished we had more – although, we probably would’ve eaten all of them in one sitting!! Thank you for this recipe.
So kind! Thanks for sharing, Jessie!!
Nadya says
They fell apart but were delicious! Planning to make these again but I don’t have quinoa. Do you know what I could use instead? Maybe oats?
Hi Nadya, the quinoa helps them hold together. We would recommend cooked brown rice as an alternative. Hope that helps!
Anna says
Hi! is the amount of quinoa given the precook amount? Or 1 cup cooked quinoa?
Thank you
Hi Anna, that is 1 cup cooked quinoa. Hope that helps!
Lisa says
Thank you for this recipe. It is one of my families absolute favourites. Our latest variation is to poke a cube of vegan cheese inside the meatball once it is rolled. Then I dip the meatball in linseed and water mixture (egg replacement) and then roll in breadcrumbs (panko if you have them). Pop on an oven tray, spray with a little olive oil spray ( I don’t always do this) and bake for perhaps 45 mins at about 375F . I check them at some point and turn them. My timing is vague as I haven’t really checked before. My youngest daughter loves them really crispy on the outside so I often leave them longer. Turns out a bit like a vegan arancini ball!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lisa. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Lisa says
Absolutely 5 stars!
Thanks so much!
Kim Goldfeder Clarke says
Hi! Yet another delicious-looking recipe that I can’t wait to try!
Quick question: You said it keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
After cooking them, for the leftovers throughout the week, what’s the best way to reheat them? In the microwave? I’m throwing a BBQ next weekend and I want to make as many “Do ahead” recipes as possible because I don’t want to spend my day in the kitchen and these look like they’d be a perfect recipe for all of my party guests.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it and then rate it with glowing stars!
I’d say microwave or oven!
Kim Goldfeder Clarke says
Thanks so much! Will be making them this week and will tag you with photos!
Sue says
I really enjoyed these, i will be making some more, i didnt put fennel seeds in them but i will next time, yummy
Keith says
Dana – I made these tonight. Unfortunately, after pulling from the oven, I put them in marinara sauce and they fell apart in the sauce. I was in a bit of a rush and bypassed the step of putting the meatballs in the fridge. Do you think that is why they fell apart? Or perhaps I needed to add more vegan parmesan to dry out? Despite crumbling in the sauce, they were still great tasting! Thanks for the recipe and any tips to improve.
Hmm, they should hold together quite well so I’m not sure what quite went wrong. Did they seem to crumbly or too wet?
Keith Stuessi says
Actually, maybe both. In retrospect, they seems maybe too wet/sticky when rolling, but they crumbled almost instantly when I put into the sauce. Strange. I think I’ll add more vegan parm (to dry out) and refrigerate. Hopefully that will do the trick.
B says
Dana these were SO good!!! I’m so glad I decided to make the vegan parmesan instead of just putting nutritional yeast, I think that definitely helped with the texture. I didn’t have any issue with crumbling but i’ll admit it was a thick mixture so it was getting difficult to mix in my food processor. I made this with bulgur and I dried both that and the beans on a sheet pan which helped speed up the process. Though i’m curious if beans soaked overnight would work to cut out the drying/baking process for the beans? Will have to try next time!
So glad you enjoyed these! Thanks for sharing!
Tamara says
Can I also use these meatballs in a casserole or will they soak up the liquid too much if they are in the oven in a liquid fro about 40 mins?
Hi Tamara, we think they might get a little tender in liquid. But if you give it a try, let us know!
Jen says
I followed the recipe completely, the fennel seed was barely noticeable but I feel that it really made these a 5 star recipe. I made them as meatball subs, with marinara, shredded vegan mozzarella, and a little more Parmesan. My kids couldn’t believe it was vegan. I’m not one to trick people, but seriously no one would know these were made with black beans.
So glad everyone enjoyed these, Jen! xo
Jamie says
Would it work to make these and then transfer to a crockpot to take to a cookout?
Hi Jamie, we think they might get a little tender in the crockpot. But if you give it a try, let us know!
Wendy Dennis says
Hi there – would these work with a Swedish Meatball sauce/gravy, do you think? Thanks!
