Vegan Meatballs! My vegetarian take on ground beef meatballs made with impossible meat! Juicy meaty won’t fall apart veggie balls that taste beyond DELICIOUS and no one will believe are vegan! Seriously the best plant based meatball recipe you will make and so EASY! 15 Minute prep time! Nut free, easily gluten free.
And there are no lentils, mushrooms, tofu, tempeh, beans, flax eggs or chickpeas needed!
These vegan meatballs whip up in minutes just like the classic Italian recipe made with hamburger and then baked to perfection. and I’d say they’re Healthier, better for you and just as tasty!
The perfect staple for any kitchen with Impossible meat as the main ingredient. Mmm spaghetti and meatballs with marinara & parmesan anyone… or Swedish meatballs, soups, casseroles, even for dippers and appetizers too! So versatile!
This is one simple but exceptional meatless meatball recipe! And you’ll fool the hardiest of carnivores too! Not kidding!
Make ahead and freeze for a super quick and easy meal any weeknight! Just drop them frozen or thawed into your favourite jarred or homemade sauce, simmer and your good to go! It feeds a crowd so you might want to freeze half!
We’ve had impossible burger at our local Safeway in Canada for a couple of months now and I’m so glad I found it, I’m obsessed with this product! I’ve already made meatloaf (first time using and so incredible). I mean who knew vegan meat could taste so real!!
I cannot wait to make more impossible burger recipes- vegan tacos, meat sauce, oh Italian meatball soup, mmm and so much more!
These are better than any store bought variety you can buy like Gardein, Yyes, Trader joes, etc... and tastier than Ikea meatballs and convenient because you can make your own meat free meatball sandwich without leaving your house to go to subway! Yay!! Win Win! (I made some last night😋)
So if you’ve been missing your Mom’s homemade meatballs and want to make an amazing vegan meal that will please and impress everyone, this is your recipe! Says me😊 Meat eaters won’t have a clue that it’s vegan!
Wonderful to serve anytime of the year, October, January or even in the summer! Everyone will love and devour them!
Ingredients & substitutions for vegan meatballs:
- Impossible Burger: this is the vegan ‘ground beef’. You can also use beyond meat or sausage.
- Panko breadcrumbs and plant milk: mixed together this is the traditional way to add moisture to meatballs. Sometimes onions are added but I felt they were not needed. Can substitute veggie stock or water for plant milk.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: adds amazing flavour and is common in some meatball recipes just make sure it’s vegan before purchasing. Here is a link to two of my favourite brands HERE & HERE. Could sub Braggs, Tamari or soya sauce regular or lite (I would use lite). I like recipe best as written tough!
- Fresh garlic: a little goes a long way in this recipe but is so good!
- Herbs and spices: fresh parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, fennel, granulated onion and salt and pepper
- Nutritional yeast: adds nice cheesy element (optional)
- For gluten free: use gluten free Panko breadcrumbs
How to make the best vegan meatballs:
This meatball recipe is so simple you won't believe it!
- Preheat oven to 425° Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs and vegan plant milk. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the rest of ingredients, Now add in the breadcrumb/milk mixture. Mix everything together well.
- Roll into balls about 1 and ½ tablespoons each. I use my small cookie scoop to measure. Place on prepared sheet pan and space evenly.
- Bake for 11 minutes. Enjoy with your favourite sauce (marinara or other), pasta and dairy free parmesan or serve as appetizers with dipping sauce! For full recipe ingredients and instructions see recipe card below.
How to freeze meatballs:
- Once cooked and cooled, these meatballs can be frozen for quick meals on busy weekdays! Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to a couple of months.
These meatless meatballs are:
- juicy, meaty and amazing!
- delicious!
- versatile
- protein rich
- the best!
- vegan!
- perfect!
- so EASY!!
- savoury & satisfying
- best comfort food
- perfect pasta dish with spaghetti noodles and marinara any night of the week
Enjoy you guys! Happy Day! Please feel free to comment below and give this recipe a rating. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Follow me on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more tasty Plant Based & Vegan Recipes❤️
Want more vegan meat recipes? Check these out:
- Best Vegan Meatloaf
- Vegan Steak Recipe (Seitan)
- Crazy Good Vegan Shepherd’s Pie (AKA Cottage Pie)
- Vegan Turkey
- Vegetarian Salsbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy (Meatball version)
Best Vegan Meatballs! (Impossible Burger)
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings (approx 40 meatballs) 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Meatballs! My vegetarian take on ground beef meatballs made with impossible meat! 15 Minute prep time! Juicy meaty won’t fall apart veggie balls taste beyond DELICIOUS and no one will believe are vegan! Seriously the best plant based meatball recipe you will make and so EASY! Nut free, easily gluten free.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs*
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant milk
- 2 packages Impossible burger (340g/12 oz each), can sub 1 pkg for beyond meat Italian sausage mild or hot casings removed
- 2 and ½ tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce, I like Wizard's or Annie's
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional but tasty)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, or use a mix of dried oregano and basil
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 and ½ teaspoons granulated onion (powder)
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs and vegan plant milk. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the rest of ingredients, Now add in the breadcrumb/milk mixture. Mix everything together well.
- Roll into balls about 1 and ½ tablespoons each. I use my small cookie scoop to measure. Place on prepared sheet pan and space evenly. (makes 40 meatballs)
- Bake for 11 minutes. Enjoy with your favourite sauce (marinara or mushroom gravy), pasta and dairy free parmesan or serve as appetizers with dipping sauce! For step by step photos see above post.
