• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Español
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Tia Clara
  • Recipes
  • Tips
  • Ideas
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Tips
  • Ideas
  • Subscribe
×

Crispy Vegan Meatballs - Perfect Vegan Appetizer

  • Español
Portions: 6 servings

Calories: 419kcal

This Vegan “Meatballs” recipe will not disappoint. Whether you are a meat lover searching for good party food, or a vegan seeking a great alternative to meat dishes, these are perfect as appetizers. But you can do more with them, so read on to get inspired.

By Clara Gonzalez - Last revised Nov 14, 2023. Published Jul 1, 2013.

Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Preparation

Vegan meatballs.

Vegan meatballs.

Why I ❤️ it

If you are a meat lover, please don't tune out just yet. Just because you love your meat doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a good, tasty, gluten-free, vegan dish. And for those occasions, or to serve to your vegetarian and vegan friends, I have just the dish: Vegan "meatballs."

Easy vegan meatballs recipe

This free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, and I receive a small commission when you purchase, at no cost to you. Thank you!

So, give this vegan meatballs with its interesting flavor combination a try. These tasty veggie morsels are crispy and filling and make a fantastic party dish to serve both vegans and meat-lovers alike, and served with a dip, make them an elegant appetizer.

Course: Party
Inspiration: Vegan, Vegetarian
Category: best vegan meatballs, easy vegan meatballs, egg-free meatballs, what are vegan meatballs made of
Author: Clara Gonzalez

Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins

Utensils and tools

  • Food processor
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Skillet or pan
Tasty vegan meatballs.
Tasty vegan meatballs.

Ingredients

  • 3 slices whole-wheat bread
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 1 small white onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari
  • 3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
  • 1½  teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups dry of chickpeas, boiled soft
  • 2 tablespoons of instant oats
  • 2 cups boiled lentils
  • ⅓ cup of olive oil

Preparation

Before you start, make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1: Grind bread

Pulse the bread in the food processor until it has the texture of coarse sugar. Set aside.

Step 2: Grind seasoning

Mix bell pepper, onion, garlic, soy sauce, parsley, pepper, and salt and pulse in the food processor until you obtain a coarse paste. Reserve.

Step 3: Grind chickpeas

Pulse the chickpeas in the food processor just long enough to break them into smaller pieces (a quarter of their original size).

Step 4: Make mixture

In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, oats, lentils, breadcrumbs, and seasoning paste you previously processed. Mix well. Taste and add salt to taste if you find it necessary.
Make the paste into balls about 1½ inches [4 centimeters] in diameter. Reserve.

Step 5: Cook

Heat oil over medium heat in the skillet.

Pan fry the balls long enough to turn brown on the outside. Rest on a baking tray lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Top tips

  • If you want to save some of these, it's best to store them before pan-frying them. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month or in the refrigerator for up to three days.
  • Add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the seasoning mixture if you'd like to give them a reddish tone inside.
Vegan meatballs.
Vegan meatballs.

Serving suggestions

Serve them alongside a dip of your preference. This vegan avocado mayo is great with it, but you can also serve them with a roasted eggplant dip, or this amazing roasted pepper sauce.

You can also serve them with pasta in marinara sauce (perfect with spaghetti or fettuccini). Just remember to add mix them into the pasta after the pasta is mixed with the tomato sauce so the balls don't get soggy. Sprinkle the pasta with vegan parmesan cheese.

Nutritional information

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1148IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg

More vegan recipes

  • Christmas vegan dinner main dish.
    Christmas Vegan Main Course
  • Arroz primavera vegetable rice pilaf.
    Arroz Primavera Vegetable Rice Pilaf
  • Pineapple rice.
    Easy Pineapple Rice Recipe
  • Cheesy zucchini and potato bake.
    Easy Cheesy Potato Zucchini Casserole

More: meatless recipes appetizer recipes snack recipes

FAQs

What are vegan meatballs made of?

These vegan meatballs are made mainly from chickpeas and lentils. Some recipes call for black beans instead, but I prefer chickpeas in these.

Are vegan meatballs healthy?

Vegan meatballs are nutritious, protein-rich, low in fat, so they may fit your diet very well.

Print card

This is just a printer-friendly summary; some useful details are found in the recipe above.

Print

How to Make Vegan Meatballs for Dinner or Appetizers

Ingredients

  • 3 slices whole-wheat bread
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 1 small white onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari
  • 3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
  • 1½ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups dry of chickpeas , boiled soft
  • 2 tablespoons of instant oats
  • 2 cups boiled lentils
  • 1⅓ cup of olive oil

Instructions

Step 1: Grind bread

  • Pulse the bread in the food processor until it has the texture of coarse sugar. Set aside.

