These are the best vegan meatballs. With a tempeh base, they are high in protein and full of Italian flavour. Serve them on pasta, subs, zoodles… the list goes on.
I kind of have a love affair with Italian food. It’s a lot like my love affair with Greek, Indian, Thai, Ethiopian, and Mexican food. (What can I say? I guess I just have a thing for food.)
But sometimes, nothing can compete with a gigantic bowl of spaghetti topped with steaming homemade marinara, tempeh meatballs, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
Yes, you can eat enjoy Italian food, minus the eggs, meat, and dairy. Let me show you how!
To start, gather your ingredients together. For this recipe, you’ll only need a handful of items: Tempeh, vegan Parmesan cheese (homemade or store-bought), tamari, dried herbs, fresh parsley, ground flax, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Then, you’ll throw everything into a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
Next, form 12 equal balls and bake them for about 25 minutes!
And voila. Now your meatballs are ready. From here, the possibilities are endless! I opted to serve them with homemade marinara sauce and pasta, but I can’t wait to try them on sandwiches, pizza, and more!
These vegan tempeh meatballs are legitimately meaty, packed with protein, and so flavourful. I hope you love them as much as I do.
As always, if you make these best vegan meatballs, don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram! Tag your photos @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen.
PrintThe Best Vegan Meatballs
Simple, healthy vegan meatballs made with tempeh. Perfect on spaghetti, sandwiches, pizza, and more.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner, Entree, Main Dish
- Cuisine: American, Italian, Vegan
Ingredients
- 8 oz temeph (1 package), cubed
- 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese*
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Pinch each sea salt, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (I use Wizard’s brand)
For serving:
- Cooked spaghetti or other pasta/grain of choice
- Marinara sauce (homemade** or store-bought)
- Additional vegan Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and crumbly. You want these balls to resemble meat in texture, so don’t over-process.
- Divide meatball mixture into 12 equal balls, each about the size of a golf ball, and place on the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Serve with desired amount of pasta, warmed marinara sauce, and vegan Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*You can use whichever vegan Parmesan cheese you like. You can find my recipe here. Note that you can use any nut or seed in this recipe!
**I recommend the marinara sauce recipe from Oh She Glows Everyday.
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