But what do you do if you love meatballs, but you're a vegetarian? Think Vegetarian "Meatballs". Today's post has six vegetarian meatballs (meatless-balls), and include Vegetarian Swedish Meatballs and Simple Vegan Meatballs. Enjoy!
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
Ingredients
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Directions
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
VEGETARIAN SWEDISH MEATBALLS
This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "Cremini mushrooms, chickpeas and bulgur wheat mimic the texture of ground meat in this vegetarian version of the classic Swedish meatball dish. Seasoned generously with allspice and nutmeg and blanketed in a velvety mushroom gravy, they are excellent served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes — or spooned onto a toasted hero (add sliced tangy pickles to balance out the richness). Leftover cooked meatballs can be frozen and reheated in a 425-degree oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes."
Yield: 2 dozen meatballs; Time: 50 minutes.
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020839-vegetarian-swedish-meatballs.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
2 tablespoons bulgur wheat
4 cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Canola oil, for greasing
For the Gravy:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Make the meatballs: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, remove from heat, cover and let sit until tender, 15 minutes. Drain, pressing to remove excess water. Cool.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse mushrooms until finely chopped with some pea-size pieces remaining (do not purée); transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the chickpeas: Pulse, then add them to the large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, sour cream, egg, salt, allspice, pepper, onion powder, nutmeg and the cooled bulgur and mix until well blended. Form into 1 1/4-inch meatballs (about 2 teaspoons each; you should have about 24). Arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake, turning halfway, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Make the gravy: While the meatballs bake, in a large nonstick saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly golden, 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes. Whisk in sour cream, parsley and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper (you should have about 1 cup gravy). Add meatballs and simmer, spooning sauce over meatballs, until nicely coated, about 2 minutes more. Serve warm.
MEATLESS MEATBALLS IN MARINARA SAUCE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “These ‘meatballs’ use plant-based ground meat, and a combination of onions, garlic and tamari give them a satisfying chew and robust flavor. Because there’s no egg for binding, these are slightly more delicate than other meatballs, so use a light touch when shaping them, and make sure the mixture is very cold. Serve them on their own, covered in marinara sauce, or stuff them into hero rolls for sandwiches. They are also excellent over spaghetti.”
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling
This was featured in “The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020740-meatless-meatballs-in-marinara-sauce.
Ingredients
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 pounds plant-based vegan ground beef (such as Beyond Meat)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
Parmesan (optional, or use vegetarian Parmesan if you prefer), for garnish
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, tamari, salt, pepper, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and mix well. Add plant-based beef, and blend with your hands until well mixed. Cover mixture and chill for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. (It’s easiest to form the meatballs when the mixture is very cold.)
Heat the broiler. Form 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Transfer meatballs to one or two rimmed baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil.
Broil meatballs until golden and firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat marinara sauce in a pot. Serve meatballs with sauce on top, showered with cheese if you like and drizzled with a little more olive oil.
SIMPLE VEGAN MEATBALLS
This is from Dana Shultz's Minimalist Baker, a really cool site with lots of yummy recipes. If you'd like to check it out (and I do recommend doing so), I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap…)
This recipe starts off with Dana telling about doing laundry while in college, then going to her dad's to do laundry so that she could have some of her dad's cooking while her laundry washed and dried.
"If your dad is anything like mine, he’s all about simple, hearty meals," she wrote.
"Spaghetti was one of his specialties. A little pasta, a lotta sauce, and a considerable amount of meatiness.
"In fact, one evening (whilst doing laundry), I had two platefuls then promptly passed out on his couch from sheer exhaustion. My father proceeded to fold all of my clothes for me and wake me up with a kiss on the forehead reminding me it was time to go home.
"Aren’t dads the best? Mine is."
If you'd like to read the rest of what Dana wrote here, as well as seeing the recipe on her site, go to https://minimalistbaker.com/simple-vegan-meatballs/. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 22 meatballs
Ingredients
For Meatballs
1/2 cup white onion (minced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 batch flax egg
8 ounces tempeh* (or as recipe is written, sub 1 heaping cup rinsed and drained chickpeas for similar result)
1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasonings (or 1/2 tsp each dried basil and oregano)
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)
1/2 cup vegan bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters // or sub almond meal)
2 Tbsp your favorite marinara or tomato sauce
Olive oil (for sautéing)
Salt & pepper (to taste)
For Coating
1/3 cup vegan bread crumbs (gluten-free for GF eaters)
1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and prepare flax egg in a small dish.
