These vegan black bean meatballs are simple to prepare, packed with protein, and taste delicious served alongside this aromatic curry gravy or with tons of other dishes. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and perfect for a simple mid-week meal or meal-prep, to be frozen!
Hearty, Healthy Black Bean Meatballs
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or just want a simple recipe for ‘Meatless Mondays,’ these black bean meatballs may just be exactly what you’re looking for. They are made from a combination of black beans, sunflower seeds, oats, and several herbs, spices, and seasonings (but are also super versatile to substitutions and variations!).
Not only are these vegan meatballs packed with protein, but they’re flavorful with a firm, crispy outside and tender middle. Having experimented with several vegetarian meatball recipes, I found the biggest issue with any meatless meatballs is avoiding crumbling, and a gummy texture, while achieving enough ‘bite’ to mimic that firm but tender texture you want from a meatball. Luckily, these tick all the boxes!
Want to know the secret to delicious meat-free meatballs (or one of them, at-least)? It’s all in the seasoning! The ingredients list for this recipe may seem quite long at first glance. However, you will likely have the majority of the herbs/spices already in your kitchen. There’s nothing worse than spending the time to blend, fry, and bake a batch of any meat alternative and finding it lacking in seasoning – don’t worry, I’ve been there!
When served alongside a creamy, rich, dairy-free curry gravy (recipe also below!) and some Mashed Potatoes, you’ll have a delicious bowl of healthy, flavor-packed comfort food at its finest. However, if gravy isn’t what you’re in the mood for, then these black bean meatballs pair well with tons of meals. Just check out my ‘how to serve’ section below for several of my favorite ideas.
How To Make Vegan Meatballs?
For The Black Bean Meatballs
Step 1: Add all of the meatball ingredients (except the oil) to a food processor or blender and blend to a thick paste consistency.
Note – If you don’t have a food processor/blender, then you can add the ingredients to a bowl and use a potato masher or fork. It will be a chunkier consistency, but it will work.
Step 2: Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls (there should be around 15).
Note – if the mixture is a little wet, add a little more oats and/or allow the mixture to chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. You can also lightly oil your hands when rolling the meatballs to avoid sticking.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 390F/200C. Meanwhile, lightly fry the meatballs in a large, oiled pan/skillet over medium heat, until lightly browned, turning occasionally.
Step 4: Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until crispy and browned.
Note – By using a stovetop and oven combo, you get a slight crust from the pan before further crisping up and drying out their centers (so they’re not mushy!) during the baking time.
For The Spiced Gravy
Step 1: As the vegan meatballs bake, add the tomato paste and plant-based cream to your pan/skillet on the stovetop and whisk until smooth, slowly adding the veggie broth as you whisk.
Step 2: Bring to a boil, add all of the remaining ingredients (apart from the cornstarch and parsley), and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Note- Reduce the amount of curry powder for less heat and a more ‘muted’ gravy flavor, if preferred. I suggest adding half, tasting, and then increasing as needed.
Step 3: Mix the cornstarch with a little water to create a slurry and then mix into the gravy, heating for a further couple of minutes while it further thickens- then it’s ready to serve!
You can check out my potato method here if you want to serve the vegan meatballs and gravy with mashed potatoes.
For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
How to Store
Store the leftover vegan meatballs and gravy (separately) in the fridge for 4-5 days.
You can also freeze them in their uncooked or cooked form. They tend to become even crispier when reheating after they’re already baked once, so that’s what I prefer to do.
To freeze, layer in a freezer-safe container between layers of parchment paper, so they don’t stick as they freeze. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating, bake from frozen (increase the time in the oven a bit), or drop them into a pot of sauce on the hob from frozen or thawed until warmed through.
How to Serve
These meatless meatballs are super versatile, perfect for serving with tons of meals apart from the spicy gravy so that they’re never becoming boring. Here are a few of my other favorite options:
- With Marinara sauce – either alone or with spaghetti, mash, or rice.
- Spaghetti & meatballs
- Or other pasta dishes – like this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Alfredo Pasta, or even German Schupfnudeln.
- In a meatball sub/wrap with this Vegan Cheese Sauce.
- Add the vegan meatballs to soups and stews – like this easy Tomato Pasta Soup, Lasagna Soup, or Creamy Pasta Soup.
