Vegan Meatballs

Growing up, my Italian Great Grandmother always hosted Sunday family dinners. The table would be filled with bowls of pasta and homemade sauce, salad, and Nani’s homemade meatballs. I remember the day I told my Nani I would not be eating meatballs anymore. Trying to explain vegetarianism let alone veganism to a 90+yr old Italian woman is about as easy as trying to control the weather. She simply looked perplexed. I used to watch her prepare the meatballs and over the years watched my own mother make her version of Nani’s meatballs. While the memories of watching the matriarchs pour their love into their food, as a vegan I’ve tried to replicate many things, but never the meatballs….until now! I took the basic concept and ingredients and simplicity and used Beyond Meat burgers as the base and I think my Nani would be proud with the results!

Meatball Ingredients

1 package Beyond Meat Burger (2 burgers) Defrosted

1/3 cup Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1 large clove garlic minced

2 Tbl Olive Oil

1 vegan egg (flaxseed or Bob’s Redmill Egg Replacer)

1/4 cup vegan grated parmesan (I used Three Girls Vegan Parm)

1/2 tsp Viva Pizzeria Spice Beast Blend

1 tsp Meat Madness Spice Beast Blend

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Meatball Coating

4 Tbl Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs

4 Tbl Vegan Parmesan

If you don’t have an air fryer, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

First up, in a small frying pan, sautee the onion and garlic in the olive oil, once the onions begin to look translucent, add the Viva Pizzeria seasoning and blend until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside. Don’t wash that fry pan, you’re going to use it again!

In a medium sized mixing bowl, crumble the defrosted Beyond Meat Burgers, add the sauteed onion and garlic mixture and ALL other burger ingredients and mix well with a fork or your bare hands thoroughly blending until well combined.

Blend the Meatball Coating ingredients in a small shallow bowl. Using a spoon or a small cookie dough scoop, begin to form meatballs by hand approx 1.5” in diameter and roll each on into the Meatball Coating until well coated. Place the coated meatballs back into the fry pan and cook over medium heat, rolling them balls around until they begin to brown all over.

Once the meatballs have browned, place them on a piece of parchment paper into the preheated oven OR place them directly into your air fryer and bake or air fry for 15-20 min on 350. Slather them in your favorite marinara and enjoy!