These vegan meatballs are the ideal comfort food. It's really easy to do, delicious and incredibly healthy! Serve them with spaghetti for a quick and easy dinner. I promise you that you will love them. This is one of my favorite recipes!

When I think of spaghetti with meatballs, the first thing that comes to my mind is the meatball scene in the Disney classic, "Lady and the Tramp," when Tramp takes his lady for a romantic dinner.

I absolutely loved meatballs, so of course I had to make a vegan version of this classic American-Italian dinner. And they were so good!



WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Round beans, oatmeal and ground sunflower seeds give these meatless meatballs an amazing texture. They keep their shape and do not dull when baked or cooked. However, do not expect them to have exactly the same texture as real meatballs.
You can serve hot or cold meatballs. I like them even better when they are cold, because they have a firmer texture.
The recipe is very economical. Especially if you use dry beans and cook them yourself. It's perfect if you eat on a budget! Learn more about cooking beans on the stove or in the Instant Pot.
Meatballs are not only delicious but also incredibly healthy.


WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS PLANT MEAT:

The list of ingredients for these vegan meatballs is quite short. Not hard to find or fancy ingredients. You can find all the ingredients in any ordinary grocery store.

You need:


  • canned or cooked red beans
  • Garlic
  • onion
  • dried oregano and basil
  • tomato paste
  • soya sauce
  • oatmeal
  • Sun-flower seeds
  • salt and black pepper
  • As always, you will find the full list of ingredients and recipe instructions in a printable recipe box at the end of this article.





HOW TO MANUFACTURE PLANT MEAT:

STEP 1: Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.


STEP TWO: Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put them in a medium bowl and crush them well with a fork or a potato masher.



STEP TWO: Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put in a medium bowl and crush-THIRD STEP: In a medium pan, heat some oil and stir the onions for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.


FOURTH STEP: Put the sunflower seeds in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved.




FIFTH STEP: Add the sauce on 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.


SIXTH STEP: Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything. Then form about 12-14 vegan meatballs. (Please note that I double the recipe for the photos, so there are more meatballs).


STEP SEVEN: Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Cook the vegan meatballs for about 15 minutes. Turn them gently halfway through cooking.


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.





Alternatively you could also pan-fry them. In a medium pan, heat some oil over medium heat and gently roast the balls for about 4 minutes until they are golden. You'll achieve the best results with a cast iron pan.


RECIPE NOTES:

  • You can bake or fry these vegan meatballs. However, I would recommend baking them. In this way, they become much more crispy. In addition, the texture is firmer and you do not need oil.
  • Frying is however the fastest version. If you run out of time, you can choose this method. Be careful when you turn the meatballs.
  • I like these vegan meatballs even better when they are cold. They become much firmer when they are cold. I love bringing them to picnics and potlucks!
  • Make sure to sauté the onion and garlic before adding to the bean mixture. I tried the recipe without jumping and did not like it because the onions were still crunchy.
  • For a gluten-free version, make sure you use gluten-free oats and replace soy sauce with tamari.


MEANS OF SERVING THESE BALLOONS OF VEGETABLES:



With spaghetti and marinara. The classic!
With zoodles (zucchini noodles).
In combination with a green salad.
They are perfect for picnics. You can even combine them with some dips, such as salsa, guacamole or hummus.
As an aperitif.
In wraps
You can also use them to make a vegan coaster.

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.

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.

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.

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.

MEATBALLS WITH SPAGHETTI VIDEO;