This Vegan meatballs in pepper sauce is an easy delicious, gluten free meatless meal. Make this baked mushroom meatball recipe for a quick dinner in under an hour! Lower carb option available.
Recipe video provided!
This mushroom meatballs recipe has been waiting for you!! I tested, tested, tested and goodness gracious I couldn’t be happier with the final results. MEATY MEATLESS MEATBALLS made with real vegetables. Get your party pants on because we’re going to celebrate home cooking made simple. I may be bias, but I think the whole family will love this. Yes, even the picky eaters.
These vegan meatballs are a great option for when you want those classic comfort food flavors. The ingredients used are full of so many vitamins and health benefits too!
My favorite way to serve this is by smothering the mushroom meatballs with finger-licking good red pepper sauce. The creamy sauce adds an extra punch of flavor to the already juicy and delicious plant-based meatballs.
These mushroom meatballs come together by combining flax eggs, ground nuts, flour, veggies, and spices.
If you’ve never made meat-free meatballs before, the texture will seem different then what you are used to. Don’t worry! They will still hold together during baking and taste delicious when smothered in red pepper sauce.
Just trust me on this, m’kay?
Ingredients
This is what you’ll need for the mushroom mixture:
- Flax eggs – ground flax meal and filtered water
- Nuts – almonds, pistachios, or walnuts (toasted or roasted work best)
- Veggies – red onion and mushrooms
- Flour – gluten-free flour or oat flour (can also use chickpea flour)
- Nutritional yeast
- Garlic
- Tamari soy sauce
- Seasonings – fresh basil, dried parsley, paprika, onion salt, salt and pepper
- Oil or vegan butter – for the pan
Substitutions
- You can replace the spices with seasoning blends if you’d prefer. To do this, leave out the paprika, parsley, and onion salt and replace with 2 teaspoons Italian & herb or BBQ spice mix.
- Regular soy sauce can be used in place of the tamari if you are not gluten-free or sensitive to gluten.
What sauce should you cook the mushroom meatballs in?
My favorite is of course, this easy blender pepper sauce. Made with pantry staples, yet again! But not to worry, this meatball recipe is great with just about any sauce. For reals!
ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
In this vegan meatball recipe, we’re serving the meatless goodness with an AMAZING red pepper sauce. Note that the sauce recipe link takes you to the salmon and red pepper post. The sauce is in the recipe card, first.
For that, you will need:
- Jarred roasted red peppers
- Smoked nuts – almonds and/or cashews
- Plum tomato
- Red wine vinegar – can also use Sherry cooking wine
- Cream – use a non-dairy unsweetened creamer/milk to keep this dish vegan or heavy cream for dairy loving folk.
- Garlic
- Spices – paprika, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper
How to make PERFECT vegan meatballs
Okay, get ready to roll (the vegan mixture, that is!)
- Start by making your flax eggs. Combine the flax and water together in a small bowl using a whisk or a spoon. Set aside to thicken.
- Add the nuts to the bowl of a blender or food processor and let that baby run and blend until you get a fine nut meal.
Mix with the flour in a small bowl and set aside. NOTE: If you are using raw nuts, dry toast them first to release the oils and flavors. Trust me, it’s soooo worth the extra 15 minutes.
- Next, add some oil to a large pan over medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer in the pan, add the red onion and sauté until soft and fragrant.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until those have softened and are lightly browned.
- Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid, season with salt and pepper, and stir again. Turn off the heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Wait until the mixture cools down, then transfer everything from the pan to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the minced garlic and blend everything to make a paste. You may need to stop and scrape the sides a few times.
- Transfer the paste to a mixing bowl. Then, simply stir in the flour/nut mixture.
- Add the tamari, nutritional yeast, spices, and herbs and stir together. Then mix in the flax egg.
- Scoop evenly sides balls from the mixture and gently finish forming with your hands. If the mixture is too soft, chill for about 30 minutes and try again.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to space them out so they aren’t touching.
- This vegan meatball recipe makes 6 large meatballs or 10-12 smaller ones. For larger meatballs, bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. For smaller meatballs, only cook for 25-30 minutes.
Here’s how to make the oh, so gorgeous, silky, creamy RED PEPPER SAUCE:
- Put all the ingredients except for the cream in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth, then transfer to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat and stir in the cream.
- Continue to heat for 2-4 minutes until warm, smooth, and combined.
- Spoon over your mushroom meatballs and enjoy!
For ingredients measurements and more instructions on making this sauce, you can find the recipe here.
