Last Updated on August 3, 2026 by Tanya
These Vegan Meatballs hold their shape, soak up sauce beautifully, and bring all the comfort of the classic dish without any meat. A hearty blend of lentils, mushrooms, and breadcrumbs bakes up deeply savoury, then simmers in rich tomato sauce over spaghetti for a meal that feels like a warm hug. Whether for a vegan household or sceptical guests, this is the dish that wins everyone over.
If you used to love spaghetti and meatballs pre-going vegan or just want to try a non-meat alternative these vegan meatballs will be your new go-to. They are packed with flavour, and are incredibly versatile. They can be served with pasta, in a sub sandwich, or just on their own as a protein-packed snack. I went through a lot of trial and error to get a vegan meatball that actually holds together and doesn’t fall apart in the sauce — the combination of lentils, mushrooms, and walnuts turned out to be the winning formula, giving that same dense, meaty bite people expect.
If you love a hearty, saucy comfort meal like this, you’ll also want to try my Vegan One Pot Lasagne — all the classic lasagne flavour, made in a single pot for easy weeknight cooking.
Ingredients
- Brown Lentils– They are a fantastic source of plant-based protein and fibre, making them the perfect foundation for the meatballs. They also help to bind the meatballs together.
- Walnuts– These add a rich, nutty flavour and crunch. They provide healthy fats and contribute to the meaty texture.
- Mushrooms– Mushrooms add depth and savoury richness to the meatballs.
- Flax ‘egg’– Flaxseed meal mixed with water create a “flax egg” acting as a binding agent in place of eggs. To make see notes under recipe.
- Onions and garlic– Onions add sweetness when sautéed and fresh garlic adds a pungent, aromatic flavour to vegan meatballs. You can use minced or crushed garlic, depending on your preference.
- Spices– Fennel, cumin, and smoked paprika are the perfect spice mix for these meatballs! Fennel has a hint of anise, adding a unique aromatic touch that mimics the flavour of traditional meatballs. Cumin adds a warm, earthy, flavour and smoked paprika adds the ‘smokiness’
- Soy sauce– Soy sauce adds a salty, umami flavour that mimics the richness of traditional meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs– These breadcrumbs are light, airy, and crunchy breadcrumbs that add texture and helps the meatballs hold their shape
- Whole oats– Oats serve as another binding agent
- Tomato paste– A large spoon of tomato paste can be added to the mixture to enhance the flavour
I made a simple tomato pasta sauce with fried onions, garlic and finely chopped tomatoes, and the added the meatballs to the sauce and served on spaghetti- Yum!
FAQs
Yes — bake at 200°C (400°F) for around 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and firm.
Make sure the mixture isn’t too wet before shaping — if needed, add a little extra panko breadcrumbs or oats to help it bind. Chilling the mixture for 15–20 minutes before rolling also helps them hold together better.
Yes — swap the panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs and double check your soy sauce is a gluten-free variety like tamari.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes — freeze cooked meatballs (with or without sauce) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 400g brown mushrooms, sliced (2 small punnets)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 can brown lentils drained
- 1 flax ‘egg’ (see notes)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup whole oats
- 1 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat oil in pan over a medium heat. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Saute for a few minutes until softened.
- Add the salt, fennel seeds, cumin and smoked paprika to pan, stir.
- Add sliced brown mushrooms and soy sauce. Stir and cook on a medium heat for around 8-10mins until mushrooms are soft.
- In a food processor, add the onion/mushroom mixture, walnuts, brown lentils, flax ‘egg’ panko breadcrumbs, whole oats and tomato paste. Mix in blender just until a dough forms.
- Take the meatballs mixture and form into 2inch balls.
- Heat oil in pan and add around 8-10 balls as a time to pan. Shallow fry on medium heat, turning balls over as they are cooking. When golden brown on outside remove and keep aside until all balls are cooked.
- Your meatballs are now ready to be used in any recipe you choose! For a simple tomato sauce saute chopped onions and minced garlic inpot, add 1-2 cans of chopped or diced tomatoes. Cook for around 10mins and then add meatballs as shown in video below.
