The very best vegan meatballs are made with impossibly ground beef and a ton of delicious, irresistible flavor. They never go out of style and are perfect for meatball subs, party appetizers, spaghetti and more!
These are not your average vegan meatballs! I love my Italian-style chickpea meatballs, though The best vegan meatballs Extra meaty and delicious thanks to a mix of impossible ground beef, just egg (or flaxseed and water), breadcrumbs and fresh parsley.
They’re the best way to top off spaghetti night and crowd-pleasing appetizers!
3 reasons why these are the best vegetarian meatballs:
- Ultra meaty, just like real meatballs: The best part about making vegan meatballs with Impossible Beef is that they feel, look and taste like the real thing. The taste is juicy and delicious and the texture is deliciously soft.
- They are never separated: Thanks to the breadcrumbs and egg substitute soaked in the meat mixture, the meatballs hold together as they are rolled and baked.
- Easy to make ahead of time: Go ahead and make a fresh batch of meatballs (it takes 20 minutes in the oven) or freeze them for later! It’s always a good idea to keep a batch of frozen vegan meatballs on hand. Reheat them in a pinch and serve them at dinner or parties!
Required components (including substitutions)
- Breadcrumbs – I used panko breadcrumbs because they are light and crunchy. Regular breadcrumbs will work too. Use gluten free breadcrumbs or perhaps ground up oats instead of gluten free meatballs.
- i am milk – or other unsweetened dairy-free milk.
- just eggs – This egg substitute is one of the secrets to keeping the meatballs together. If you don’t have just eggs, use 2 flax eggs instead (2 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 5 tablespoons water).
- garlic – Fresh garlic cloves give the meatballs a stronger, more flavorful flavor. If you have garlic powder at home, use half a teaspoon.
- Salt and pepper
- Impossible ground beef – Making vegan meatballs with impossible beef is the best way to help them taste as close to real meatballs as possible. Impossible Foods products are available at most well-stocked major grocery stores (use their location locator for more information) and, if available to you, use packs of Impossible Ground Beef instead of burger patties. You can make the meatballs with Beyond Meat instead, but I found they turned out leaner and less tender.
- yellow onion
- Parsley – Fresh Italian flat leaf parsley is the best!
How to Make Vegetarian Meatballs
Find the full recipe with measurements below on the recipe card.
To start, add breadcrumbs to a bowl and pour milk on top. Just soak them for a few minutes before tossing with eggs, garlic, salt and pepper.
Add Impossible Beef and onion to a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
After the two are combined, add the breadcrumb/milk mixture and fresh parsley. Mix again until combined.
Roll small scoops of the meatball mixture into balls. The meatballs do not need to be perfectly round and can be large or small (larger meatballs will need to bake 1 to 3 minutes longer). Place them on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake the vegan meatballs until they are browned and cooked through. Serve hot with your favorite sauce, a bowl of spaghetti or anywhere else you like!
Serving advice
You can serve these meatballs in endlessly creative ways, from sauce-covered party appetizers to meaty sandwiches on game day. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy them are:
- Make vegan grape jelly meatballs by coating baked meatballs in a grape jelly and barbecue sauce mixture.
- Cover them in teriyaki sauce for a sweet and sour appetizer.
- Toss them in a skillet with warm marinara sauce, then scoop into a bowl of spaghetti.
- Place a few meatballs on top of a bed of mashed potatoes and cover them in a vegan gravy enriched with coconut milk to make vegan Swedish meatballs.
- Swap out the vegan ground beef in my Vegan Baked GT for these Baked Impossible Meatballs.
- Toss them in buffalo sauce and stuff them into slider buns to make vegan meatball sliders.
- They would be perfect in these vegan meatball subs!
Frequently Asked Questions
Baked meatballs will last 3 to 4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yes, they freeze very well. After baking them and letting them cool, flash freeze them on a lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer the meatballs to an airtight container or sealed freezer-safe bag and refrigerate for up to 3 months. Thaw or reheat frozen in a 350ºF oven or directly in your favorite sauce.
The best substitution would be ground beef. Just know that when I tested the recipe with Beyond, the meatballs came out mushy and not as tender as the Impossible version.
I haven’t tested a gluten free version, however, the recipe should work just as well using gluten free panko breadcrumbs as a substitute.
Want more meaty vegetarian recipes?
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Prepare the oven and pan – Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Or line with parchment paper.
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Breadcrumb Mixture- In a small bowl, add the breadcrumbs and pour the milk over them. Soak the breadcrumbs for 5 minutes, then just add the egg, minced garlic, salt and black pepper. Mix everything together well. Set aside.
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Mix the meatballs- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add the minced beef and finely chopped onion. Mix them together, using either a large wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on a stand mixer. Now add the bread mixture from the small bowl along with the fresh chopped parsley if using. Mix everything together very well until combined.
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Make the meatballs – Use a cookie scoop or scoop a small portion of the meatball mixture and gently roll into balls. They do not have to be perfectly round. You can make them a little bigger or smaller. I like small meatballs.
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bake – Arrange the meatballs in the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 10 minutes, until they are browned and cooked through.
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Serve – Serve hot with marinara sauce, or make grape jelly meatballs, Swedish meatballs, or use with teriyaki sauce. Or anywhere else of your choice!
- To go gluten free, use gluten free breadcrumbs or possibly cut GF oats.
- Any sweetened, unflavored plant milk can be used.
- If you prefer, use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead of fresh garlic.
- Beyond Meat crumbles work too, but I prefer them with Impossible Meat. My family can barely tell the difference though!
Worship: 1meatball | Calories: 62kcal | Sugars: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg