Vegan "Meatballs" Recipe

This is an easy, great tasting recipe that I developed based on similar recipes that Chef Deb has posted on her discussion forum. These are great to serve at parties. I have seen non-vegetarians scarfing these down at my house.

In the past I have made a huge batch of these and frozen them. They tend to fall apart more after they have been thawed. But the taste and texture are not affected.


This recipe does rely heavily on pre-packaged meat substitutes. These always drive the cost of a recipe up. But they are very convenient and taste good. I have experimented with trying to make vegan "meats" at home but have had mixed results. I will post some of the recipes I have had the most luck with in the near future. If anyone knows of any vegan "meat" recipes that turn out as good as what you can buy, feel free to leave a link or copy of the recipe in the comments.

VEGAN "MEATBALLS"
> 1 package Gimme Lean (Sausage or "Beef" Flavor)
> 6 oz vegan burger crumbles
> 1/2 cup cracker crumbs (saltines)
> 1/2 tsp onion powder
> 1/2 tsp garlic powder
> 1/2 tsp dried oregano
> 1/4 tsp basil
> 1/4 tsp salt
> dash of pepper
> 2 Tbsp olive oil
> additional vegetable oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or electric mixer. Form into any size balls you like. Brown on all sides in oil. Continue heating until hot throughout.
My notes for this recipe:
1. I typically use burger crumbles from Morningstar Farms.

2. These would probably work great in a deep fryer if you are going for maximum juiciness.
3. I have made these with both the "beef" and sausage flavor Gimme Lean. I like both, but I get the most positive feedback with the sausage flavor.
4. I have served these with pasta and marinara, with toothpicks covered with marinara, and with marinara fondue.
5. This recipe has me thinking about the meatball subs I used to get from Subway when I was (not vegan) in college. Maybe meatball subs will be on the menu next week.