- As part of traybake with roasted veggies.
- Use, halved, as a Pizza topping.
- They also become firmer as they cool, so they are great for serving in cold pasta salads or as finger-food alongside some Yum Yum Sauce or other dips.
And don’t forget to serve with a liberal sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan to top- delicious!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Oats: You can substitute the oats with your flour of choice – such as buckwheat. You can also use grain-free options, including almond, quinoa, and chickpea flour. Avoid coconut flour as it’s very absorbent and could lead to crumbly meatballs.
- The Cream: You can use plant-based cream, coconut cream, or full-fat coconut milk. You could also use any other plant-based milk (soy, oat, etc.), but the gravy won’t be as rich and creamy.
- Sunflower Seeds: Or you can use the seeds/nuts of your choice (Pumpkin, hemp, walnut, cashew, almond, hazelnut).
- Beans: Feel free to sub the black beans for kidney beans or even chickpeas.
- Optional Add-ins: You could add a splash of liquid smoke or soy sauce/tamari (GF option) for additional flavor.
- Cornstarch: Substitute this with arrowroot or tapioca starch.
Other Helpful Tips
- To cook these in an air-fryer: I haven’t tried, but I suggest using the same temperature, spray lightly with a little oil and cook for between 10-15 minutes.
- To only pan-fry: Simply heat for longer in the pan. They will be slightly softer/mushier this way, except if you deep-fry them.
- To only oven-bake: Bake in the oven for an extra few minutes. They won’t be quite as crispy this way.
- Readers’ Tip: You can omit the pan-frying and bake these veggie meatballs in a Muffin tin. That way, they get crispy all over but with no need for excess oil or turning them over.
- You can adjust these black bean meatballs into vegan burger patties by shaping them into patties and increasing the cooking time.
Related Recipes without Meat
- Vegan Hungarian Goulash
- Meat-free Meatloaf with Mushroom Sauce
- Vegan Shawarma Kebab
- Meat-Free Sausage Recipe
If you try this vegan meatball recipe, I’d love a comment and recipe ★★★★★ rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan/ #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
Vegan meatballs:
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed (250 g)
- 1/4 cup (35 g) sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup (45 g) oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tbsp (60 g) tomato paste
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 2 tbsp ground chia seeds or flax seeds
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
Gravy:
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable broth or water
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) plant-based cream or canned coconut milk
- 2 tbsp (60 g) tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 3 tsp curry powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (to thicken)
- Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare mashed potatoes or make your favorite pasta or rice (whatever you want to serve with your vegan meatballs).
Vegan meatballs:
- Put all the meatball ingredients (except oil) into a food processor (or blender) and pulse a couple of times. Scrape down the sides and pulse again. Repeat for about one minute or until the mixture sticks together in a thick paste.
- Roll the mixture with your hands into balls. I used 1 tbsp per ball (the recipe makes about 15 balls).
- Preheat oven to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan/skillet and fry the balls for about 6-8 minutes over medium heat. Shake the pan from time to time to fry the balls evenly on all sides.
- Transfer the balls onto a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
Gravy:
- To make the gravy, add the tomato paste to a pan (use the same pan which you used for the meatless balls), pour in the plant-based cream, and stir with a whisk to smooth out the tomato paste. Then slowly add the vegetable broth, while stirring.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, add all other ingredients (except cornstarch and fresh parsley) and allow it to simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes (the longer you simmer the gravy, the more flavorful and thicker it will be).
- In a small bowl mix cornstarch with a little bit of water into a 'slurry' and then add it to the pan. The gravy will get a little bit thicker. Keep simmering for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the gravy over the meat-free balls and serve with either mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice! Store leftovers of the gravy and meatballs (separated) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
- Feel free to use fewer spices for the gravy if you don't like it too spicy.
- If you don’t have a food processor/blender, then you can add the ingredient to a bowl and use a potato masher or fork. It will be a chunkier consistency but will work.
- If the meatball mixture is a little wet when trying to form the balls, add a little more oats and/or allow the mixture to chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. You can also lightly oil your hands when rolling the meatballs to avoid sticking.
- Read the recipe and ingredient notes section in the blog post above for more suggestions and top tips! You can also find additional serving suggestions.
- Recipe serves 3. Nutrition facts are for one serving (without the mashed potatoes).
