Vegan Meatballs

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

These delicious vegan meatballs will leave you wondering why you ever ate meat in the first place. Made from mushrooms, black beans and rolled oats, and flavoured with delicious smoked paprika, garlic and chilli, they will leave you wanting more I am sure. They have a good combination of carbs and protein from the beans and oats, so need to worry about getting your meal balanced with this one.

Polenta is an Italian grain which can be cooked with water or stock to make a thick porridge or mash potato consistency. It can be flavoured with herbs and spices to give it an extra taste dimension. Once cooked it can either be served as it is or left to set and then sliced. It can also be sliced in to chips and lightly stir fried as an alternative to chips. You can also buy ready to eat polenta, just check it is still vegan, as some manufacturers will add butter to their recipe.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Vegan Meatballs with Polenta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Rachel Wilcock
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Tasty vegan meatballs served with delicious creamy Italian polenta

Ingredients

Scale

For the ‘meat’balls
30g dried porcini mushrooms

Spray olive oil

1 onion, very finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

1 x 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed

50g rolled oats

2 tbsp brown rice miso

50g fresh breadcrumbs

1 tbsp olive oil to fry the ‘meat’balls

For the tomato sauce
Spray olive oil

1 onion, very finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed

Small pinch of chilli flakes

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

½ small bunch of basil, finely chopped

500g soft cooked polenta, to serve

Instructions

For the ‘meat’balls

  1. Tip the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 20 mins.
  2. Meanwhile heat a few sprays of olive oil spray in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent.
  3. Add the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 min.
  4. Tip the black beans and oats into a food processor and blitz until you have a chunky, textured mixture.
  5. Tip the beans into a mixing bowl and stir through the miso, breadcrumbs and cooked onion mix.
  6. Strain and finely chop the porcini mushrooms and add to the mixture (you could freeze the liquid for soup or risottos).
  7. Season with salt and black pepper and roll into 12 balls and chill in the fridge while you make the sauce.

For the sauce

  1. Heat a few sprays of olive oil spray in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 min.
  3. Stir through the tomatoes and season to taste.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 20 mins.
  5. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
  6. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil for the meatballs in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
  7. Add the balls and fry for 5 mins until evenly brown. Transfer to a baking tray and put in the oven to cook through for 12 mins.
  8. Add the cooked meatballs to the pan of sauce and toss everything to coat, then scatter with the basil.
  9. Serve with soft polenta.
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Cook Time: 60

Nutrition

  • Calories: 343

Leave a Reply