Notes
- To store: will keep covered in fridge for 4-5 days and freeze well, Once cooked and cooled place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to a couple of months. Add frozen or thawed right to your sauces, soups, or stews and simmer until warmed through.
- For gluten free: use gluten free Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: could substitute Braggs, Tamari or soya sauce regular or lite. (I recommend using lite or it might be too salty) I like recipe best as written tough!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 11 Minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Bake/Oven
- Cuisine: Italian, American, Canadian
Michelle says
Hi! I’ll be making this in a cabin with no oven. Can I pan fry, and what do you recommend the cook time to be? Thank you!
Kelley Maccia says
I made this recipe, for my daughter and her family. My daughter's reply, The meatballs stayed together and are BEYOND DELICIOUS." I've tried 4 other recipes and the texture was all wrong. As an Italian grandma, I was determined to find a recipe for the vegans. My heart is full now that I have the PERFECT recipe. ❤️
David says
I made these last night for the third time. I am surprised by how good they are every time because even the best vegan meat recipes are generally good but not great. I eat meat, but my children are vegan, and these meatballs are simply amazing. I always veganized my mother's recipe, but her recipe was more about the sauce than the meatballs. The flavoring in these meatballs is just right. The only change I made was that I used fresh herbs from the garden instead of dried herbs, but in the winter, I am sure to make these with dried herbs as the recipe calls for.
Maureen says
Hi! These are delicious. I am wondering if you can substitute panko with regular bread crumbs.
Joanna Jost says
These were fantastic! I made them small for "cocktail" meatballs for our annual Super Bowl party. Everyone raved about them and thought they were real meat, even though it was posted that they were vegan. Will definitely make again!
Cindy says
These are delicious! Made a big batch for a company potluck.
Vera Morgan says
Glad you liked it Cindy!
Kathy says
Hi Verna, I'm looking for a vegan meatball recipe to compliment one I have for meat-eaters. It's for Sticky Honey Gatlic Meatballs so ingredients for the meatball include soy sauce, a little brown sugar, garlic powder and green onions. Could I build on your recipe using the Impossible burger and panko, adding the mentioned ingredients? They're served in a sauce that is vegan-friendly (unless you don't eat honey!). Thx. Kathy
Nicole says
Would you be able to make this into a meatloaf?
Katie Hale says
Absolutely!
erin says
This recipe is incredible! Made it tonight with beyond burgers but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, and it yielded 28 meatballs. Next time I might make them a bit smaller to yield more, but wow this recipe is simply amazing. I almost cannot believe how good these are and how much they remind me of the meatballs I loved before I was vegan so many years ago. Thank you for this recipe!!
Verna Rindler says
You made my day!! 🙂 Thrilled you enjoyed them and thank you so much for the wonderful review it is so appreciated.
Kelly says
I am in shock! This is the first vegan meatball I’ve made and I had to get my boyfriend to eat them, he doesn’t even accept as an substitute for a meatball. They looked like beef meatballs and the texture was on point and just plain good. That said, my boyfriend who still doesn’t know it was not beef, said they are the best meatballs he’s ever had. Continued to rave about how good dinner was and before I went to sleep, asked if there was more in the fridge for a snack. Meat eater or non, these are a hit!!!
Verna Rindler says
Ok you totally made my day!! 🙂 I am thrilled you enjoyed them and I thank you for your amazing feedback and just a suggestion if you love these try my meatloaf too!!
Lesly says
I've made these meatballs three times and they've always turned out great. I substituted the parsley with chives because chives are what I had on hand. I also added a bit of red pepper flakes with good results. I will make this recipe time and again I imagine.
Verna Rindler says
Thrilled you're enjoying the recipe Lesly. Appreciate the wonderful feedback really helpful 🙂
Maria says
Omg so delicious! reminded me of my Nona’s meatballs. I’m so happy to have found this, thank you 😊
Verna says
That's what I want to hear, yay!! Thank you!
Michelle G says
I highly recommend making this recipe. It was delicious and easy!
Verna says
Thank you so much!
Ally says
Hi, could these work as those crockpot meatballs if I bake them before putting on low heat in a sauce? Just wondering how likely they are to fall apart that way
Verna says
Yes they will work and will not fall apart at all. Enjoy! 🙂
Brian says
Impressed the whole family with this recipe! Thanks so much
Verna says
Awesome to hear!! thank you
lois says
Can these be cooked right in the marina sauce like Italian meatballs?
Verna says
Hi Lois, I recommend baking the meatballs first them simmer in the sauce towards end of cooking -it would probably work adding directly to sauce but I have honestly not tried! I used to do it that way when I made real beef meatballs as it was the best method for flavour! Hope that helps and if you try it let me know your results!! 🙂
lois says
Thank you for answering back so soon. I think I'll try 1/2 batch in sauce and 1/2 baked. Will let you know the results. I used to do the beef meatballs either in broth or sauce, that was the way my mom always cooked them.
Verna says
Same here! I never baked them either, always just threw them in the sauce 🙂
lois says
JuJust Just made the meatballs, part baked and part simmered in the marinara sauce. Delighted with the results of both. Will make again
Verna says
Awesome Lois! Thanks for sharing the results -so helpful 🙂