Easy Vegan Meatballs
These easy Vegan Meatballs can be made with marinara sauce and served as a spaghetti and meatball main dish. Another option is to coat them with BBQ sauce and serve them as an appetizer. Whichever way you decide to make them, they’re going to be a hit!
If you’ve been looking for a hearty and filling vegan meatball recipe that is so versatile that it can be used in many different recipes, look no further. This recipe is going to knock your socks off!
Even better is that these meatless balls can be used to make other great plant-based dinners like vegan spaghetti and meatballs and even a vegan meatball sub.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Rich in Protein and Fiber: These vegan meatballs made with bulgur are a nutritious option, packed with plant-based protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
- Hearty and Flavorful: With a chewy texture and robust flavor, these bulgur-based meatballs offer a satisfying bite that’s perfect for any dish.
- Versatile and Easy to Make: Whether served with pasta, in a sub, or on their own, these vegan meatballs are simple to prepare and versatile enough for various meals.
Ingredients you will need
- 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?
Bulgur is a whole wheat grain that is cooked exactly like rice in about 15 minutes. I like to make a big batch of it in my rice cooker and freeze it for use in recipes like this one, spaghetti, vegetable lasagna, and vegan bean nachos.
This amazing grain adds a crumbly ground beef texture and soaks up the flavors of the dishes you’re preparing. We have a great article all about bulgur and recipes to use it in.
How to make vegan meatballs
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.
Cover with marinara and serve over pasta to make vegan spaghetti & meatballs or on subs. Or drizzle barbecue sauce over the top and bake for an additional 15 minutes to serve as an appetizer.
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.
*Originally published June 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
Subbed the bulgur with buckwheat groats, quinoa, brown rice, and barley for gluten-free options. Just be mindful to use gluten-free breadcrumbs and oats, as well as tamari in place of the soy sauce for the whole recipe.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. They also freeze well.
More Recipes That Use Bulgur
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from EatPlant-Based
Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked bulgur
- 1-1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs (equals 2-3 slices of bread)
- 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice drained and reserved)
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 1/2 green pepper diced
- 3/4 cup carrot diced
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- sea salt to your taste
- marinara or barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350. Parchment paper makes clean up so much easier with this recipe.
- Cook bulgur according to package directions. It cooks on the stovetop or in a rice cooker in about 15-minutes.
- Dice all veggies--onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper, and walnuts.
- Mix all ingredients in a very large bowl. You can use a spoon, but I prefer to use my hands to thoroughly blend ingredients.
- 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.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cover with marinara and serve over pasta or on subs. Or drizzle barbecue sauce over top and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to serve as an appetizer.
- If you like them really 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Recipe sounds great! I’m eager to try it for meatball sub sandwiches. Do you think cooked millet would be a worthy sub for the bulgur?
I haven’t used millet in this before, but it’s worth a try. I would love to hear how it turns out.
Thank you for recipe. Any substitute for soy sauce perhaps?
Tamari or amino acids are great substitutions for soy sauce. Enjoy!
This recipe is 6 servings. How many meatballs are in a serving?
Hi Carol- The size of the meatballs will vary depending on preference, but I included a photo of mine on a baking sheet that turned out 15 balls. A serving would be approximately 2 large balls or 3 medium size.
No one would believe me that I didn’t use any animal meat to make. Haha, Outstanding dish.! I was also thinking these meatballs would work well in a meatball submarine sandwich.
Hi Kate- How awesome that everyone liked them so much! You are right about using them in a sub sandwich, we love to do that. Thanks for the great feedback!
I can’t eat nuts due to ckd. Will. these work without the walnuts?
Hi Janice- Yes, the walnuts can be left out of these without any problems.
I love your recipes. I have noticed that you never put the grind level for the bulgur in your recipes. I have made them with a #3 grind and find that those larger pieces work much better. Most bulgur available in stores is finer and turns to mush. Could you please clarify whether you use 1, 2, or 3 grind in recipes featuring bulgur? Many thanks, and happy cooking!
Hi Patt- I usually use Bob’s Red Mill bulgur and haven’t been able to find the grind level listed on their packaging. There is a link to the brand and variety I use listed in the recipe card in a couple of places.
Could Italian spices be used? If so, how much? Thanks
Hi Lee- Yes, Italian spices would work well, probably about 1 teaspoon would be great. Enjoy!
These are delicious! I used quinoa bc I didn’t have any bulger- stil turned out great. I make the meatballs golf ball sized and bake them until they’re a little
crunchy
Hi Mary- I love that you used quinoa! A lot of folks nowadays are gluten-free, so that’s a great substitute option.
How did you make your veggies taste less raw? I followed the instructions, just feel like they would of been better tasting if the veggies were cooked before being mixed in.
Hi Helen- That’s interesting. The veggies always seem great to me but, if it’s a texture thing for you, cooking them ahead of time sounds like a great way to take care of that.