Easy Vegan Meatballs + Spaghetti
These vegan meatballs taste and feel so similar to traditional meatballs, but with the added benefit of fiber and animal-free flavor. They’re also incredibly easy to make with the whole meal ready in 30 minutes or less!
When I first transitioned to a Predominantly Plant-Based diet, I was worried about all of the meals I thought I would no longer be able to enjoy.
Number one: my daily scrambled eggs.
I thought I’d never find an adequate replacement for this meal that I’d enjoyed seven days a week for almost 15 years.
It wasn’t until I discovered how much more exciting it is to rotate between breakfast staples like Super Seed Oatmeal and Banana Belgium Waffles, and how similar — yet more complex — a Tofu Turmeric Scramble could be, that I was happy to ditch my daily egg habit.
And so it has gone with almost every meal I feared I’d miss.
Pizza? I eat it on the regular with recipes like my Hawaiian Pita Pizzas or Sauteed Apple + Arugula Pies.
Burgers? My Easy Veggie Burger is full flavor and meat-like texture.
Tacos? Who knew nuts and beans could taste so similar to ground beef.
This week’s recipe is yet another example of how you never have to sacrifice your favorite foods (or flavor) when eating nutritious, plant-based meals.
These Vegan Meatballs with Spaghetti are so easy to make and just as delicious and comforting as your favorite childhood recipe.
Similar to the “ground beef” used in my taco recipe, these meatless meatballs use red beans as a base and a bunch of veggies including carrots, mushrooms, and onions to provide moisture. Fresh herbs and Italian spices add savory flavor to the mix and flax “eggs” hold the hold thing together.
I use beans a lot in these mock meat recipes, and it’s for a good reason. Not only are they a comparable substitute texture-wise, beans are also an incredibly nutrient dense food filled with components that are essential for a meat-free diet.
Beans are a rich source of plant-based protein, fiber, and important minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium.
The best part — these vegan meatballs only take about 20 minutes to bake before you’re ready to dig in. While they cook, boil your pasta, and you’ll have a beautiful meal in just 30 minutes flat that the whole family will enjoy.
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup oats
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- Combine flax and water in a small bowl and set aside.
- Saute garlic over medium heat with olive oil.
- Add remaining vegetables and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients together in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Form mixture into 2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve meatballs with pasta and marinara sauce of choice.
Serve your vegan meatballs with the spaghetti noodles of your choice. Here I used a quinoa and corn blend but whole wheat or brown rice would work great too. I’d avoid using a bean-based pasta though as it might be a bit of a bean overload which could cause some unsavory side effects if you catch my drift.
I also like to add a vegan parmesan to this dish, which I make by simply processing nutritional yeast and pumpkin seeds with a pinch of salt.
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Weigh in: Have you tried making vegan meatballs? What classic meal could you not live without?
Jennifer says:
Looks amazing! Totally trying this recipe this weekend! Been moving myself and my twin grill to a plant based diet.
Sarah Remmer says:
My kids would love this! Looks great!
Lorie says:
I so wish I could get my hubby to eat these! Well it’s sure worth a try right?! Yum.
Patti says:
Yum, I will definitely be trying this in an effort to steer my husband away from eating so much meat!
Charlene Pors says:
Wow this looks amazing! You could never even tell it’s vegan. Drooling over here
Shannon says:
I love how hearty these look! I really love using mushrooms in dishes and this one calls for a lot, so I’m all about these vegan meatballs! I can definitely see how it will blend nicely with the beans too!
Lauren Harris-Pincus says:
These sound so amazing!
Catherine Brown says:
Mmmmm, one of my favorite meals! I haven’t made this in a while… definitely over-due!
Kristina says:
These look delicious! Since shifting to a mostly plant-based diet I’ve missed my spaghetti bolognese, but this vegan meatball recipe may be the answer to my prayers!
Kate C says:
These look great. I’ve never made vegan “meat” balls but have been wanting to try. I think these will make it into my meal plan very soon!
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