Veggie Meatballs
These veggie meatballs are hearty, flavorful, and totally satisfying. They’re made with dried mushrooms, white beans, and a mix of simple pantry ingredients that come together to make a delicious plant-based twist on classic meatballs. The mushrooms add a rich, umami flavor, while the beans make them soft and filling. You can serve them with spicy spaghetti and pasta sauce, other vegan pasta dishes, or you could even use them to make plant-based meatball subs.
What makes this recipe extra nice is how easy it is to pull together. You just blend everything, shape the mixture into balls, and bake until golden. The result is a batch of tender, savory meatballs that taste amazing and hold their shape perfectly. They’re also freezer-friendly, so you can meal prep a bunch and have them ready anytime you need a quick and tasty dinner.
For more mouthwatering meatless meat recipes, make sure to check out this slow cooker vegan meatballs, lentil meatloaf, and our guide to the best vegan meatball brands!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Meatballs
This vegan meatball recipe is packed with hearty flavor, simple ingredients, and a perfectly tender texture that makes every bite satisfying. It’s easy to make, super versatile, and tastes amazing with pasta, in sandwiches, or straight from the pan!
- Packed with Flavor. These veggie meatballs are bursting with savory, rich taste from the mix of dried mushrooms, beans, and spices. Every bite has that “wow” factor that makes you forget they’re totally meat-free.
- Super Filling. Thanks to the cooked beans and breadcrumbs, these meatballs are hearty and satisfying. They keep you full for hours without feeling heavy or greasy.
- Easy to Make. No complicated steps here — just blend, roll, and bake! It’s a simple recipe that fits perfectly into a busy weeknight routine.
- Perfect for Meal Prep. They freeze and reheat beautifully, so you can make a big batch and enjoy them all week. Toss them in spicy pasta, stuff them in meatball subs, or serve them in a savory soup — they’re ready when you are.
- Versatile and Fun. You can switch things up with your favorite spices, sauces, or veggies. Whether you love Italian-style, BBQ, or something spicy, these meatballs can do it all.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
These veggie meatballs get their hearty texture and rich flavor from a mix of mushrooms, beans, and simple seasonings. If you’re missing an ingredient or want to switch things up, there are plenty of easy swaps to keep them just as tasty and satisfying.
- Dried Mushrooms – Dried mushrooms have a much more intense savory flavor than fresh, and less water to ensure a denser, meatier texture for the finished dish. Shiitake, porcini, king trumpet, and chantarelle are most common; you can use any you’d prefer.
- Cannellini Beans – Any white bean will do, such as navy beans or great northern beans, too. One can is equal to about 1 ½ cups of beans, drained.
- Nutritional Yeast – Cheesy, buttery, and all things umami, nutritional yeast is like vegan cat nip! It’s indispensable in this dish as a natural plant-based alternative to dairy.
- Tamari – Soy sauce or coconut aminos are excellent alternatives. Select a low-sodium variety or omit it entirely, if you are sensitive to salt.
- Breadcrumbs – This recipe calls for fresh breadcrumbs which are simply finely crumbled bread. Choose a gluten-free option if wheat intolerance or Celiac disease is a concern.
How to Make These Veggie Balls
Making these veggie meatballs is simple and fun — just blend your ingredients, shape them into balls, and bake until golden. They come out perfectly tender and flavorful—with endless ways of enjoying them all week long!
Step 1: Rehydrate the Mushrooms – Place the dried mushrooms in a cup of boiling water. Most dried mushrooms take around 20-30 minutes to rehydrate. Meanwhile, begin preheating the oven and lightly grease a sheet pan; set aside.
Step 2: Saute Veggies – Cook the onion and carrot in a medium saucepan with the oil until softened. You may need to add a splash of water if the vegetables begin to stick.
Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer, then stir in the tomato paste and remove from the heat.
Then, Step 3: Add Ingredients to Food Processor – Drain the soaked mushrooms and chop them roughly before tossing them into the food processor along with half the cooked vegetables. Add the beans, basil, nutritional yeast, oregano, tamari, and breadcrumbs, and puree into a thick paste.
Step 4: Roll and Bake – Divide the mixture into roughly 16 equal pieces and roll into smooth balls. If you’d like to make smaller vegan meatballs, feel free! The beauty of making your own veggie meatballs from scratch is that you have total control. They just won’t need quite as much time to bake if you make them smaller, so keep a close eye!
Place your veggie meatballs on your prepared sheet pan, equally spaced, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. When finished, they should be golden brown all over and firm to the touch.