Hi Wendy, we haven’t tried it, but that sounds lovely! Let us know if you give it a try!
April says
Thank you so very much. Your recipes are big hit in our house. First that amazing taco “meat,” then the cashew alfredo sauce, and now these “meat” balls! (Oh, I can’t forget those biscuits!) My husband the meat-eater is clearing his plate with a big smile. I didn’t have worcestershire sauce so I used BBQ sauce instead. It worked out perfectly. I made your parmesian “cheese” recipe and we incorporated it into several meals. Your meals make vegan food fun, filling, and healthy. I can’t thank you enough!
Thanks, April!
Erin Leebs says
Fantastic recipe!
I was missing a few ingredients, but I modified by using pinto beans and balsamic vinegar/tamari in place of the vegan Worcestershire.
They. Were. Amaze-balls. (Pun intended?)
I plan on eating the rest with marinara and some vegan mozza baked on top
Thanks for sharing, Erin!
Brigitte says
I am a full time uni student so I try to do meal prep in order for me to save time & money. I’m so glad I made these, they are amazing! The ‘dough’ made enough for 18 meatballs, and they had so much flavour as is, but after reading other reviews I think I will try adding the fennel seeds next time. I did sub the vegan parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast as I couldn’t find it anywhere, and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. I used a vegetarian worcestershire sauce from the supermarket as I couldn’t find a vegan option locally. I actually baked the meatballs in the oven before I popped them into the pan, as it would be easier to add the sauce, and I wanted them extra crispy. For the marinara sauce, I just used a jar of organic pasta sauce which I added to the pan after cooking. The inside of the meatballs were still soft, but still held the shape in tact.
Thanks for another great recipe Dana!!
Lillphillie says
These were so good, I couldn’t stop eating them out of the bowl! I used truffle salt instead of sea salt and they were beyond fabulous!
SARAH KOLOMS says
I made these yesterday because the recipe sounded amazing…they were delicious!! Definitely, do not skip the fennel, it added so much flavor! I didn’t change a thing in the recipe, and just made a simple marinara from whole Italian canned tomatoes and it was delicous! The recipe made 16 golf ball size meatballs and 5 of them was plenty for dinner! HIghly recommend!!
Note, I heated them in the sauce before eating and they held together pretty well, just be gentle when stirring!
So glad you enjoyed these, Sarah! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Nicole Hohenstein says
My youngest daughter and I are vegan…my Husband and oldest daughter are not. As you can imagine dinner time is structured chaos at best. To throw salt on an open wound, my Husband doesn’t eat fruits or vegetables (to be fair… he drink orange juice and will eat lima beans drowned in butter and corn during the summer… I rest my case). All that said, I LOVE cooking and it’s hard for me not to be able to prepare a meal for my entire family where everyone’s pallet is satisfied. I’m always on the hunt for a recipe that might be a keeper. Dan’s recipes are fabulous, so I went ahead and planned to make a double batch of these meatballs. I followed the recipe to a tee, but added a dash of cayenne and grand cloves for an added kick. My Husband picked around at them, but eventually ate everything on his plate and said that they weren’t bad…. which in my my book, was a win! I think it was a texture thing for him (beans/grains vs animal meat…there’s always going to be a slight difference). All that said, I’m once again grateful for another stellar recipe. I loved it… and my 4 year old is having leftovers tonight for dinner :) Thanks Dana & John!
Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
Aimee Rich says
I absolutely loved then flavour of these and even my dad and husband had seconds but I couldn’t get them to cook solid, they were crispy on the outside and slop in the middle…..help! I know I’ve missed something somewhere as no one else seems to have had this problem. Anyway they were delicious and it turned out as a more minced Spag Bol rather than the meatballs
Thanks, Aimee!
Bethany Bolthouse says
SO GOOD! Definitely will be keeping this recipe around to use regularly.
Thanks, Bethany!
Sarah says
Is there anything you can suggest to make this nut-free ? (The vegan Parmesan cheese is what I’m referring to.) I would skip it, but 1/2 cup seems like a prominent ingredient. Thanks!!!
Hi Sarah, you can try a few extra tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead. Hope that helps!
