Vegan Spaghetti & Meatballs

Your family will love this hearty vegan spaghetti recipe, packed with rich flavors and satisfying plant-based ingredients. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, making it an ideal dish for family dinners or gatherings. Everyone will enjoy this comforting, flavorful meal that’s both nutritious and delicious!

We have more Italian-inspired vegan recipes on this website like Chef AJ’s Vegetable Lasagna Recipe, my English muffin mini veggie pizzas, and this fresh oil-free tomato marinara sauce.

Reasons you will love this recipe

• Hearty and Satisfying – This vegan spaghetti with bulgur and rolled oat meatballs offers a meaty texture and flavor, perfect for a filling and wholesome meal.
• Packed with Plant-Based Protein – The combination of bulgur and oats makes these meatballs a great source of plant-based protein, keeping you full and energized.
• Easy to Make and Crowd-Pleasing – This vegan spaghetti with meatballs is easy to prepare and perfect for feeding a family or crowd, offering a satisfying, nutritious dinner everyone will love.

Ingredients you will need

• Pasta- For healthy spaghetti, whole grain pasta like whole wheat or spelt pasta offers a nutrient-rich and fiber-packed option. For gluten-free alternatives, try brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta, or chickpea pasta for a wholesome and gluten-free meal.
• Cooked Bulgur- It has a hearty, chewy texture that mimics the consistency of traditional meatballs. It also absorbs flavors well, ensuring that your meatballs are flavorful throughout.
• Breadcrumbs- Whole wheat breadcrumbs help bind the ingredients together, creating a firm and cohesive texture. They also add a subtle, nutty flavor and extra fiber, making the meatballs more nutritious.
• Rolled oats- Act as a natural binder, helping to hold the meatballs together without the need for eggs or other animal-based ingredients.
• Tomatoes- Fire-roasted tomatoes add a deep, smoky flavor to vegan meatballs, enhancing their taste and giving them a richer, more complex profile. The natural sweetness and slight char of fire-roasted tomatoes complement the savory ingredients.
• Veggies- Garlic, onions, celery, bell pepper, and carrots add texture and flavor.
• Walnuts- Provide a rich, meaty texture that closely mimics ground meat. Their natural oils add moisture, preventing the meatballs from being dry, while their earthy flavor enhances the overall taste of the dish.
• Seasonings- Soy sauce, Dijon mustard, thyme, and sage round out the robust flavor profile.

What is bulgur?

Tips & Suggestions

• Pasta- I recommend using whole-grain pasta to keep this dish completely healthy.
• Overcooking- Don’t overcook the pasta, or it will become mushy. Rinsing it under cool water helps to stop the cooking process quickly and keep the noodles from sticking together.
• Make firmer- The vegan meatballs firm up even more after refrigerating them.

How to make this vegan pasta dish

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

STEP #1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper.

Begin by cooking the bulgur according to the package directions. It cooks on the stove or in a rice cooker in about 15 minutes.

Though it calls for bulgur, a number of people have told me that they’ve subbed with buckwheat groats, quinoa, brown rice, and barley and it still comes out good.

STEP #2: Dice the veggies–onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper, carrots, and walnuts. One tip here is that a blender or food processor makes it easy to make bread crumbs. It’s also great for chopping walnuts.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (including the fully cooked bulgur). Mix with a spoon, or do as I do, and use your hands to mix thoroughly.

STEP #3: Form into balls and place on a baking sheet. If the mixture seems too wet, add a few more oats.

If it seems too dry, add a little bit of the juice drained from tomatoes or water. These should hold together to form balls pretty well.

STEP #4: Bake at 350°F for approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

If you like them extra firm, I suggest refrigerating them once they are cooked so they have more time to set up. When they are reheated, the texture is even denser.

STEP #5: While the meatballs are baking, put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook your spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. Usually, pasta takes about 15 minutes to cook on the stovetop.

Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain and rinse under cool water to remove the starchy residue and stop the cooking process.

STEP #6: Lastly, place the meatballs on a plate with the pasta and top with your favorite marinara sauce.

I highly recommend topping this with my Vegan Parmesan Cheese in 5 Minutes to really push it over the top!

Frequently Asked Questions