Hi, everyone! I am very excited today to finally share with you this recipe, after spending some time perfecting these beauties. These are The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs on Planet Earth .
A little background
The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs were born a couple of weeks ago while I was cooking a whole bunch of mushrooms for lunch but once they were cooked they were so little! The disappointment was real! Those mushroom filled the pan and when cooked were just a few grams! I needed to act quickly and finish lunch so I thought: Why not make some meatballs? Yes! Of course!
I processed the mushrooms with some oats, more spices, a bit of water and so on until I had the consistency I wanted. Then I finished cooking in tomato sauce. They were good in terms of flavor, but way too dense, so I had to make them again correcting the amounts but I was out of mushrooms, so the recipe had to wait.
Next day was friday. I was cooking chicken for Shabbath but, who says you cannot make chicken and vegan meatballs? I made up my mind to take advantage of the momentum, so I weighed my ingredients, took some notes and pictures, cooked and reserved the meatballs, that were going to be served for dinner.
We had guests for shabbath and I was mortified. I just was praying the meatballs were at least edible. But, well, if they were not that good, at least I could have some feedback to perfect this recipe and write it on the blog.
The time to eat came and I remember when one of the kids wanted to try the meatballs. They honestly looked like their meaty cousins so much but to avoid any confusion, I told him straight away the meatballs were vegan. He tried it and immediately his eyes opened up!
When he asked for more I realized they were happy open eyes, those that happen when you try something delicious! At this point, everyone started eating the meatballs and I was receiving positive feedback. I was very happy when a vegan guest told me she wanted the recipe for making them like everyday 🙂 That moment I knew they were not only edible, but certainly good. Even my picky husband liked them!
In the week that followed I probably made this recipe every other day, just to make sure the recipe was on point, and now it is just turn to try them. I really really hope you like them.
How to make The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs
To make The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs you’ll start by cleaning your mushrooms. Soak mushrooms in cold water for a few minutes. Then, finish cleaning with a paper towel or a brush if you see any dirt and Chop them.
When your mushrooms are clean and ready, heat your pan on medium-high heat. You want the pan hot but not smoking.
UPDATE: You can totally make this recipe OIL-FREE by skipping the oil entirely and baking instead of frying
Add the oil, mushrooms and all the seasonings (paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon and nutmeg) and start cooking.
At some point, a ton of water will start to come out of the mushrooms, just continue cooking until all the water is evaporated.
Shaping and cooking
IF FRYING: make sure the oil is well heated before you start, or the meatballs will disintegrate. Fry until hey are golden brown on both sides, and transfer to paper towel to drain the excess oil.
IF BAKING: If you prefer to bake just make sure you use a silicone mat or baking paper to line your baking tray. Using just oil or butter won’t work. Bake them for about 30 minutes or until you see they are firm to the touch, thoroughly cooked and with a nice brown color. Get them out of the oven and let them cool down a bit before you attempt to take them off the silicone mat or the parchment.
UPDATE: They should peel right off very easily of the baking mat or paper. If they are not peeling easily is because they are still a bit wet. Stick for a few more minutes in the oven and then, let cool down a bit before removing from the baking tray.
Finish The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs by cooking them in your preferred tomato sauce (Check out our Sweet Potato & Tomato Pasta Sauce) for 5 minutes or so, on low heat. This last process will give the meatballs a very nice melt-in-your-mouth texture. Delicious! 🙂
Have you tried The Ultimate Vegan Meatballs yet? Let us know in the comment section below! And, don’t forget to tag us #sisterblissdiary when you make your Ultimate Vegan Meatballs. Don’t be shy and follow as well on instagram and pinterest. 🙂
Shabuah Tob!
Best Meatless Meatballs On Earth {Vegan, Gluten Free}
Ingredients
- 450 gr Mushrooms
- 200 gr Quick-cooking Oats
- 180 ml water
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp Sweet Paprika
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ tsp. Salt (I used Pink Himalayan Salt)
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ Cup Dried Oregano
- Pinch of Nutmeg
Instructions
- Clean mushrooms: Soak in cold water for a few minutes. Finish cleaning with a paper towel or little brush. Chop.
- Heat your pan on medium-high heat. You want the pan hot but not smoking. Add oil (you can skip to make oil-free), mushrooms and seasonings. Cook until there is no excess water left and the mushrooms are cooked through.
- Process with a food processor, add oregano and pulse to a rough paste.
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl and add oats and water. Mix well.
- Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid and bind everything together.
- Shape with wet hands and fry (or bake for about 30 minutes in a parchment lined baking tray) until browned and completely cooked through.
- Finish cooking in your preferred tomato sauce for 5 minutes or so, on low heat for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