Paula says
Absolutely delicious! Plan on making more tomorrow and freezing them. :) So happy to have found a veg version that tastes close to the meatballs I used to make. Beyond grateful for that bc I miss them! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Paula! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Starr says
I made these last night and they were amazing! When I tried to set the crust in the pan, the balls were sticking too much. I then tried cooking them in the oven only as mentioned in one of the other comments but they weren’t getting nice and brown the way I would have preferred. I moved them to the air fryer and that worked to get the nice brown color and crispy outer texture.
Thanks for sharing, Starr! xo
Lindsey says
These are seriously THE BEST! We became vegan last August and this is the closest recipe I have found to a traditional meatball flavor. The crisp exterior with a softer interior was perfect. We struggled to brown them in the pan without adding oil, so we skipped that step and placed them in the broiler for a few minutes instead, turning once. Then we baked them in the oven as the instructions indicate. Turned out perfect. Thanks again for the great recipe!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lindsey. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Cathy Sturrock says
Delish. Thank you for the recipe. Subbed vegan parnesan with blitzed nutritional yeast and cashews. Used probably twice as much quinoa as suggested in recipe. (My food processor struggled a bit with the mix so finished by mixing by hand and added extra quinoa to make less gloopy. Sauted the shallots and garlic in veg stock. Didn’t pan fry the balls, just cooked in oven with no oil. Served with a sauce of sauted onions & garlic, cumin, tomatoes, bay leaves, veg stock, pinch of sugar, bayleaves and chickpeas. But think would also be good with blitzed red onions, garlic, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and basil simmered for 10 mins. Have frozen the meatballs in portions with the sauce, separated with greaseproof paper so they don’t go soggy.
Thanks for sharing, Cathy!
Barbara rosenbaum says
I made this recipe once and it’s absolutely delicious. Making some more right now.
Yay! Thanks, Barbara! Next time would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s so helpful for us and other readers. xo!
JeanMari says
This looks great! Is there anything I could sub tomato paste with? I want to make this later and trying to avoid a trip to the grocery store. :)
Hi! You could sub pureed sun-dried tomatoes. Hope that helps!
Delnora says
These were phenomenally delicious! But quite labor intensive. Definitely not a weeknight recipe if you work. I like that they use such healthy ingredients. I normally don’t use oil, but I did sauté them in some olive oil before transferring to my silicon-baking sheet covered cookie sheet to bake for about 25 minutes. Now I’m just trying to not eat them all before my family gets home!
Sara says
These are freakin’ fantastic! We couldn’t stop talking about how good they were and cannot wait to make them again! The two of us had to stop ourselves from eating all of them so we have leftovers today (yay!). They only thing I changed was that I did not use the fennel seeds or oregano (don’t like), otherwise made as-is and used vegan worcestershire which I think is a critical ingredient. I also made your marinara sauce and served the meatballs with the sauce and spaghetti! AMAZING!
Tamara says
We made them and they were good and actually stuck together. I forgot to put them in the fridge, but it still worked. Also I only put them in the marinara at the end, like others recommended. However they were a bit dry to eat and crumbled on the table. Could I put some olive oil in the mix?
We haven’t tried adding olive oil, but it might help! Let us know if you try it!
jordi says
Can you explain a little more about drying the beans and what way is the best to achieve the best results please?
Hi Jordi, in step 2 of the instructions, we share how to dry out the beans. Hope that helps!
Stefanie says
Is the quinoa measured before or after it’s cooked?
After cooking. Hope that helps!
LadyD says
This looks delicious and I would love to make it. Unfortunately, I’m allergy to most grains including oats, millet, amaranth, quinoa and etc. I can tolerate rice; will this be a good substitute for quinoa or what do you suggest as a substitute? If rice, how much to use; white or brown? Thanks.
Hi there, we haven’t tried this with brown rice but we think it would work well – a thinner style of rice would probably be best, such as brown basmati that has been cooked and cooled. Let us know how it goes!
Natalie says
This recipe was great! I subbed onions for shallots and nutritional yeast for vegan Parmesan. These meatballs were great, but I would definitely recommend soaking them in sauce before serving!
