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
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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.
These were fantastic. Great flavor & texture.👍🏻👍🏻
How much garlic is used? I see it in the instructions and I noticed it in the photos but I don’t see it in the list of ingredients.
I just made these today and didn’t add any. I haven’t eaten any yet because I plan on adding marinara sauce tomorrow and have them with pasta.
I’m sure they would be better with some garlic so let me know how much so I can add it next time,
Hi Mary- Good catch on that! I like to add two cloves of minced garlic.
I made these today and they are so good. Thank you for another great recipe. Dolores Jones
Oh, that’s so great! I’m glad you like the meatballs. Thank you SO much for letting me know.
Would this work with farro?
I haven’t tried it with farro, but it would definitely be worth a try. I think it could work just fine.
I love these!! We have made many, many batches, and have several batches in the freezer. We freeze them after the first baking. When we take them out of the freezer, we bake them for 15+ more or BBQ them. Delicious either way!
Please change your ingredient list to remove confusion. Instead of “2 cups bulgur, cooked” it should say 2 cups of cooked bulgur.
Hello! Fire roasted tomatoes in my neck of the woods come in 2 sizes. Are you using the 15 ounces size ?
Hi Kim, yes, I use the 15 oz cans of fire roasted tomatoes.
Perfect! Going to make these for dinner tonight.
These sound delicious! One question: Do you take 2 cups of bulgur and cook it, or do you cook some bulgur then measure out two cups of it?
Cook the bulgur first, then measure out 2 cooked cups. Hope this helps!
Have to make these for dinner tonight! #mouthwatering
Every (and I mean EVERY) beggie burger, bean burger, lentil burger I make seems too “pasty” in the center! I made both burgers and ball-shaped versions of this recipe and baked them 15+ minutes extra -still not the “right” texture IMO. The flavor was great, but how do you get them done all the way through without cremating the outside? Thanks so much!
Not sure. Plant-based loafs and burgers are never going to be exactly like ground beef texture. When I make these veggie bq balls (or the no-meat loaf version) with bulgur, they always come out great (not ground beef texture, but not mushy either), and the walnuts give them a bit of a crunch too. The only thing I can think of is that it may be a texture issue.
Just made your meatloaf again. My husband and I love it! These look similar so I know we will love these as well. Thank you!
Do you have a suggestion to make these gluten free?
I would think using rice instead of bulgur could work. It will definitely change the texture, but the flavor should be the same.
Do you think these would freeze well?
Tracy, yes I am sure they will freeze well. I’ve frozen the No-Meat Loaf version of these before, and it did great.
What is your method of cooking bulgur?
Hi Susan, I just cook bulgur according the package directions. 1 cup of bulgur to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until tender (usually around 15 minutes). Remove lid and allow any extra water to cook out for a couple of minutes. Fluff with fork and serve or use in a recipe. Hope this helps!