The BEST Easy Vegan Meatballs made from black beans, mushrooms, walnuts, and olive oil. Delicious, easy to make, healthy, and perfect for dinner tonight!
Need an easy recipe for the week ahead? These meatballs use simple ingredients and are SO delicious! Here’s what you need to know about easy-to-make vegan meatballs:
- They’re nutritious and loaded with protein.
- They can be meal prepped for later.
- Storing in the refrigerator or freezer and reheating is easy.
- They’re full of savory, delicious flavors!
We love pairing these meatballs with a red sauce and spaghetti (this lower-carb spaghetti is our favorite!), but they’re great on their own and serve as a wonderful vegan protein option!
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How to make vegan meatballs
The main ingredients
To make vegan meatballs, you’ll need:
- Beans (we used black beans)
- Mushrooms
- Walnuts (finely chopped)
- Olive oil
- Spices/salt/pepper
What to bind vegan meatballs with
The meatballs hold together fairly well, but they are very soft. If you’re looking for a stronger bind, we recommend adding a flax egg or a vegan egg substitute to the recipe!
The baking process
Before beginning the baking process, it helps to refrigerate the mixture in order for the meatballs to better hold their shape. We recommend refrigerating for an hour, but anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight can help with the baking process!
These meatballs bake for about an hour. Halfway through the process, be sure to take them out and cover them with oil so that they don’t dry out! We do not recommend attempting to turn them as they will be fragile until fully cooked.
More vegan recipes you’ll love:
The BEST Easy Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 16 oz. mushrooms
- 16 oz. can black beans drained
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion flakes
- 2 tsp paprika
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a pan, cook the mushrooms with 1 Tbsp of oil for about 10 minutes (or until soft and browned).
- Add in the drained beans and continue to cook for another 5 minutes (or until everything is soft).
- In a food processor, lightly blend the walnuts until they are small pieces (but not ground).
- Add in the cooked mushrooms and beans, then pulse to blend until the texture is well mixed (not overly mushy).
- Place the mixture in a bowl and add in the spices and remaining oil.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, then roll into about 16 meatballs.
- Place each meatball on an oiled baking pan, then spray with additional oil.
- Bake the meatballs for an hour, taking them out halfway through to coat with more oil.
- Serve with your favorite sauce and pasta!
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