Lyn says
The meatballs tasted delicious but they all crumbled and fell apart. I’m pretty sure i followed the recipe exactly so I don’t know what went wrong. Everyone ate the meal anyway but next time i make it i would like them to be balls.
Hi Lyn, was your quinoa cooled completely before using? If not, that could be the issue! Also, perhaps next time form them a little tighter and add more tomato paste for binding? Hope that helps!
Joy M. says
I absolutely loved these! Perfect comfort food for this vegetarian. The only exception to the ingredients I made was that I used real Parmesan cheese since I’m not vegan. I cooked the quinoa and rinsed, dried, and baked the beans earlier in the day so there was less to do at dinnertime. Using fresh basil is a must! I covered these meatballs in marinara and served over whole wheat pasta. My non-vegetarian husband said this recipe was a keeper!
Rachael says
Joy, there’s veggie versions around but true Parmesan is not vegetarian (authentic Parsesan contains calf rennet). Xx
Rachel says
Could I leave the raw meatballs in the fridge overnight and cook the next day?? Very excited to try these!!
Yes, that should work!
Tara says
Question: when you bake the meatballs, is that at 350 or 375F?
375 F. Hope that helps!
Jacqui says
Made this for the family (made two batches), absolutely fantastic, simple easy to make.
Had all the ingredients in my food cupboard except for the vegan parmesan cheese (used B12).
The family loved it, my daughter especially because she has been a vegan for a few years.
This is a keeper.
Amanda says
These are INCREDIBLE & sooo filling we had leftovers i made into ‘beanball’ subs ;) I made these to go with the ‘cheesey’ squash and it was perfect and hearty. I did feel lik the food processor was a bit unecessary so i put all the ingredients (i didnt use worchester sauce) in a bowl and mixed it with my hands and they came out even better than expected. Will definitely be making these again!
Thanks for sharing, Amanda! So glad you enjoyed these!
Matt says
Can I freeze the fully formed meatball dough in the freezer or do I have to heat them before freezing?
We haven’t tried that, but think it would work! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Candace says
Are there good substitues for the quinoa? Do you think brown rice could work? Is the quinoa mostly a binder or filler in this recipe?
We haven’t tried that, but think it would work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Christina Davis says
I seriously cannot believe how easy and delicious these were! I was almost speechless when I first tasted the “dough”. I had been curating vegan recipes for our Daniel Fast and these fit the bill perfectly. Even my carnivore husband had to admit they were pretty good!
Amelia says
Hi, I was wondering if they would still turn out fine if I left out the vegan parm or it I would need to use a substitute.
We think the vegan parm is pretty essential for flavor/texture, but some other readers have substituted nutritional yeast and macadamia nuts with success. You could also potentially try breadcrumbs plus a little nutritional yeast. Hope that helps!
Christina Davis says
I left out the parm and they were perfect!
Andrew says
Amazingly creative and delicious!
I forgot the 15 minutes’ refrigeration and they seemed okay.
I like kick, so for my double recipe I used a smallish jalapeño and some chipotle pepper flakes.
My one other modification comes from laziness: I skipped the frying part, but wiped a baking sheet with a thin coating of olive oil and lightly brushed some on the meatballs. I then baked them for about 25 minutes and finished them gently under the broiler for about five minutes, turning once.
Served with homemade marinara from an Italian deli.
We loved them!!
Jan Gammie says
Made these this weekend and they were delicious! Followed the recipe as it was (used Henderson’s Relish in place of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce) (for British readers!) and served them with wholewheat pasta, home made tomato sauce (Marinara) salad, and garlic bread made with sunflower spread. Thank you Dana!
Cat says
Oh my GOSH, these are incredible. My meat eater fiancé loves them too. So good. Will be telling all my friends. Thank you for this new stable in my dinner rotation!
Debra says
I made this but used it for stuffed tomatoes cooked in the crockpot with marinara sauce. I added some chopped sun dried tomatoes & mushrooms & spinach. Delish!
Nichole Cope says
These were delicious! I didn’t have any vegan parm on hand so I substituted nutritional yeast and used all fresh basil. Food processor decided to die so I mixed/mashed all ingredients in a large bowl with a fork and they still turned out great! I paired these with vegan tuscan pasta……YUM!!!!
