vegan, oil-free, gluten free, wfpb
Well hey there all you kind cookers!
Here's a recipe that I'm super excited to share. It's very reminiscent of my childhood, but VEGAN!! Homemade meatballs were a staple in my home growing up. I remember dinners at my grandparents as a kid and I think every time it was pasta and "gravy" plus meatballs of course. Now my extended family may not agree that these are the same. But I'm obviously not eating any meaty meatballs anytime soon! Enter HOMESTYLE VEGAN MEATBALLS!
Soy Curls
I LOVE soy curls. I want to sing it from the rooftops. My life was changed the day I tried them for the first time. They are my favorite thing since sliced bread. I love them so much I want to marry them... ok I know I'm being extra. But really. You're going to be seeing some soy curl recipes here very soon and I hope you've explored them and love them as much as I do. If you haven't...
Soy Curls are a whole food. The only ingredient is the whole soy beans, they are processed and dehydrated to arrive to your home in a little nice package ready to be loved. They are very high in protein and low in fat. The best thing about them is that they take on the flavors of whatever you marinate or cook them in, similar to tofu. The worst thing about them is when you get towards the end of the bag there's a TON of little crumbly pieces.
But WAIT, DON'T THROW THEM OUT. I keep a jar in my pantry and every time I finish up a bag the little crumbly bits get tossed into the crumble jar. They end up being awesome for meals you'd use ground meat in, like chili, tacos... MEATBALLS! just don't throw them out!
Baked vs Air Fried
If you have an air fryer, I highly recommend you pull it out for this recipe. The air fryer allows the balls to cook and keep their nice round shape since you won't have to flip them! Realistically baking them is just as tasty, but aesthetically air fried is the way to go.
Meatballs?
I feel a little weird calling these meatballs. I mean, they aren't meat and I don't want them to be meat. I need to stop saying meat.
But they are so reminiscent of those ****balls that I had growing up, I couldn't name them anything else. They are crisp on the outside and soft & flavorful on the inside and mimic that texture of the original. I've enjoyed these sauce-less on salads and tossed in a yummy marinara over pasta. They hold up to the sauce really well and really hit that spaghettis and ****ball spot. I'm about to invest in a good long Italian roll and go to town on some subs....
Take the time to make these delectable veggie balls and tell me how you've used them!! Did you toss them in a spaghetti sauce? Eat them straight from the air fryer? Comment here or tag me on instagram @samcookskindness! I want to know!!! <3
xo, Sam
Homestyle Vegan Meatballs
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
- small pan
- baking sheet with silpat or parchment
Ingredients
- 90 g crumbs or crushed soy curls* about 1½ cups but will vary based on size of crumbs
- 1 cup veggie broth
- ¼ onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 rib celery
- 2 tablespoon italian seasoning
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup oats
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place crushed soy curls and vegetable broth in a medium bowl, mix and let sit while you prep other ingredients. (If baking set oven for 375°)
- Dice onion, celery and garlic and water sauté** in a small pan for about 10 minutes until soft. Add in Italian seasonings, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 30 seconds more and then remove from heat.
- In food processor, place rolled oats and pulse till finely chopped. Add soaked soy curls and any remaining broth, sautéed vegetables and remaining ingredients to oats. Blend in food processor until fully combined.
- Mixture will be sticky. Using damp hands, roll into 2 inch balls, makes about 18-20 meatballs.
Oven Directions
- Place balls on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 mins flipping halfway through. Balls should be nicely browned when done.
Air Fryer Directions
- Air fry at 390° for 12-14 minutes.
- Enjoy as is, on sandwiches, salads, or toss in your favorite sauce and enjoy with pasta!
Notes
- *Use crumbs and small pieces from the bottom of the bag!
- **Water sauté- Allow vegetables to cook on medium heat stirring occasionally. Adding small splashes of water periodically during process to stop sticking. Continue till vegetables cooked to your liking.
- I prefer air frying these! Both results are delicious, however air fried is much quicker and leaves you with a nice round meatball to enjoy!
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Rachel says
Hi there! Looking forward to trying this to use up some of my soy curl crumbs! Do you know how much 90g is in cups? Also, after soaking the soy curls, do you keep any remaining broth or drain it?
Thanks!
Sam says
Hi Rachel! 90g will most likely be around 1 1/2 cups, but will vary a bit based on the size of your crumbs. No need to drain the soy curls! Most of the broth will be soaked up by the time you're ready to use them, so just dump it all in! 🙂 Hope you love it!