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    Vegan Meatballs with Spaghetti

    Published: Nov 12, 2020 · Modified: Nov 12, 2020 by Sina · This post may contain affiliate links · 141 Comments

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    Vegan Meatballs

    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. 

    A bowl of vegan meatballs with spaghetti and marinara with vegan Parmesan and basil on the side

    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. 

    uncooked vegan meatballs on a wooden board with cooked spaghetti in a colander

    What Goes Into This Recipe:

    the ingredients that go into this recipe on a marble countertop with labels

    • 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

    a collage of four photos that show 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.

    a collage of four photos that show how to make this recipe

    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.

    vegan meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper

    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. 

    Five vegan meatballs in a 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.

    a stack of vegan meatballs in a green bowl with a tomato and basil on the side

    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.

    Related Recipes:

    • Vegan One Pot Pasta 
    • Cajun Jambalaya Pasta 
    • Lemon Asparagus Pasta 
    • Garlic Mushroom One Pot Pasta 

    I Love To Hear From You! 

    I hope you like this recipe as much as we do around here.

    If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

    You like my recipes and want to see more? Then follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest! 

    Sina 

    Vegan meatballs with Spaghetti

    Vegan Meatballs with Spaghetti

    These vegan meatballs are made from kidney beans. They are really easy to make and super delicious. Serve them with spaghetti for a quick dinner!
    4.68 from 83 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Entrée
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 40 mins
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 459kcal
    Author: Sina

    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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 738mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2790IU | Vitamin C: 15.3mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 5.8mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jonna

      January 10, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      5 stars
      Very nice! I did not have kidney beans and I replaced them with black-eyed beans. Worked well and my meat eating husband also accepted them. Satisfying, easy to make. Will be in my “keeper recipe list”. Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Angela

      October 13, 2021 at 1:05 am

      5 stars
      I really liked these vegan meatballs! I soaked the oats in water for about 3 minutes before adding them (drained) to the mix. I’m glad I did because they may have otherwise been too dry. These taste and have a mouth-feel a little like falafel. Personally next time I’ll use more garlic and a touch more soy sauce. Thanks for this one, loved it!

      Reply
    3. May

      April 05, 2021 at 2:19 am

      WHat is the best thing that i can replace with the beans..thanks

      Reply
      • Sina

        April 08, 2021 at 11:05 am

        Hi May, you could use chickpeas instead.

        Reply
    4. Melanie

      March 17, 2021 at 6:21 pm

      5 stars
      The Beanballs are just amazing :-) Thank you.

      Reply
    5. Jodi Watson

      January 24, 2021 at 12:54 am

      I have been replacing spaghetti with zuchini, using a peeler that peels in strips…so delicious! I cannot wait to try this meatball recipe! Thank you for such a great blog.

      Reply
    6. Connie

      December 29, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      5 stars
      I made these exactly as the recipe bitbused black beans. They are very good but mine were kind of crumbly. Will definitely make again.

      Reply
    7. Avery

      December 19, 2020 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      Taste good. Pretty much what you’d expect. Only took 10 mins to prepare so that always nice:)

      Reply
    8. Sue

      October 24, 2020 at 4:40 am

      5 stars
      Made this tonight. It was taste and we’ll accepted by daughter. We’ve been told we needed to eat plant based. This is early in our journey.

      Reply
    9. Velia

      September 16, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Made a double batch and even my toddler finished hers which is a complete win!

      Reply
    10. ama

      August 30, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      The bean balls turned out so good! I was too busy to make the whole dish–just used jarred sauce, but the bean balls were the star. The last bean ball recipe I tried turned out like hard hockey pucks but these were perfect. This is a keeper, for sure. Thank you.

      Reply
    11. Lise

      August 26, 2020 at 7:44 am

      5 stars
      I make these all the time without the spagetti and sauce and eat them hot orcold with hummus they are addictive

      Reply
      • ama

        September 05, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        OOh, thanks…I am going to try with hummus…

        Reply
    12. Tracey

      July 28, 2020 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      I make these often and they’re a firm favourite. Leftovers the next day as a meatball marinara sub – delicious

      Reply
    13. Paperklip

      February 24, 2020 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      These were great, thank you!

      I baked the beans in the oven a little first (as suggested on another website) to dry them a little before mashing and combining into the balls. And then baked the balls in the oven.

      The sauce was yummy, even though I forgot the red wine.

      Reply
    14. Paula

      February 04, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      These meatballs were fabulous. I added chilli flakes to mine to make a spicy meatball sub. Every one loved them. Will definitely be making them again.

      Reply
    15. Debbie

      November 20, 2019 at 7:08 am

      5 stars
      I just made a double batch tonight for a gathering on Friday and Saturday. I sampled one with beet root chili sauce. Fabulous! Do you think I should freeze them or would they do ok in the fridge for 3 days?

      Reply
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    Sina-Veganheaven

    Hi, I'm Sina and this is my recipe blog where I share heavenly simple and sinfully delicious vegan recipes.

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