Donna says
I never usually comment on recipes but this one I couldn’t just make it and leave it alone. These were AMAZING. I had to restrain myself from eating all of the meatballs after my first bowl.
I did not sub any ingredients or change any measurements. They were so flavorful and the perfect blend of spicy, and savory. I do recommend leaving the fennel in, it’s so good with it!
THANK YOU!! My Italian husband is so happy. I’m happy. You made my night with this recipe!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! xo
Andrea Walker says
Delicious recipe! I wish I had turned them halfway through the cooking process as they burned. :(
Dana says
One additional tip for those (like me) who are not measuring in cups but with a scale:
1 cup cooked quinoa equals 60 grams uncooked quinoa.
Pauline says
Thanks for that Dana – very handy to know :)
Dana says
Hi! We made these “beanballs” last night for dinner and they were the one of the best, most flavorfull meals we’ve ever eaten. Since were not vegan (or vegetarian), I used “real” parmesan cheese und worcestershire sauce. I didn’t sauté them first but put them right into the oven and they came out crispy on the outside and just a little mushy (the good kind) on the inside. I have just a hand blender so I was a little nervous about the consistency, but all went fine.
I served them with spaghetti and a simple marinara sauce – just canned tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic and oregano simmered for 35 minutes. My husband loved them and demanded that I make them again next week :-)
In fact, they were so good that I ordered a food processor last night to make them again and again and again (and hummus of course – because I loooooove hummus :-))))
Megan says
So good I had to take them away from my husband because he threatened to eat them all.
They are yummy!
Evelyn Jackson says
Delicious! My 4yr old enjoyed rolling them too. Will make a double batch next time.
Yay! We’re glad to hear that, Evelyn!
lindsy says
THESE ARE THE BEST! I added a handful of walnuts for nutty flavor and spinach to sneak in some greens but this was QUICK, DELICIOUS, and nutritious!
Penny says
Huge flop for me. The meatballs are soft and fell apart. I added red onion instead of shallets?
Id love to make them again, any suggestions?
Hmm, that’s so strange! I certainly didn’t experience any trouble with these crumbling. Perhaps next time form them a little tighter and add more tomato paste for binding?
Danielle says
Dana! You did it again.. These are THE BOMB. Thank you so much for your delicious creations.
We’re glad you enjoyed them, Danielle!
Misty Anderson says
I have to say, I had low expectations for these and was pleasantly surprised! They were great!! So happy to have found your site! I am all about minimal ingredients!
Michele says
Hi!! I love this recipe and have made it a few times now but i’m having some trouble when i’m browning the meatballs on my cast iron. They keep sticking to the pan (no matter how much oil I use).. any ideas on how to have them not stick while trying to sear all sides?
Hmm I’d turn the heat down a bit in the future, but it might also be the pan..
Rhonda Einstein says
I am trying to figure out what went wrong. I followed your directions and when I took them out of the over they all went flat like one giant pancake.
That is bizarre.. did you happen to change any ingredients?
Rhonda Einstein says
I used regular onions instead of shallots but thats all. The flavor was very good.
Nada says
Hello – i used dry red beans from a bag (not can) and then followed the recipe to dry them in the oven. I’m getting a dry nutty taste in the meatball, so now i’m thinking I extra “dried” by beans…? was is this the actual texture that I should have?
maybe soak the beans first then oven dry…? not sure.
I would have probably used canned red beans for best results!
Miles D Gullingsrud says
I’m making this right now and I’m confused. I cooked a cup of quinoa and set it aside, but it yielded about three cups quinoa. Do I use all three cups of the quinoa, or only one of the cooked cups?
Christina Davis says
One cup of quinoa AFTER cooking!
Sue says
Hi Dana
I’m concerned about not have a food processor too. I have a cuisinart mini chopper and and high power Oster blender. What should I use to mix if I attempt to make this :)
Tnx
Hmm I’m not sure.. we would definitely recommend using a food processor, but if you try out your other kitchen tools, let us know how it turns out!
