Vegan Hearty Black Bean “Meatballs”
Food is an every day occurrence- be it special occasion, on the go, elaborate and intricate, from the freezer- food is a part of our every day lives. When I was growing up, a big part of food was family dinner. Meals that were not so elaborate that they took hours to make, but whole foods transformed into a filling, warm, nutritious and nourishing supper without too much time or effort. These vegan, hearty, black bean “meatballs” fit the bill for the family supper perfectly. They’re filled with plant-based proteins, and can be made at home with a few simple ingredients. They’re also packed with flavor, and have a strong umami presence, along with a soft and chewy texture.
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What’s Really the Point in Meatballs?
Meatballs (true, meat-filled meatballs), are one of those things I’ve never had- and never really understood. Giant, minced chunks of flesh doesn’t really seem appealing, but when I striped it back- chewy, crispy, protein-packed add-ons to pasta- that made more sense to me. This is not actually my first vegan meatball recipe- I made one with beets and vital wheat gluten a while ago that is delicious! Those ones are a little more time intensive though. In an effort to make them more weeknight-friendly, these vegan black bean meatballs are as simple as 1. Open a can of beans 2. Rehydrate some TVP. 3. Mix and 4. Bake. Serve with some spaghetti and tomato sauce (I’m partial to the Trader Joe’s Arrabiata sauce) for a full meal, or even use as an appetizer by serving with little toothpicks and some dipping sauce.
These are Not my Italian Grandmas Meatballs
A lot of my friends growing up had Italian grandmothers, with the secret “best meatball ever” recipe. I’m letting you know now that I don’t have that, the Scottish and Slovaks are not typically known for their meatball recipes, and neither of my grandmothers taught me to cook (one of my grandmothers hadn’t touched a stove for the entirety of when I knew her). But I do have a mother who made dinner for me almost every night for 18 years straight, while working a fulltime job, so while these might not be traditional Italian meatballs (for one thing, they’re distinctly lacking the meat), they are a family-inspired recipe, made with love.
Looking for More Italian-Inspired Dishes? Try one of these!
- Vegan Caramelized Onion and Fennel Pizza
- Vegan Pane Cotto (AKA Bread and Bean Casserole)
- Cardamom Hazelnut Vegan Snowball Cookies
- Vegan Meatballs (Beetballs) & Seitan and Beet Meatballs
- Vegan Radicchio Pasta with Smoky Mushrooms & Olives
Making these Vegan Black Bean Meatballs
Making this recipe is simple- start with beans. You can just use a can of black beans, or you can rehydrate some dry ones (like I did). The benefit for using dried beans, is you can use the broth they make later for your TVP (but don’t stress too much- you can also use vegetable broth or water to do the same thing). Speaking of TVP- for those of you who haven’t used it before, it’s short for Textured Vegetable Protein, and is actually a by-product of extracting soy oil that’s been around since the 1960’s. It’s basically flavorless, but has a great, chewy, meaty texture. For these vegan black bean meatballs, we are going to take advantage of that texture by rehydrating them with a mix of broth (or water) and soy sauce, which will add a savory punch to the whole dish. A combinations of breadcrumbs and vegan mayonnaise are used to balance the dryness and stickiness of the mixture, which is then rolled into balls and placed in the oven to bake. About half-way through, take the vegan black bean meatballs out of the oven and flip, but do so gently because they’ll be fragile at this point! Once they’re done, serve and enjoy!
Vegan Hearty Black Bean Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried TVP
- 1 cup warm liquid (black bean broth, vegetable broth, water)
- 1 TBSP. soy sauce
- 1 ¾ cup (1 15 oz. can) black beans
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 TBSP. nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Add the soy sauce to the broth or other liquid and stir before adding the TVP. Set aside and let sit until most of the liquid has been soaked up (about 5 minutes).
- Place your beans in a large bowl. Use a potato masher to roughly mash the beans, until they are somewhat smashed. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, nutritional yeast, red and black pepper, salt and TVP (once hydrated). Mix well. Finally add the vegan mayonnaise and bread crumbs, adjusting slightly if the mixture is too wet or dry.
- Roll one heaping tablespoon into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Continue until all the mixture is used up. Place the rolled bean balls in the oven for about 30 minutes total, taking them out and flipping them once while they cook. Serve warm, with pasta and tomato sauce if desired.
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Let’s hear from you…
- What are your go to week-night dinners?
- Have you ever made black bean meatballs before, or a different type of vegan meatball?
- Do you have an Italian grandma who could school me on the ways of classic meatballs?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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