Easy Vegan Meatballs

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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!

vegan meatballs in cast iron pan with fork on white background

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!

From vegan meatloaf to meatballs

This recipe was inspired by my No-Meat Loaf recipe. One day while I was making the no-meat loaf, I happened to notice that the firm consistency of it reminded me of meatballs due to the bulgur used. I decided to give it a try, and I’m so glad that I did.

vegan meatball on fork

Getting that firm texture

The bulgur gives these veggie balls a great firm texture that will work great in a number of different ways.

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, lasagna, and nachos.

This amazing grain adds a ground beef texture and soaks up the flavors of dishes you’re preparing.

wooden spoon with cooked bulgur beside wooden spoon with uncooked bulgur

Whether used with barbecue sauce as an appetizer or with marinara for spaghetti and no meatballs, these meatless meatballs hold together very well.

They are terrific served with marinara and pasta, alongside a salad and crusty bread. Other times I bake them with barbecue sauce, and we have them as an appetizer.

vegan meatballs on cooked pasta on white wooden table

How to make vegan meatballs

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

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.

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.

diced vegetables on cutting board

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

oats, breadcrumbs, bulgur, and veggies in stainless bowl

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.

vegan meatballs on a baking sheet

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 Spaghetti & Meatballs or on subs. Or drizzle barbecue sauce over top and bake an additional 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.

vegan spaghetti with meatballs in dish on wooden table

*Originally published June 2015.

Italian Vegan Meatball Sandwich

This delightfully messy vegan meatball sandwich is great for dinner, parties, and game-day food. It’s such a versatile meatless marinara sandwich, even kids love it!

If you like parmesan cheese, I have a terrific easy recipe for you to try out.

Making homemade vegan parmesan cheese is surprisingly easy and only requires a handful of ingredients. It keeps for months, so you’ll have it available to sprinkle on any and everything.

BBQ sauce options

Whether served as an appetizer, main dish, or on a sub sandwich, these fabulous veggie barbecue balls will be a hit! Last week, I took a batch to a company dinner and a family reunion, and they got rave reviews!

There are so many dishes that could use a great barbecue sauce to enhance the flavors. With its sweet smoky flavor, a good bbq sauce can transform a bland recipe into a culinary masterpiece. This 8-ingredient Healthy BBQ Sauce Recipe can do just that!

vegan bbq sauce in mason jar on silver plate

If you are looking for a premade barbecue sauce, we love this oil-free Bone Suckin’ Sauce.

Other great bulgur recipes to try

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

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!

vegan meatballs in cast iron pan with fork on white background
4.69 from 16 votes

Vegan Meat Balls

Whether served as an appetizer, main dish, or on a sub sandwich, these fabulous veggie barbecue balls will be a hit! Last week, I took a batch to a company dinner and a family reunion, and they got rave reviews!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings

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

Your Questions Answered:
  • Q: What are vegan meatballs made of? There are many different variations of vegan meatballs, but this recipe is made from a whole grain called bulgur, rolled oats, and bread crumbs.
  • Q: Are these meatballs gluten-free? No, this recipe is not gluten-free because it uses bulgur. However, buckwheat groats could be substituted for the bulgur and gluten-free breadcrumbs could be used to make these gluten-free. Some folks have also used brown rice and quinoa.
  • Q: What is the best way to store these? These meatballs should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • Q: Can the leftovers be frozen? Yes, and I freeze them all the time. They hold up well and are delicious the second time around.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 10.2g | Fat: 5.3g | Fiber: 11g

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.

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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…

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38 Comments

  1. 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.

    1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. 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!

    1. 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.

  4. 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.

    1. 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.

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