Recipes › Main Course › Vegan Meatballs Recipe

Vegan Meatballs Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

These Italian-style vegan meatballs deliver rich umami flavor and satisfying texture without any animal products. Made from a blend of walnuts, mushrooms, and chickpeas bound with breadcrumbs and herbs, they're perfect served with marinara sauce and pasta. This plant-based version honors traditional Italian cooking while offering a nutritious, compassionate alternative.

Ingredients

• 150g walnuts, finely chopped
• 200g cremini mushrooms, finely minced
• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and mashed
• 80g panko breadcrumbs
• 45ml olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 30g nutritional yeast
• 15ml balsamic vinegar
• 10g fresh parsley, chopped
• 5g fresh basil, chopped
• 3g dried oregano
• 2g salt
• 1g black pepper
• 30g all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

2. In the same skillet, heat 15ml olive oil and sauté the minced mushrooms over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until they release their moisture and begin to brown.

3. Add minced garlic to the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed chickpeas, toasted walnuts, cooked mushroom mixture, panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or clean hands until the mixture holds together.

5. Dust your hands lightly with flour and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, each approximately 40g, rolling gently between your palms to form uniform spheres.

6. Heat the remaining 30ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.

7. Carefully place the formed meatballs into the hot oil in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes without moving them, allowing the bottom to develop a golden brown crust.

8. Gently roll each meatball using two spoons to cook the other sides for 3-4 minutes until all sides are evenly golden brown.

Substitutions

• Replace walnuts with finely chopped sunflower seeds for a different nutty flavor and lower fat content.
• Substitute panko breadcrumbs with finely ground oats or chickpea flour for a gluten-free option.
• Use canned lentils instead of chickpeas for a nuttier taste and firmer texture.
• Replace nutritional yeast with finely grated vegan parmesan cheese for a sharper, more savory note.

Tips

• Do not overcrowd the skillet when cooking meatballs; work in batches if necessary to ensure proper browning and even cooking.
• Allow the cooked mushrooms to cool slightly before mixing into the other ingredients so the heat doesn't cause the mixture to become too soft.
• For extra binding, add 15ml aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) to the mixture if it feels too dry to hold together.
• These meatballs freeze beautifully; cook them and freeze for up to three months, then reheat in the oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes.

Polpette, the Italian name for meatballs, traditionally appear in Italian-American cuisine rather than Italy itself, but they honor the Italian tradition of using humble ingredients to create deeply satisfying comfort food. This vegan adaptation maintains the dish's soul while respecting modern plant-based values.

You might also like

Vegan Polenta Recipe

60 min · Main Course

Vegan Ricotta Recipe

15 min · Main Course

Vegetable Orzo Recipe

40 min · Main Course

Vegetarian Meatballs Recipe

45 min · Main Course