William says
I subbed quinoa for about a half cup of cooked very thin rice noodles that I chopped. Added about a quarter cup of mushrooms that I dried in the oven along with the beans. Added a quarter cup of homemade breadcrumbs. These may be the best vegan meatballs ever. If you substitute just make sure to keep the moisture level in mind else they may fall apart on you !
Lori P says
I made these the other night and they turned out pretty good – the only reason they were not great is because, for me, the 3T of parsley and basil (which I combined) was a bit too much. I love parsley and basil but I did find them to overpower the rest of the flavors. That is just for me. I will reduce to 1T.
I also did not have cashews to make my parmesan so I used a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast. I will use the vegan parm next batch.
I ate these with zucchini noodles and a jarred tomato sauce. I will make my own marinara sauce next time. I will also double or triple this recipe because for the clean-up it is worth having a double batch.
Thank you for another great recipe.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Lori!
Amy says
I am just in the process of making these, omitting fennel as I was out, using dried oregano and only fresh basil as I can’t stand parsley…and the mix tastes amazing! My only concern is that the meatballs are about to completely fall a part and they have stuck to the pan. Do you have any suggestions of how to create more compact balls, or whether you would recommend adding some oil back into the pan prior? Thanks!
Miss Violet says
I made these and thought they were extremely time consuming. Way more steps than your average recipe. However, I was game to try since almost all of your recipes are super on point!??
But these meatballs fell super short. Even though I added all the additional ingredients, I thought they really lacked flavor. Maybe they’ll taste better after a day?
Only thing I was super stoked about, was they did keep their shape well. Meatless meatballs have the tendency to fall apart.
You win some and you lose some.
Ronica says
I lerv these! Thanks for the super yum! No v. Worchestershire so used Ume plum vinegar
Lu says
O they are so so good, thank you! Made a large batch and froze half last week , paired with the marinara they are perfection!
Thanks for sharing your experience! So glad you enjoy the recipe xo
Lindsey says
I typically am a plop-it-in-the-sauce and let it simmer until cooked type of gal with my meatballs. Do you think this recipe could be just plopped into some sauce and simmered? Wondering if they would hold together…thanks so much for posting this, can’t wait to make these!
lee says
Regarding the dried beans…do you mean cooked dried beans?
Christine says
Delicious!!!
Isabelle says
I tried the recipe for our Sunday lunch. It was delicious. As well as the marinara sauce. It took me a bit longer than I thought… next time I will be a bit more effective. And will prepare a bigger quantity. Thank you for your excellent recipes Dana.
JudyB says
I made the meatballs for dinner tonight and they were sooo delicious even by themselves. I made a veggie tomato sauce to go with And some quinoa and it was awesome!! I used fresh parley verse the oregano and also some dry Italian mix in the meatball also. I didn’t have any Worcestershire sauce but it still turned out great. This did take some time to make this isn’t a quick recipe. Also if you have a big family you may want to double recipe, mine made about 8 meatballs. Every recipe I have tried by Dana has always been good!
Ellen says
Made the recipe (tripling it because we were having a party and serving meatballs as an appetizer) and it was good. They stick together, they have a nice texture, though I think I needed to adjust the flavour with some more salt as they could be a little less bland (no Worcestershire sauce used because we didn’t have a vegan version in the house and that also might’ve helped).
An excellent addition to these “meatballs” though was this recipe https://simpleveganblog.com/sweet-and-sour-sauce/ for sweet & sour sauce. It was super easy and fast, with ingredients we always have in the house. Perfect! For ratio reference, having tripled the meatballs, we quadrupled the sauce recipe. I think maybe x5 would be better but I do like things saucy and with the quadrupled they did get a light coating all over so your call. Thanks for the meatball recipe. It’ll definitely be a keeper.
Rachel says
These are great! I just discovered yet another reliable recipe to use often in the future. Thank you for your minimalist/simple yet delicious recipes Dana!
Lily says
Hi!
Would these hold up if I wanted to put in a crockpot with marinara sauce and warm/heat for an hour or two? Or would they fall apart? Thinking of making these for a potluck.
-Lily
Hmm, thinking they might get a little tender in the crockpot. But if you give it a try let us know!
Lily says
Will do! Thinking maybe I can keep the sauce heating and will add the meatballs in the last few minutes to the crock pot.