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
Absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to keep trying youre other recipes 🙂
So glad you like the recipe, Krystal. 🙂
Definitely going to try this!
Enjoy! 🙂
I’m baking these for an event tomorrow, can I serve them in a slow cooker or might they break up?
That should be fine, Debbie! Merry Christmas. 🙂
This gravy looks SO flavorful and the meatballs seem so filling! I need to make this!
I hope you will enjoy this dish, Lea. 🙂
Hey Ela,
I want to make these today, the recipe says flax seeds- do they need to be grounded? Also, why do we need to add them? I know usually they act like eggs but there are no fluids in the meatballs
Hello Galit, yes, you can use ground flax seeds. The wet ingredients are the beans and the tomato paste. 🙂
Hello, I did the vegan meatballs without the gravy, i made the spaghetti sauce, and they taste delicious. Thank you.
I am glad you liked it, Rania. 🙂
I was wondering, which food processor are you using? The texture looks perfect with yours!
Hello Carlos, I linked the food processor in the first instruction step of the recipe (under vegan meatballs). 🙂
I made these yesterday and they were very tasty, never will I get shop bought vegan balls.
The sausages are the best ever.
Thank you for these recipes.
Hi Jean! I am so glad you liked them. Thanks for your kind feedback. 🙂
Have you made this in the Air Fryer for an Oil-free Option?
Not yet, but I think it should work well. 🙂
I made this recepie last night and it was really delicious..One thing about the meat balls was that they were’nt easy to work with specialy while frying..they kind seperated..wich I think will be fine if I add more oat next time????. Thank you so much for this recepie
Thanks for your feedback, Zara! 🙂
5 stars!
I never leave comments but this was SO DELICIOUS and comforting that I simply had to! Thank you for sharing! I’m sharing this link with all my people.
That’s amazing! Thanks for your feedback, Maya. 🙂
Hi Ela,
I have tried many of your recipes, they have all been fantastic. Thank you
Do you think the meatballs and gravy could be frozen?
Thanks so much
Yes, you can freeze both separately in plastic containers. I would suggest freezing the meatballs after frying them (once cooled). So happy you like my recipes, Sarah. 🙂
I rarely leave reviews on recipes. This recipe was absolutely phenomenal. The only change I would make is to double the meatballs!
I am so glad you loved the recipe, Julie! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Other than being a complete nightmare to blend in the food processor these meatballs are delicious.
I am glad they turned out delicious, Dominica! 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! My 11 year old son tells me this is 10 out of 10. I cannot want to try more recipes from your site.
Aww, how sweet of him to say! I am so glad you enjoyed the meal, Marisa. 🙂
Delicious! It was a bit long to prepare as it was the first of your recipes I tried. I am confident the future recipes will take less time. I am looking forward to cook your other recipes. I should add that my spouse and I are wanting to eat more vegan food but so far we were quite disappointed by the recipes. This experience is leading us to continue cooking your recipes.
I am glad you liked the recipe and I hope you will also enjoy my other recipes. 🙂
I haven’t tried these but was wondering what a substitute for the cream/ coconut milk would be? This entire recipe sounds delicious and I’d love to try it!
Hello! You can use plant-based milk of choice, it just won’t be as creamy. 🙂
I always like to recommend cashew cream because it’s very creamy but also doesn’t add too much taste to recipes. I use cashew cream in any recipe that asks for cream or milk of any sorts.
Do you think I could cook meatballs instead of baking?
Hi Leja, I never tried that. I would be afraid they could fall apart, but maybe it would work if you cook them in a thick tomato sauce. 🙂
I made the meatballs today. Very tasty! I added BBQ sauce while they were baking and served them with potato wedges. Thanks for posting this recipe????
I am so glad you liked the recipe, Susan! Adding BBQ sauce sounds like a great idea. 🙂
Hi, Ela! Would it be possible to replace oats with something else? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Manca, you can replace the oats with any flour of choice. You just need some kind of thickener for the mixture. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi there I was wondering if you had a suggestion for how to cook the meatballs in an air fryer?? My air fryer has a ‘bake’ function as well. Just trying to simplify the cooking process to one step. Thanks!!
That should be fine! I would suggest the same temperature but only 10-15 minutes or so. Please report back if you give it a try. 🙂