Easy Plant Based Meatballs (TVP Meatballs)

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these hearty meatless plant-based meatball recipe is packed with flavor and super easy to make. The best part is that they require less than 10 simple pantry ingredients (no beans) and are ready in no time!

Even though various brands such as Beyond Meat or Impossible are now offering meatless meatball products, you can easily make your own healthy veggie meatballs at home within a couple of minutes.

There's no additional oil or flavours included and they taste just as delicious! Served over spaghetti with a simple homemade marinara sauce, in subs or simply straight up as finger food, they make the most versatile weeknight-dinner.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• These plant-based meatballs are healthy, full of flavor and made with wholesome ingredients.
• There's no eggs and no beans involved and they are dairy-free, vegan and can easily be made gluten-free and nut-free. 
• They are made from a couple of simple pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.
• These vegetarian meatballs make a great freezer meal- super handy when you're short on time. 

Ingredients & Substitution Notes

• Onion & Garlic: ...slightly browned in olive oil, they add some amazing flavor as well as texture to the meatballs. 
• TVP (Soya Mince): Textured Vegetable Protein is the main ingredeint in these TVP meatballs. We highly recommend using slightly bigger chunks of TVP (not the finely minced once), because it helps achieving a chunkier texture. 
• Mushrooms: Together with the minced soya granulate, they are resposible for the moist and chewy texture. You could use any mushrooms of choice such as button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms or even shiitake mushrooms. 
• Cashews: The chopped cashews make such a nice addition to the chewy mushroom mixture. You could use roasted cashews for even more flavors or omit as a whole to keep this recipe nut-free. 
• Veggie Broth: Store-bought or homemade would both work fine. Make sure to adjust the salt depending on how salted your veggie broth already is.
• Panko: The breadcrumbs help create a sticky mass that holds the meatballs together. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if desired. 
• Smoked Paprika Powder: Adds some smoky flavors- replacing it with regular sweet paprika powder will not have the same effect. You could use Worcestershire sauce or any other barbecue sauce of choice instead. 

How to Make Plant Based Meatballs

Preparing these vegetarian meatballs is super easy and straightforward. All you'll need is a food processor and a large skillet. You could also bake them in the oven instead. 

Step 1: Soak TVP and blitz cashews + mushrooms

Start by soaking the textured vegetable protein (soy granulates) in veggie broth and set aside.

Next add (roasted) cashews to a food processor (or blender) and blitz until you end up with a crumble like texture. The reason to include the cashews is to add some crunchy textures so don't blend too much. Skip this step if you prefer a nut-free meatball recipe. 

Put mushrooms to the same food processor and pulse a couple of times until they resemble minced meat. Similar to the cashews, we still want some texture.

Step 2: Prepare TVP-mushroom mix

As almost any flavorful meal, this one also starts by sauteeing some onion and garlic in olive oil. Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent. 

Add minced mushrooms from the food processor and cook for a couple of minutes until slightly browned. Mushrooms hold a lot of water- it might take a couple of minutes of cooking until all of the water has evaporated. 

Once all the water is gone, drain TVP, then add it to the mushroom mix. Add spices (nutritional yeast and paprika powder) and cook for a couple of minutes more. We want the textured vegetable protein to also release some more veggie broth. 

Serving Suggestions

• Pasta: To turn this into an Italian meatball pasta and serve these homemade meatballs over spaghetti or other pasta in some marinara sauce.
• Subs: They also taste great in subs- again with a simple tomato sauce or other sauces.  Made sure that you choose a delicious bread or soft bun that's not too crunchy (otherwise your meatballs might fall apart). Add toppings of choice such as shredded cheese and pickles and enjoy!
• Potatoes: Serve these over some homemade mashed potatoes. Or try our baked potatoes instead.
• Finger Food: They also taste delicious on their own. Serve them as an appetizer with some dipping sauce. Without the cashews, these veggie meatballs could also be great for toddlers. 

Storage & Freezing

These no-meat meatballs make an amazing make-ahead meal and can be frozen when they are cooked or uncooked. 

• Cooked Meatballs: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up 4 days or freeze in a freezer friendly jar for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight and gently reheat in a large skillet over some oil or pop them into the microwave. 
• Uncooked Meatballs: They could also be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to put some parchment paper between to prevent them from sticking together. Let thaw in the fridge the night before you want to make them. Then prepare according to instructions below.