Welcome to this vegan chickpea meatball recipe! If you’re a fan of meatballs but looking for a plant-based alternative, then these vegan chickpea meatballs are for you. Flavorful, protein-packed, and versatile, these meatballs are a delicious and easy meal that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes. They’re also simple to make, requiring just a few basic ingredients and minimal prep work. Whether you’re an experienced cook or a beginner, this recipe is easy to follow and yields tasty results every time. So let’s get started and whip up a batch of these vegan chickpea meatballs!
Vegan chickpea meatballs
Vegan chickpea meatballs are an easy and tasty vegan meatball recipe that can be served with pasta, with pizza, or on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 Can 15oz/425g Chickpeas (Drained*)
- 1/2 Small Red Onion Finely Chopped
- 4 Cloves Garlic Crushed
- 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
- Olive Oil For Brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Add canned chickpeas to the food processor along with chopped onion, crushed garlic, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and tomato paste. Process until smooth.
- Add smoked paprika, coriander powder and cumin and process.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add breadcrumbs and fresh chopped parsley and mix in. Use your hands to form it into a dough.
- Scoop roughly tablespoon sized amounts of dough, roll them into balls and place evenly onto a parchment lined baking tray.
- Place the tray into the freezer for 15 minutes so that the balls can firm up.
- Remove the tray from the freezer and lightly brush each ball with olive oil.
- Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, turning the balls over once at the 10 minute mark.
Notes
*Chickpeas - if you happen to have cooked chickpeas on hand (not canned) then you can use 1 and 1/2 cups.
*Bake them or fry them. You can either bake or fry these meatballs. If you'd prefer to fry them then heat up two tablespoons of oil in the frying pan until hot and then fry as many meatballs as comfortably fit into the pan. Fry for a few minutes, turning regularly until golden and crispy all over. Repeat with the next batch.
*Make them oil-free. If you'd like these meatballs to be oil-free then baking would be the best option, you can simply omit brushing them with olive oil. They are slightly drier of course but once served with a sauce that won't matter.
*Make Ahead: These chickpea meatballs can be made ahead of time. Make them up to the point that they would go into the freezer to firm up for 15 minutes. And then instead of baking them, move them to the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking.
*Storing and Freezing: Keep them stored in a covered container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. They can be reheated in the microwave. Baked meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or frying pan.
*Prep time includes the 15 minutes firming up in the freezer.