WeeZ says
Want to make these for NewYears day.Visiting our of town and don’t have my food processor but Friend has an electric mixer.Will this work?
It may, though we haven’t tried ourselves and can’t say for sure!
Gerri says
I just made this for Christmas. I have always loved Italian on Christmas Day and these “meatless” balls were the ?-diggity! I didn’t have fennel on hand but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. Wow – Thank you! I even made a post-dinner “meatless” sub with the leftover balls and vegan parm. Like how can you miss meat with recipes like this?
Thanks for making my Christmas merry and bright by allowing me to continue to indulge in past traditions – with a ? twist .
Michelle Bergquist says
Hi there. I am doing a grazing station for Christmas with my family. Would these work to sit in a crockpot with sauce or would they start to fall apart being the crockpot for a long period of time?
Hmm I’m not sure as we haven’t tried it, Michelle! Let us know if you give it a go. Good luck!
Karolina says
I used dried oregano and felt that 2.5 tsps of it was way too much. Typically dried and fresh herb amounts are not supposed to be the same – is the 2.5 meant for fresh then, and dried should be less?
Other than that, these were tasty.
Thanks for sharing! I’ll make a note for other readers about the herbs.
Bree says
This recipe turned out really great for me. They stayed together really well even after adding the sauce and tasted amazing! They stood up even as leftovers the next day. Highly recommend this recipe!
Aaron says
I made these last night for my family and my wife and I thought they were absolutely delicious. My kids still preferred “Dad’s own recipe” that I’ve made for them for years, but I’ll be making these from now on I think.
I used onion instead of shallots and dried instead of fresh basil but that didn’t seem to be a problem.
If I had one issue, it was that they were very soft so when I poured the sauce into the frying pan to heat the balls up a bit they started to fall apart a little. When I then served them any pressure from the serving spoon etc would squash them. If I could remedy that, they would be perfect.
Jz says
Worth the effort! Delicious!
Aaron says
Is the weight for quinoa pre or post cooking? Thanks
Coked and cooled quinoa.
Lisa says
I really like the texture. These are the best vegan meatballs I’ve had.
Kelly O says
I just made these and am so pleased with the results. I doubled the recipe so we could have for dinner tonight and lunch for Mon + hopefully Tues (if it lasts!) I followed the recipe with two exceptions: I did not include the optional ingredients, and I used real dairy parmesan in place of the vegan parmesan. I paired this with your marinara sauce, I threw in some diced onion and oregano to the sauce as well. This is a recipe I will keep on hand and continue to make.
Instead of making the quinoa beforehand, I cooked it while the beans were baking. Then, I spread the cooked quinoa on the dirty sheet pan and popped it in the freezer for 10 min to get the quinoa to cool down.
Thanks so much!
Elizabeth says
Is it 1 cup of cooked quinoa or 1 cup of dry quinoa, cooked?
Thanks!
JULIA says
I made this per the recipe. I didn’t have any left over grains in the fridge so went ahead and cooked some quinoa, attempted to dry it somewhat in the pan, cooled it and then proceeded with the recipe. Thought that sauteing the garlic and onion separately and drying the canned beans was a little over the top, but did it anyway. The combination of flavors was really good and I liked that they tasted different to any bean burger/meatball that I had made before. Served with marinara and spaghetti, with spinach and broccoli. Next time, I think I am just going to quickly whiz it in the food processor and use it as a burito filling.
Nick Raspa says
Do you think that boiling rather than baking would work for this recipe? I personally feel that boiling would yield a more moist “meatball”.
Nick Raspa says
I want to qualify my question I am suggesting boiling instead of frying.
Ernie says
Absolutely not.
Jill says
Wow! These meatballs are AMAZING! After cooking in the oven, I simmered them in marinara and then put in sub rolls topped with cashew mozzarella! It was literally one of the best meals I have ever made! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Kasandra says
I made this recipe and it was soooo flavorful. I am not a vegan so I used regular Worcestershire sauce. The black beans added a great texture and bite to the meatball. I also REALLY enjoyed the vegan parmesan (used the whole jar)! I ate it with spaghetti squash and I definitely will be making it again!