How to Serve Meatless Meatballs
When you don’t feel like noodling around, there’s a whole world of possibilities beyond pasta! These veggie meatballs are also prime candidates for using in many other meals:
- Sub It Up! – Turn your veggie meatballs into the ultimate grinder, hoagie, or sub sandwich. Pile them high with tomato sauce and a melty layer of vegan cheese between crusty bread.
- Mash It and Smash It – Serve your meatballs over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes for pure comfort food magic. Want a twist? Try mashed or stuffed sweet potatoes for a little extra flavor and color on your plate.
- Skewer Party – Thread your veggie meatballs onto skewers with colorful veggies like bell peppers and onions, then toss them on the grill. It’s a fun, fork-free way to serve them at your next BBQ or cookout.
- Pizza Topping Upgrade – Chop up a few meatballs and use them as a hearty pizza topping instead of plant-based pepperoni or vegan sausage. You can crisp them up first in a pan or toss them right on before baking for a seriously tasty pie.
- Soup’s On – Drop your meatballs into a warm bowl of soup for a cozy, satisfying meal. Make a classic Italian meatball soup or get creative by using them in anything from tomato bisque to corn chowder.
- Pastry Pockets of Joy – Wrap your veggie meatballs in puff pastry and bake until golden for a cute and crowd-pleasing appetizer. They’re fun for parties — or you can even make “mummy meatballs” for a vegan Halloween twist!
FAQs
These vegetarian meatballs (perfect for Meatless Monday!) stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Just let them cool, then pop them into an airtight container. If they’re in sauce, store them together to keep them nice and moist.
You sure can! Simply freeze them on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag, and they’ll last up to 2 to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them in the fridge or heat them straight from frozen until warm and delicious.
Yes, you can still make it even if you don’t like mushrooms! The dried mushrooms add rich flavor and a meaty texture, but you can swap them out. Try using lentils, cooked quinoa, or finely chopped walnuts instead — they’ll give a similar hearty bite.
More Plantiful Italian Dinners To Try
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Veggie “Meatballs”
Ingredients
- ⅛ oz dried mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for baking
- 1 small onion, peeled, halved and finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- small handful of basil leaves, coarsely chopped (plus extra to serve)
- 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Put the mushrooms into a cup, cover with boiling water, and set aside to rehydrate.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Stir the mixture occasionally and add a splash of water if it looks like it might stick on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the vegetables are soft, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil a cookie sheet.
- Drain the mushrooms and coarsely chop. Blend in a food processor with the cooked vegetables, the beans, basil, nutritional yeast, oregano, tamari, and breadcrumbs to create a thick paste.
- Using wet hands, roll the paste into 16-18 balls, about golf ball size. Transfer to the oiled cookie sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and firm at the edges. Larger balls may need a few extra minutes to bake fully.
Notes
- Tamari Substitutions – Opt for soy sauce or coconut aminos. Tamari is high in salt, so omit it for toddlers.
- Fresh is Best – Fresh breadcrumbs are simply finely crumbled bread. They are light and moist compared to dry breadcrumbs.
- Serving Tip – Serve up these veggie meatballs over a big bowl of pasta with tomato sauce or spicy Arrabbiata sauce!
- Storing Leftovers – Meatballs will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Just let them cool, then store them in an airtight container — you can keep them with sauce if you want them extra moist.
- Long Term Storage – You can also freeze them for up to 2 to 3 months — just freeze them on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to eat, thaw them in the fridge or heat them straight from frozen until warm and delicious.
Nutrition
This veggie meatball recipe is from the cookbook How to Go Plant-Based by Ella Mills.
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I love this recipe. I use sweet potato instead of carrot because of my fussy toddler. These make great meatballs with pasta or even a veggie patty for a Burger.
These meatballs have such simple ingredients, looks great!
Yum! I can eat these veggie balls all by themselves!
Such a yummy meatball recipe. Love them with spaghetti squash!
These meatballs turned out so great! Easy and simple to make and so flavorful too!
I do love veggie meatballs, but hardly ever make them. These look super easy though, so I’m going to give them a go.
The veggie meat balls came out fantastically! Our friends were so amazed by their flavor that they even asked for the recipe! thanks!
These veg meatballs turned out so good! Perfect for spaghetti night!
Delicious plant based meatballs! We love these over pasta or quinoa with a savory tomato sauce. Simple to make and healthy!
Love the versatility of these meatballs! Plus, they are easy to make and full of wholesome ingredients … thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! These veggie meatballs are not only healthy, but super versatile to add to any recipe 😀
Love these veggie balls! They’re so easy to make and delicious!
These meatballs are amazing! Love them 🙂
Holy balls these veggie meatballs are delicious!! I love them with spaghetti and homemade marinara.