These vegan meatballs are the perfect comfort food. They’re really easy to make, so delicious, and incredibly healthy! Serve them with spaghetti for a quick and easy dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
Kidney beans, rolled oats, and ground sunflower seeds give the plant-based meatballs an amazing texture and add lots of protein.
What I really love about this recipe is that the meatballs keep their form and don’t crumble when being baked or cooked. However, do not expect them to have the exact same texture as real meatballs.
You can serve them warm or cold. I like them even better when they’re cold because this way they have a firmer texture.
The recipe is very budget-friendly. Especially if you use dried kidney beans and cook them yourself, for example in your Instant Pot. This recipe is perfect if you’re eating on a budget!
The ingredient list for this recipe is pretty short. No hard to find or fancy ingredients. You can find all of the ingredients in any regular grocery store.
This recipe is one of my all-time favorites and I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from readers as well.
What Goes Into This Recipe:
- Kidney Beans – I usually use canned kidney beans, but you could also use dried beans and cook them in your Instant Pot.
- Soy Sauce – Use low sodium soy sauce if you want or tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Rolled Oats – Don’t use quick quick cooking oats. You need rolled oats for the right texture.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Step: Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the package.
2. Step: Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put them in a medium bowl and mash them well with a fork or a potato masher.
3. Step: In a medium pan, heat some oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Step: Put the sunflower seeds in a food processor.
5. Step: Pulse until a fine meal is achieved.
6. Step: Add the sauteed onion and garlic to the mashed beans together with the spices, the tomato paste, the soy sauce, the ground sunflower seeds, and the oats. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Step: Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything. Then form about 12-14 vegan meatballs. (Please note that I doubled the recipe for the photos, so there are more meatballs).
8. Step: Preheat the oven to 350 °F bake the vegan meatballs for about 15 minutes.
9. Step: Carefully turn them halfway through the baking time. They should be crispy on the outside but still a bit soft on the inside. They will get a lot firmer when they cool down.
Pan-Frying Option
Alternatively you could also pan-fry them. In a medium pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat and gently roast the bean balls for about 4 minutes until they are golden.
You’ll achieve the best results with a cast iron pan.
Recipe Notes:
- I prefer to bake the vegan meatballs in the oven. This way they become a lot crispier. Besides, the texture is firmer and you don’t need any oil.
- If you’re short on time, you could pan-fry them as this is quicker. Just be careful when you turn the meatballs.
- I also love to make this recipe for picnics and potlucks. The meatballs become a lot firmer when they’re cold, so they’re the perfect finger food.
- Make sure to sauté the onion and the garlic before you add it to the bean mixture. I’ve tried the recipe without sauteing and didn’t like it because the onions were still crunchy.
- For a gluten-free version, make sure you’re using gluten-free oats and substitute the soy sauce with tamari.
FAQs:
Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! To reheat the meatballs, just put them in the oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they’re warmed through.
Could I turn these meatballs into veggie burgers?
Yes, you can make patties out of the bean mixture and bake them in the oven. However, you have to adjust the baking time a bit depending on the size of the burger patties.
Try baking them for 20 minutes instead of 15. Check how they are and bake for another 5 minutes.
Can I substitute the sunflower seeds?
Yes, you could also use almonds instead.
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Sina
Vegan Meatballs with Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the vegan meatballs:
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 heaped cup sunflower seeds
- salt
- black pepper
For the chunky marinara sauce:
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14,5 oz)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces
- salt
- black pepper
For the spaghetti:
- 9 oz whole wheat spaghetti
For the cashew Parmesan:
- 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the package.
- Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put them in a medium bowl and mash them well with a fork or a potato masher.
- In a medium pan, heat some oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Put the sunflower seeds in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved.
- Add the sauteed onion and garlic to the mashed beans together with the spices, the tomato paste, the soy sauce, the ground sunflower seeds, and the oats. Season with salt and pepper.
- Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything. Then form about 12-14 vegan meatballs. (Please note that I doubled the recipe for the photos, so there are more meatballs).
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F bake the vegan meatballs for about 15 minutes. Carefully flip them halfway through the baking time.
- Alternatively you could also pan-fry them. In a medium pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat and gently roast the bean balls for about 4 minutes until they are golden. You'll achieve the best results with a cast iron pan. However, I would recommend the baking version. Not only is this version oil-free, they meatballs also become more crispier and firmer this way.
- Make the marinara sauce: In a medium pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and the carrot. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then deglaze with red wine and allow to evaporate. Add diced tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Before serving add some fresh basil leaves.
- Make the cashew Parmesan: Put the cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved.
- Serve the spaghetti with the marinara and vegan meatballs and sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- I prefer to bake the vegan meatballs in the oven. This way they become a lot crispier. Besides, the texture is firmer and you don't need any oil.
- If you're short on time, you could also pan-fry them as this is quicker. Just be careful when you turn the meatballs.
