Vegetarian mushroom meatballs - these moist, herby, delicious meatless 'meatballs' taste amazing with tomato sauce and pasta and are the perfect healthy comfort food.
The weather the last couple of days has been utterly foul. Non-stop rain all day and the darkest, gloomiest skies. Comfort food is definitely in order and these vegetarian mushroom meatballs are just the thing.
Spaghetti with tomato sauce, meatballs and plenty of cheese has to be one of the ultimate comfort foods and it is really easy to make an amazing tasting vegetarian (or even vegan) version of the classic.
These vegetarian meatballs are mushroom based, but they don't taste particularly mushroomy, more just savoury and herby and are close enough to the original that even carnivores will love them.
They are very easy to make too, though they do take a bit of prep and it is best to let the mixture sit in the fridge for a couple of hours, or even overnight, before shaping them so that it holds together better.
They do hold their shape well when you cook them, but they are a little more delicate than regular meatballs so be gentle when you turn them.
I generally use eggs to help bind them together and parmesan for flavour, meaning that they aren't vegan; but I have also made them using vegan substitutions and they work perfectly.
You just swap the butter for vegan spread or more olive oil, the eggs for a couple of flax eggs and the parmesan for either a vegan version or nutritional yeast flakes. I've given instructions for both versions below.
Now before I get loads of comments saying that parmesan isn't vegetarian so I shouldn't be calling these vegetarian meatballs; A: I know. B: It's optional. C: Vegetarian/vegan versions are pretty easy to find.
I use Sainsbury's own brand 'Italian hard cheese' and Violife make a vegan version. I simply call it parmesan because 'vegetarian Italian hard cheese' doesn't have the same ring to it.
Vegetarian Mushroom Meatballs Recipe:
Vegetarian Mushroom Meatballs
Ingredients
Vegetarian Mushroom Meatballs:
- 650 g (23oz) mushrooms finely chopped
- 1 large onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (or vegan spread or more olive oil)
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (leaves only)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme (leaves only)
- 100 g (1 cup) fine/quick cook porridge oats
- 100 g (scant 1 cup) breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 30 g (1oz) grated parmesan (make sure you use a vegetarian version) (or 4 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes for vegan option) (optional)
- 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs - 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoon water and left for 10 minutes to gel)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions peeled and finely diced
- 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 celery sticks finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- small bunch fresh basil
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 120 ml (½ cup) red wine
- 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper
- cooked spaghetti to serve
Instructions
- Fry the onion in the olive oil and butter in a large pan over a low heat until softened. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring regularly, until all of the excess moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have browned a little.
- Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook for another minute then transfer the mixture to a food processor. Blend until it is very finely chopped then add the oats and blend again.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs, oregano, salt, parmesan/nutritional yeast, eggs/flax eggs, soy sauce and plenty of black pepper. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
- While the mushroom mixture is chilling make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a low heat and fry the onion, carrot and celery for about 10 minutes until very soft. Finely chop the basil stalks, setting the leaves aside, and add them to the pan. Add the garlic and tomato puree and cook for another minute.
- Add the red wine and allow it to bubble away until it has almost all evaporated then add the chopped tomatoes, water, bay leaves, sugar and some salt and pepper.
- Bring up to a gentle simmer and allow to cook, stirring every now and again, for about 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. Remove the bay leaves then either use a stick blender to blend the sauce until it is smooth as I did, or leave it chunky.
- Form the mushroom mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball. Fry them gently in a little olive oil, turning them regularly, until they are browned. Alternatively you can bake them in the oven on a baking parchment lined baking sheet at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for about 30 minutes, turning them halfway through.
- Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes then serve with pasta and grated cheese.
Notes
Michelle
When you say fine/quick-cooking oats- should the oats be blitzed into a fine flour? Or simply use the whole quick cook oat.
hannahhossack
Hi Michelle, I use the whole oat as the mixture gets blended in a food processor anyway; it will still work if you want to blitz the oats first though so either way is fine.
Michelle
Hi hannah!
I tried this recipe, and these meatballs are amazing! I did the vegan version, and did not try them with tomato sauce yet. I fried them gently on all sides, and the whole family was impressed and curious what they were made of. The only thing was, the insides were still so soft and while delicious and beautiful and cohesive, was wondering if baking them results in a denser texture on the inside?
Michelle
Note: By soft, I mean seemed a bit too gooey, especially if I had chosen to use the original egg called for rather than the flax eggs. As if the heat didn't really reach through. I shaped them a bit smaller than a golf ball or about golf ball sized.
hannahhossack
Hi Michelle, hmmmm, I've not had that problem with them before and I make them fairly regularly. They aren't meant to be as firm as meat-based meatballs, they are quite soft inside but shouldn't be gooey; it sounds like maybe they weren't quite cooked through. Baking them may help to cook them through more evenly. I'm glad that you enjoyed them regardless!
Steph Ellis
Hi,
How many does this serve?
I have prepped the mixture but will b doing sauce tonight.
Steph
hannahhossack
Hi Steph, it serves four very generously or six smaller portions. I could have sworn that I put the number of servings on the recipe card but it appears that I forgot so thank you for pointing that out!
Justine
Hi, do you think these would freeze okay?
hannahhossack
Hi Justine, I think so but I would freeze them without the sauce, otherwise they might get soggy when they defrost.
Pauline
Hi Hannah,
I have started following you on Instagram after making this recipe: these veggie meatballs are to die for!
I was so happy to finally find a great recipe for meatballs as I have tried several ones with no success (either taste or texture wasn't satisfying). Yours are soft, full of flavour and could definitely have fooled me when I was still eating meat 2 years ago. I have made them several times already!
I'll try other recipes for sure (I'm hosting Christmas dinner this year and I'm looking for a roast that would be as good as your meatballs!).
Anyway, a big thank you from France for making my vegetarian life easier/tastier (I was a big meat lover…).
Pauline
Lisa
Very good but i think it’s important to emphasize early on its a soft texture inside and to make sure you stick with golf ball size or smaller. I would even consider making them flatter like a small puck vs in a ball if wanting less of a soft texture. Overall the flavors are very good and I plan to freeze mine as well.
Maccabloom
I convinced my mom to make this and it turned out to be awesome. Thank you!
Dot
These are amazing! I halved the batch because I only had 325g of mushrooms, and didn't have breadcrumbs so replaced them with a slice of toast. I baked them in the airfryer for about 25 minutes at 180C, and they came out beautifully. Not soft at all, definitely quite meaty.
helen portas
These sound amazing! Could I freeze them?
Hannah
Hi Helen, yes they should freeze well.