Last Updated on January 27, 2024
These homemade plant based Vegan Meatballs are easy to make and so full of flavor!
A meatless meatball made with mushrooms, oat flour, rice, and chickpeas.
The mushrooms add an earthy, savory flavor with a meaty texture.
Chickpeas add a bit more earthy flavor with a nutty taste that compliments the other ingredients nicely.
These two pair perfectly to give the meatball a tight yet tender texture.
To make these meatballs more healthy, I baked them instead of frying.
This seemed to firm the meatless ball up to resemble a regular meatball.
Once they are baked, you can fry these meatballs to warm them up or just add to a dish after they are baked.
If storing these meatballs for later, toss them into a freezer friendly container or bag and freeze.
Ingredients needed for these meatballs
- Rice – Any white or brown rice will work for these meatballs, pick your favorite. I used the unique mild flavored basmati rice for these meatballs.
- Mushrooms – A mushroom of your choice. The mushroom I used in these meatballs was the baby portabello, it has a nice earthy flavor and a meaty texture. Another mushroom that would work is the shiitake, this will give a slight smokey flavor as well a meaty texture.
- Onion – A fresh onion or powdered onion will work in these meatballs. I added a fresh onion to give the meatballs more texture.
- Garlic – Minced garlic adds just the right amount of a garlicky taste to these meatballs.
- Flour – I made my own oat flour with a high powered blender. Oats help with the texture and to retain the moisture of the meatballs.
- Beans – I used a black bean for these meatballs. The black bean will take on the flavors of the other ingredients. These beans have a mild, soft and creamy flavor and texture.
- Oil – Avocado oil was used to help hold the ingredients together.
- Seasonings – A blend of salt, pepper, fennel, basil, sage, and Italian seasoning give these meatballs the perfect flavor.
How to make these Vegan Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
Rinse, drain, and cook the rice to the package directions.
While the rice is cooking, add the oats to a high speed blender and blend to a flour consistency.
Pour the oat flour into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Clean and dice the fresh mushrooms and onion.
In a medium sized fry pan add the oil, mushrooms, and onion.
Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the onion and mushrooms start to brown.
Once they are done, set them aside to cool.
Drain and rinse the black beans and set aside to drain.
In a small dish, blend together all the seasonings, set aside.
Add to the blender the seasonings, half the cooked rice, beans, mushrooms, onion, and blend.
The consistency will be a thick paste and will easily stick together.
Empty the blended ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour, add the remaining rice, and stir until combined.
Scoop and form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and set them on the lined baking sheet.
After filling the baking sheet, place into the oven for 15 minutes, then check and roll the balls around to the other side.
Put the baking sheet back into the oven for another 15 to 25 minutes, checking at 15 minutes for brownness.
Once the meatballs are done, remove from the oven and serve or cool.
How to serve these Vegan Meatballs
Serve these meatballs on top of your favorite pasta.
Slice the meatballs and place on top of a toasted bun or bread for a meatball sandwich.
As a appetizer, plate the meatballs with a toothpick add a side of your favorite sauce for dipping.
Add the meatballs as a side to your favorite potato and vegetable.
Freeze any leftovers for another day.
Vegan Meatballs
Equipment
- High Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Cooked Rice I used Basmati, but any variety will do.
- 1 8 oz. tub Fresh Mushrooms I used baby portabello, any variety will do.
- 1 Small Onion I used a sweet vidalia onion.
- 1 Cup Oat Flour
- 1 Cup Black Beans I used canned black beans.
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Sage
- 1/2 tsp Fennel
- 1/4 tsp Basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Rinse, drain, and cook the rice to the package directions.
- While the rice is cooking, add the oats to a high speed blender and blend to a flour consistency.
- Pour the oat flour into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- Clean and dice the fresh mushrooms and onion.
- In a medium sized fry pan add the oil, mushrooms, and onion.
- Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the onion and mushrooms are starting to brown.
- Once they are done, set them aside to cool.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and set aside to drain.
- In a small dish, blend together all the seasonings, set aside.
- Add to the blender the seasonings, half the cooked rice, beans, mushrooms, onion, and blend.
- The consistency will be a thick paste and it will easily stick together.
- Empty the blended ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour, add the remaining rice, and stir until combined.
- Scoop and form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and set them on the lined baking sheet.
- After filling the baking sheet, place into the oven for 15 minutes, then check and roll the balls around to the other side.
- Put the baking sheet back into the oven for another 15 to 25 minutes, checking at 15 minutes for brownness.
- Once the meatballs are done, remove from the oven and serve or cool.
How to serve these Vegan Meatballs
- Serve these meatballs on top of your favorite pasta.
- Slice the meatballs and place on top of a toasted bun or bread for a meatball sandwich.
- As a appetizer, plate the meatballs with a toothpick add a side of your favorite sauce for dipping.
- Add the meatballs as a side to your favorite potato and vegetable.
- Freeze any leftovers for another day.