- I also love to make this recipe for picnics and potlucks! The meatballs become a lot firmer when they're cold, so they're the perfect finger food.
- Make sure to sauté the onion and the garlic before you add it to the bean mixture. I've tried the recipe without sauteing and didn't like it because the onions were still crunchy.
- For a gluten-free version, make sure you're using gluten-free oats and substitute the soy sauce with tamari.
Erica
I’m not vegan but this looks great!
http://girlunspotted.com
Sina
Thanks, Erica! So happy to hear that you like it! :-)
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
These look wonderful! I love how simple the ingredients are too — I’ve got everything in my pantry ready to go :)
My favorite childhood movie is such a hard question to answer — depends on the phase, I guess… I did like Lady and the Tramp though :)
Sina
Thanks, Audrey! :-) Yeah, it’s the perfect meal for quick weeknight dinners! Oh yeah, you’re right, it really depends on the phase! When I was a bit older, I was totally crazy about The Parent Trap. :D
stacey @ stacey homemaker
They look just like regular meatballs! I can’t wait to try these! YUM.
Sina
Thanks, Stacey! :-) Let me know how you liked them.
Danielle
Yum! I love trying new things and this looks like it’s delicious.
Sina
Thanks, Danielle! :-)
Chelsea
This looks absolutely amazing. I love your food photography!
Sina
Thanks so much, Chelsea! :-)
Michele @ Two Raspberries
PINNED! I 100% need to try these! I havn’t had meat balls in forever I havn’t had meat in like almost 10 years! this is such a great idea to use beans! loving this!
Sina
Thanks, for sharing it, Michele! :-) So happy to hear that you like it! I guess it’s about 9 years for me, but bean balls taste so much better!
Harriet Emily
Oh my goodness, Sina!!!! This dish looks AMAZING! WOW!!!!! These bean balls sound so delicious. I love how this is such a healthy dish, but still so comforting. Yum! I definitely need to try this!
Sina
Thanks so much, Harriet! :-) Oh yeah, it’s definitely a real comfort food! Pasta has been my all-time favorite!
momwithfive
It looks so delicious so I have to try it. It’s very easy and I like easy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Sina
Thanks so much! :-) Let me know how you liked it.
Sandra
I agree with another commenter…I’m not vegan and will be trying these! I’m so glad to see that these bean balls use ingredients that I would have at home and not more exotic ingredients that I find a lot of vegan foods call for. And they look amazing! I have some spaghetti squash I need to cook, so I think I have a new dinner idea for this weekend! Thanks so much for sharing!
Sina
Thanks! So happy to hear that you like them, Sandra! :-) Yeah, I totally agree with you! The easiest things are sometimes the best. Let me know how you liked them. ;-)
Melanie Pickett, Flying Blonde
Oooh, I’ve never tried anything like this before. It looks tasty and I may have to give it a whirl.
Sina
Thanks, Melanie! :-) If you make them let me know how you liked them. ;-)
Jenn Peters
These look so absolutely delicious! I’m a meat eater.. but I would definitely try these!
Sina
Thanks, Jenn! :-) So happy to hear that you like them! I guess you don’t have to be a vegetarian or vegan to like them. ;-)
Jeanne Horak-Druiff
OK, so I am drooling here… and I’m not even vegan! :) I also loved Lady and the Tramp as a kid, especially that spaghetti scene (although I loved the Siamese cats’ song – I was always a cat person!)
Sina
Haha! So happy to hear that you like the recipe, Jeanne! :-) I totally agree with you! I’ve always been more of a dog person, so I got really mad at them for tricking the aunt into thinking that Lady attacked them. I guess I was pretty passionate about the movies I watched when I was a kid. :D
Jenn
Yummy!!! I am working on a vegan meatball recipe today as a matter of fact! Your photos are gorgeous!!
Sina
Thanks, Jenn! :-) Can’t wait to see your vegan meatball recipe!
Melissa @ vegan does it
This looks so tasty and healthy! I’m sure my little ones would have no problem gobbling these up :)
Sina
Thanks, Melissa! Yeah, I bet your kids would love this. :-) As a kid, I could haven eaten spaghetti with tomato sauce every single day! :D
Jenna @ Butter Loves Company
I’m not even vegan and I would ABSOLUTELY try these. They sound like a great healthy take on meatballs. The pictures are stunning!
Sina
Thanks so much, Jenna! So happy to hear that you like the recipe. :-) Yeah, they’re pretty healthy and easy to make at the same time.
Corinne
I have a friend who is vegan I’m gonna suprise her with dish next weekend
Minni
You sound like a super nice person!
Dolores
It really looks delicious and I would like to make it. But can I use another kind of beans other than kidney beans?
Jenn
I was wondering the same thing. Like Cannelli (white) beans? Since that’s what I have in my pantry tonight.
Lynette
Great idea! I think the cannelini beans would be less noticeable, color and taste-wise to those non-legume lovers like my kids :)