Description
This Vegan Mushroom Meatballs recipe offers a delicious gluten-free alternative to traditional meatballs. Made with cremini mushrooms, roasted nuts, and gluten-free flour, these meatballs are flavorful and hearty. They’re baked to perfection and served with a vibrant red pepper sauce, making them a perfect appetizer or main dish for anyone following a vegan or gluten-free diet.
Ingredients
For the Mushroom Meatballs
- 1 Tablespoon ground flax meal + 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon light olive oil or vegan butter
- ⅔ cup chopped red onion or 1 large shallot
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup roasted nuts (almonds or toasted walnut halves)
- ⅔ cup gluten-free flour or oat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic (~3 cloves garlic)
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2–3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil + extra for garnish
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- 2 cups Red Pepper Sauce (or sauce of choice)
- Garnish – fresh chopped basil and cracked pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Make Flax Egg: In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax meal and water. Let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens to an egg-like consistency, which will act as a binder for the meatballs.
- Sauté Onions and Mushrooms: Heat the olive oil or vegan butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant and softened. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until lightly browned and softened. Cover and cook on medium-low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Prepare Nut and Flour Mixture: While the mushrooms cool, place roasted nuts into a food processor and blend until a fine nut meal is formed. Transfer this nut meal to a bowl and mix in the gluten-free or oat flour.
- Make Mushroom Paste: Place the cooled mushrooms, onions, and minced garlic into the food processor or blender. Blend until a soft paste forms, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the mushroom paste to the nut and flour mixture. Stir in gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, chopped fresh basil, paprika, dried parsley, and onion salt until well combined.
- Add Flax Egg and Chill if Needed: Mix in the flax egg to bind the mixture. If the batter feels too soft to shape, refrigerate it for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Shape Meatballs: Using a cookie scoop, portion out the batter and roll by hand into 10–12 meatballs. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then carefully turn them over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until firm and slightly crispy on the outside.
- Heat Pepper Sauce: While the meatballs bake, warm the red pepper sauce or sauce of choice in a large saucepan over low heat.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Once baked, transfer the meatballs to the pan with the warmed pepper sauce. Gently mix to coat the meatballs and keep warm until serving.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the vegan mushroom meatballs hot, garnished with fresh chopped basil and cracked black pepper for added flavor and presentation.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- To toast nuts, spread them on a baking sheet and roast at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned.
- You can use gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos to keep this recipe soy-free.
- Adjust paprika amount for desired smokiness and heat. Smoked paprika works well.
- If batter is too sticky to work with, chilling it helps firm it up for easier shaping.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent meatballs from sticking during baking.
- Red pepper sauce can be homemade or store-bought; flavor preferences can be adjusted.