We garnished with hemp seeds for a nutty topping that looks similar to parmesan! Super tasty and delicious!.
Print
Vegan Mushroom Meatballs (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 meatballs 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Mushroom Meatballs in Pepper Sauce (lower carb option)
Ingredients
For the Mushroom Meatballs
- 1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 3 tablespoons filtered water
- 1 cup roasted nuts (almond, pistachio, or toasted walnut halves work best)
- 2/3 c gluten free flour or oat flour
- 1 tbsp Oil or vegan butter for the pan
- 2/3 c chopped red onion or 1 large shallot
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1.5 tsp pre minced)
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tsp Dried parsley (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- 3 tbsp chopped basil
- 2–3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari soy sauce
- 2 c Red Pepper Sauce (or sauce of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a pan with parchment
- Mix your flax and water together in small bowl, set aside for 10 minutes. This creates a “flax egg.”
- If you bought raw nuts, quickly toast (dry) the nuts in a skillet on medium high for 5 minutes, mix with spoon. Transfer to bowl blender and blender until fine nut meal is formed. Combine with your flour in small bowl. Set aside.
- Rinse the skillet and reuse for sautéing mushrooms.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onions until fragrant and softened, around 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned and softened. Cover and cook on medium low, mixing 1-2x for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and mix again. Set aside to cool for at least 5-10 minutes.
- Next place the mushrooms, onion, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Blend until a soft paste is formed. You might have to stop and scrape the sides a few times.
- Combine mushroom paste in the bowl with flour/nut mix. Mix in the dried herbs, nutritional yeast, tamari, paprika, onion salt, and fresh basil. Stir until combined.
- Mix in the flaxseed egg. Stir again.
- If your batter is too soft, place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Using a cookie scooper batter evenly, then roll with hands to finish. Place on lined baking sheet. Continue until you have 10-12 meatballs.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 400F. Remove meatballs from oven, turn over, then place back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
- While the vegan mushroom meatballs are baking, heat your pepper sauce in a large saucepan. I like to use the same pan, so no extra mess.
- Once the meatballs are done baking, combine them in the sauce pan with the pepper Pepper Sauce or sauce of choice. Mix and keep warm until ready to serve. Serve and garnish with basil and cracked pepper.
Notes
- Substitutes – For lower carb option replace oat flour with chickpea flour. You can also substitute paprika, parsely, and onion salt with 2 tsp Italian Spice mix
- Category: main
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: italian american
Keywords: meatballs, vegetarian, keto, low carb, healthy, vegan, mushroom
Alright my friends, let me know if you give this recipe a whirl! It truly has become as repeat meatless recipe in our house. I think you’re family will love to too!
p.sHow are you guys holding up during this time? Comment below or email me! I want to know and be there for you. <3
Cheers & stay healthy,
LC
I made these tonight. They were delicious!! I used roasted cashews since that was the only nuts I had and it worked out well. Can I freeze them once they are baked?
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So glad you loved them! Sure, you should be fine to freeze them once they are baked.
Can I use eggs instead of flax eggs? Will that change anything about the instructions?
I haven’t tried it, but worth a shot! FOr sure! You just might need more flour to bind
Do you think i can take out the nuts? Maybe replace it with quick oat or panko?
I think oats would work just fine! Keep me posted.
This recipe for vegan GF mushroom meatballs looks delicious. I am allegic to flax, any suggestions for substitutes? Thanks.
You could use more chia seed, ground! No prob! Does that work?
These meatballs are perfect! Love the flavor of the mushrooms in them!
★★★★★
Thank you, Nancy! Glad you loved them!
I am not able to find the recipe for the red pepper sauce. Any suggestions?
That is so strange. The pepper sauce is here. Can you see it now? Let me know if not and I will add to card. https://www.cottercrunch.com/baked-salmon-with-roasted-red-pepper-sauce/
Good to know that works too! I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
★★★★★
Thank you!
I am loving that these are gluten free! The red pepper sauce sounds incredibly good over the meatballs!
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Thank you, Suzy!
I’m so intrigued by these! I love your recipes so much. Thank you!
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Thank you, Lauren!
Looks delicious, and I would love to try. The link to the red pepper sauce takes me to a page with no recipe. Has it been moved?
oh strange! It shows link on my end. It’s this recipe. IT’s linked with the salmon. Does that make sense?
https://www.cottercrunch.com/baked-salmon-with-roasted-red-pepper-sauce/