These vegan meatballs are super-easy to make and are good for a hearty meal or post-workout snack.
You can either smother these in your favorite pasta and marinara, or if you’re going low-carb, eat them individually without the pasta and dip them in marinara.
Carbs: 26 | Fat: 13 | Protein: 14 | Calories: 245
Yield: 10 meatballs (a serving is two meatballs)
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 flax egg
- 8 ounces tempeh* (or substitute 1 heaping cup rinsed and drained chickpeas for similar result)
- 1/2 cup vegan bread crumbs
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Flaky sea salt to taste (add pepper if desired)
*Coconut oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Prepare flax egg (or other vegan egg substitute) in a small dish.
- In a large, deep skillet, sauté garlic in 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat until soft (3 minutes). Set aside.
- Add tempeh to blender and pulse to break up. Then add sautéed garlic and remaining ingredients (except coconut oil) and mix. The goal is a moldable dough.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The tempeh will come across as a little bitter, but once coated, baked, and served with marinara, it’s not nearly as apparent.
- Scoop out 2 tbsp. amounts of dough and roll into balls (should make about 10 meatballs). Heat the skillet you used earlier to medium heat.
- Mix remaining bread crumbs and add tempeh balls one or two at a time and roll to coat.
- Add enough coconut oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of your hot skillet, then add your coated tempeh balls in two batches, so as to not crowd the pan. Brown for about 5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around to brown all sides.
- Add browned meatballs to a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or longer if desired for a crispier result.
- At this time, prep any pasta you want to serve with your meatballs, as well as your favorite marinara sauce.
- Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
