Description
These Vegan Meatballs are a delicious, plant-based alternative to traditional meatballs, made with chickpeas, chia seeds, oats, and flavorful herbs and spices. Baked to golden perfection, they offer a hearty texture and vibrant taste ideal for pairing with your favorite pasta and sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- Cooking spray, for pan
- 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained (reserve liquid)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a medium baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Process Chickpeas: Drain the canned chickpeas, reserving the liquid for later use. Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor and pulse until they are broken down but not completely pureed, retaining some texture.
- Make Chia Egg: In a medium bowl, combine the chia seeds and water. Stir well and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until it gels and thickens, mimicking the binding property of an egg.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the chia egg, rolled oats, tomato paste, chopped basil, minced garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes into the food processor with the chickpeas. Blend everything until well combined. If the mixture feels too dry or crumbly, add the reserved chickpea liquid one tablespoon at a time until the dough reaches a moldable consistency. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Form Meatballs: Using your hands, shape the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced slightly apart.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully flip each meatball to ensure even cooking and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve your vegan meatballs hot with your favorite pasta and sauce for a comforting and nutritious meal.
Notes
- If the mixture is too wet, add a little more rolled oats to help bind it better.
- These vegan meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Feel free to adjust the red pepper flakes for more or less heat depending on your preference.
- Use gluten-free oats if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
- For extra flavor, you can add finely chopped onions or nutritional yeast to the mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Keywords: vegan meatballs, plant-based meatballs, chickpea meatballs, healthy vegan recipe, baked vegan meatballs