In a large, deep skillet, sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) over medium heat until soft and translucent – about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Add tempeh to food processor and pulse to break down. Then add sautéed garlic, onion, and remaining ingredients (except olive oil) and mix, scraping down sides as needed. You want it to form into a moldable “dough.”
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The tempeh will come across as a little bitter, but once coated, baked and served with marinara it’s not nearly as apparent.
NOTE: Depending on how salty your vegan parmesan cheese is, you may need to add a little salt and pepper at this point. However, I didn’t find it necessary.
Scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. At this time, heat the same skillet you used earlier to medium heat.
Mix remaining bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Add tempeh balls one or two at a time and roll to coat.
Add enough olive oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of your hot skillet, then add your coated tempeh balls in two batches, as to not crowd the pan. Brown for about 5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around to brown all sides.
Add browned meatballs to a baking sheet and add to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, or longer if desired for a crispier result.
At this time, prep any pasta your want to serve with your meatballs, as well as your favorite marinara sauce (I love this pizza sauce).
Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
To serve, top cooked pasta with meatballs and pour over marinara sauce. Top with another sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh.
CHEF JOHN'S MEATLESS MEATBALLS
This is from Chef John on AllRecipes. He wrote, "I made this recipe to celebrate Earth Day. Thanks to a thorough browning, mushrooms provide more than enough savoriness. The garlic, cheese, and parsley do the rest. What really blew me away was how close the texture was to actual meatballs. They are officially approved for use on spaghetti!"
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Additional: 4 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 4; Yield: 16 small meatballs
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/232908/chef-johns-meatless-meatballs/.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound fresh white mushrooms, finely chopped
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 ounce very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, packed
2 eggs, divided
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 pinch dried oregano
3 cups pasta sauce
1 tablespoon very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste
Directions
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the hot oil, sprinkle with salt, and cook and stir until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Stir butter into mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook and stir mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir onion into mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir garlic into mushroom mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.
Mix oats into mushroom mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently stir 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into mixture. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 egg; season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Mix together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in remaining 1 egg. Mixture should hold together when pressed.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. For best flavor and texture, refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Form mixture into small meatballs using a 2-tablespoon scoop. Roll meatballs lightly between your hands until smooth, if desired; arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Bring pasta sauce to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat to low. Gently stir meatballs into sauce until coated. Simmer meatballs in sauce until cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley.
BEST VEGAN MEATBALLS
This is from Jeanine and Jack Donofrio on their wonderful site, Love & Lemons. The recipe begins, "These hearty vegan meatballs are a hit with even the pickiest eaters! Their savory, smoky flavor is delicious in subs or on pasta with lots of marinara."
Prep Time: 45 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Serves 6
To view this online, go to https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-meatballs/.
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1/2 yellow onion (about 1 cup chopped)
8 ounces mushrooms, de-stemmed, chopped
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
6 soft sub buns or sliced soft baguette
2 cups jarred or homemade marinara sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Several handfuls of arugula, optional
Parmesan (skip if vegan) or vegan parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, pinches of salt and pepper, and cook until browned and soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the black beans, garlic, the balsamic vinegar and tamari sauce, and cook for 2 minutes or until everything is well browned and soft. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, pulse the walnuts. Add the mushroom mixture and pulse 2 to 3 times until just combined. Do not puree or the mixture will be too mushy. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of black beans and pulse briefly. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the brown rice, chili powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the panko breadcrumbs onto a plate. Form the mixture into 18-1 1/2 inch balls and gently roll in the crumbs, using the breadcrumbs to pat the mixture into cohesive balls. Place on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.
Drizzle generously with olive oil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through.
Heat the marinara sauce in a skillet and add the meatballs. Heat until just warmed through and serve immediately on the buns with arugula, basil, and parmesan cheese, if desired. (Tip: don’t let the meatballs sit in the sauce for too long or they will start to fall apart).
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