Step 2: Grind seasoning

  • Mix bell pepper, onion, garlic, soy sauce, parsley, pepper, and salt and pulse in the food processor until you obtain a coarse paste. Reserve.

Step 3: Grind chickpeas

  • Pulse the chickpeas in the food processor just long enough to break them into smaller pieces (a quarter of their original size).

Step 4: Make mixture

  • In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, oats, lentils, breadcrumbs, and seasoning paste you previously processed. Mix well. Taste and add salt to taste if you find it necessary.
    Make the paste into balls about 1½ inches [4 centimeters] in diameter. Reserve.

Step 5: Cook

  • Heat oil over medium heat in the skillet.

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1148IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg

By Clara Gonzalez, published Jul 1, 2013 on Tia Clara

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Joan

    December 15, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    It will not allow me to print your recipe for Vegan Meatballs with spicy roasted eggplant dip. could you please email it to me? I would love to make this for dinner.

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      December 15, 2014 at 8:46 pm

      You should be able to print it now. Sorry, I cannot email recipes.

      Reply
  2. daphne

    October 22, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    5 stars
    Can I bake these instead? Will it affect the taste or texture?

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      October 22, 2013 at 11:34 pm

      I am not sure, I haven't tested it that way. You can try and see if it works.

      Reply
  3. Kristi Rimkus

    July 14, 2013 at 11:26 am

    These look terrific for meatless Mondays. I love the chickpeas and lentils.

    Reply
  4. Suzanne perazzini

    July 05, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    Fortunately lactose is not my issue so I could happily eat in Denmark but I feel your pain, believe me. This dish looks so tasty but wouldn't suit my issues - we are all so individual with our digestive systems. It makes you wonder what they did in the past when food was scarce and you had to eat what you could find. Or maybe the level of food intolerances in the world today didn't exist back then.

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      July 06, 2013 at 5:38 am

      Yesterday was another "Denmark is trying to kill me!" day. I have learned that asking before ordering is a must. Even a pasta dish that usually does not contain dairy appeared on my table with cream. I ended up leaving most of it, but even the bit I ate did me in.

      I think I will eat all my meals at the local Thai restaurant from now on. :0

      Reply
  5. Charlie Sommers

    July 05, 2013 at 2:21 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious! The meatballs sound like a version of falafel which I am very fond of and the eggplant dip is quite similar to baba ghanoush another Middle Eastern dish of which I am quite fond. I bet your recipe would lend itself to being stuffed in a piece of wholewheat pita bread along with some watercress, lettuce, or coleslaw and being eaten as a sandwich.

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      July 06, 2013 at 5:35 am

      Yes, I was inspired by falafel, but I wanted something with a more dominican taste. The eggplant dip is basically berenjenas asadas, with the eggs left out.

      Reply
  6. Eileen Z. Fuentes

    July 05, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    Any chance we can convince you to create a Dominican Cooking vegan cookbook??? That would make me very happy.

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      July 06, 2013 at 5:31 am

      This might be in my future soon. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Nami | Just One Cookbook

    July 02, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Ohhhh yum! I love the spicy eggplant dip here. Never tried making "meatball" with chickpeas but they look and sound delicious!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Tía Clara! I have been a recipe developer, and recipe writer for 20+ years, and here I share my easy recipes you'll love.

More ➜

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Don't miss

  • Mini tart shells with sweet and savory filling
    Easy Mini Tart Shells Recipe, with 3 Fillings
  • Vegan bell pepper stuffed with rice.
    Vegan Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice
  • Cauliflower Spanish rice.
    Spanish Cauliflower Rice (Quick And Easy)
  • Avocado pasta salad.
    Avocado Pasta Salad Vegan and Healthy
  • Cranberry rice.
    Festive Cranberry Rice Recipe
  • Piña colada.
    Piña Colada Recipe - Rum, Pineapple, and Coconut Cocktail
  • Green split pea soup.
    Green Split Pea Soup Recipe
  • Chicken fried brown rice.
    How to Make Fried Brown Rice - Healthy And Easy

The newest Most popular

Footer

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Contact me | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions | Accessibility Policy | Web Stories | Trending

Copyright © 2022 Lunch Club Books, LLC
TiaClara® is a registered trademark property of Lunch Club Books, LLC

  • Español