If you’ve been looking for an easy way to make some meatless meatballs, these Homemade Vegan Meatballs are for you! This vegan meatball recipe is so easy and so delicious. Packed with plant-based protein and savory Italian Herbs blend, these vegan meatballs are the perfect addition to any meal.
These meatballs are made with mushrooms, quinoa, and other whole foods. If you are looking for some easy vegan meatballs that use a meat substitute, try this Beyond Meat Meatballs recipe.
Toss them in with Garden Veggie Pasta Sauce on top of your favorite pasta, or add them to Vegan Italian Wedding Soup.
For more Italian-inspired vegan recipes, try this Vegan Cacio e Pepe, Stuffed Zucchini Boats, or Vegan Lasagna.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Meatballs for days – This recipe makes 30-35 meatballs depending on how large you portion them. That’s a lot of meatballs. Make this recipe once and you’re set for several days!
- Simple yet delicious – This recipe is made entirely with basic pantry staples, yet is filled with flavor.
- Ready in under an hour – This is a great last-minute protein option to add to any meal.
- Oil-free – Made with whole foods, these healthy vegan meatballs are made completely without oil, making it a great option for those trying to use as little oil as possible.
Ingredients
- Quinoa – This recipe uses cooked quinoa. I usually make these meatballs when I have leftover quinoa just to cut down on prep time.
- Mushrooms – Any mushroom works, but my favorite is baby bella. They’re easy to clean up and chop quickly, and they have amazing flavor.
- Breadcrumbs – You can use plain or Italian-flavored breadcrumbs here. Sub gluten-free breadcrumbs if desired.
- Soy sauce – Adds some moisture and savory flavor. Sub for tamari or liquid aminos if gluten-free.
- Spices – I use my homemade Italian Seasoning in this recipe, but you can use whatever spices you like! Don’t forget the salt and black pepper.
Helpful Equipment
In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Food processor or blender
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional)
How to Make Homemade Vegan Meatballs
This section provides detailed instructions on how to make this recipe, including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you aren’t starting with leftover cooked quinoa, you’ll want to cook the quinoa first.
To cook quinoa in the Instant Pot: Place 1.25 cups water for every 1 cup of quinoa in the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high for 11 minutes.
To cook quinoa on the stove: Place 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of quinoa in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer covered 15-20 minutes or until all water has cooked off.
Wash and chop your mushrooms then place them into the food processor. Place the cooked quinoa into the food processor with the mushrooms and the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until a thick paste has formed.
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the meatballs and roll them into a sphere. Place them on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the meatballs become a rich golden brown color and slightly crispy on the outside.
Serve these meatballs with your favorite tomato sauce, homemade vegan spaghetti, in your favorite soup, or just on their own. Enjoy!
Variations
There are lots of ways to make these veggie meatballs your own.
- Add fennel seeds for a traditional flavor.
- Coat these in your favorite BBQ or sweet and sour sauce and stick some toothpicks in them for an easy appetizer.
- Add vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to the mixture for a cheesier flavor.
- Toss these into a loaf of Italian bread, smother with your favorite marinara sauce and vegan parmesan cheese for a delicious plant-based take on meatball subs.
How to Store
- Fridge: These will store well in the fridge for 3-5 days when stored in an airtight container. They store best on their own as they lose a bit of crispiness when stored in sauce.
- Freezer: Freeze in a single layer in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
More Tips
- Not Vegan? Use this same process for meat-based traditional meatballs or add an egg to this original recipe for vegetarian meatballs.
- Gluten-Free? Sub gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari instead of soy sauce to make these gluten-free.
FAQ
Definitely! The general rule of thumb for air fryers is to reduce the cooking temp by 25°F and reduce the time by 1/3, but you’ll have to do some trial and error based on your specific model.
Yup! Freeze fully cooked meatballs for up to 3 months for best flavor retention. Thaw frozen meatballs in the fridge then reheat in the oven or air fryer for optimal crispiness.
I attribute the perfect texture of these meatballs to the food processor breaking the mushrooms into very small pieces/puree. If you are okay with a chunkier texture, you can try to use a potato masher in a large mixing bowl to break up the mushrooms as much as possible before mixing them with the remaining ingredients.
Yes! Genius! Shape into patties and bake just as you would for the meatballs, adding 5-10 more minutes depending on how large your patties are.
Homemade Vegan Meatballs
Equipment
- Food processor (or blender)
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms
- ½ cup breadrumbs (sub gluten-free if desired)
- 2 tbsp Italian Herb mix
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (sub tamari for gluten-free)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you aren't starting with leftover cooked quinoa, you'll want to cook the quinoa first.
- Wash and chop your mushrooms then place them into the food processor.
- Place the cooked quinoa into the food processor with the mushrooms and all remaining ingredients. Pulse until a thick paste has formed.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out the meatballs and roll into a sphere. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the meatballs become a rich brown color and slightly crispy on the outside.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Not Vegan? Use this same process for meat-based meatballs or add an egg to this original recipe.
- Gluten-Free? Sub gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari instead of soy sauce to make these gluten-free.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on July 24, 2025
These meatballs might be made with mushrooms, but they taste so meaty! They are such an easy way to add protein to any dish!