Vegan Meatballs (Mushroom “Neat” Balls)

I cut this recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine about 10 years ago (am I really this old?!) and it sat untried in my recipe binder until I finally got around to “veganizing” it this year. I’ve since made it a few times because it’s just so delicious and I can freeze half the batch, which is a great way to punch-up plain pasta when I’m in a rush. The trick to this is to use Arborio (risotto) rice, which makes everything “gluey” and stick together. I’m sure that there are more protein-rich versions out there, but these are worthy of the carbs and good if you’re looking to avoid soy.Β If you’re in a hurry, you can use store-bought pasta sauce, but I have to say that this one is really lovely, and doesn’t reall Β take that much time.

Vegan Meatballs (Mushroom "Neat" Balls) - Gluten-Free

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Spaghetti & Vegan Meatballs (Mushroom β€œNeat” Balls)

  • Author: Angela @ Vegangela.com
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 20 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 mins
  • Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

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Ingredients for Tomato Sauce:

  • 4 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled Italian-style tomatoes, drained
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 small onions
  • 8 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red chili pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • salt, to taste

Ingredients for Neat Balls:

  • 2 2/3 cups vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice
  • 1 lb. cremini or baby bella mushrooms (should make 2 cups when finely chopped)
  • 4 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 vegan egg (Ener-G egg replacer works great)
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs (use gluten-free, as needed)
  • 1/3 cup almond/nutritional yeast mix (half nutritional yeast, half finely milled almonds)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Directions for Tomato Sauce:

  1. In a large bowl, blend the tomatoes with a blender or hand-blender.
  2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened but not browned, 2-3 mins. Add oregano, crushed red chili pepper, and Italian seasoning, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir-in the crushed tomatoes and sugar, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste and reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Directions for Neat Balls

  1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over high heat. Add rice, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir almost constantly during las 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to large bowl.
  2. In food processor, pulse mushrooms in batches until finely chopped.
  3. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Add to bowl with rice; let cool.
  4. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
  5. Add vegan egg, breadcrumbs, almond/nutritional yeast mix, parsley, salt and pepper to cooled rice mixture and mix well. Form mixture into about 24 oval-shaped nuggets, each about 2 by 1.5 inches.
  6. In clean large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat; tilt to coat bottom. Add half the nuggets and cook until browned on one side, about 2 mins. Turn nuggets over onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets.
  7. Bake until nuggets are browned and firm, 15-20 mins.
  8. If you haven’t already done so, boil your pasta while the balls are baking.
  9. Put 3-5 balls on each bowl of pasta with sauce, serve hot.

Notes

Modified from Vegetarian Times magazine, January 2000.

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Update

August 29, 2011 – I had some leftover “neat” balls in the freezer and they came in handy for a quick dinner tonight. I used whole wheat pasta, half a jar of store-bought pasta sauce, and sprinkled half a bag of baby spinach into the pasta before topping with the neat balls, which I had defrosted and quickly reheated on the stove. Yum!

Vegan Meatballs (Mushroom "Neat" Balls) - Gluten-Free

78 thoughts on “Vegan Meatballs (Mushroom “Neat” Balls)”

  1. I am not sure if you are still monitoring this website but I only just discovered it.

    Can you use Quinoa instead of rice?

    I am trying to find family friendly recipes and in my family rice is not a favourite food.

    Reply
    • Sorry for the delay. I don’t think quinoa will work as the risotto rice serves as a “glue” that holds everything together. Having said that, a friend of mine recently did half rice, half white beans and said the balls turned out wonderfully… so you could always experiment and report back? Good luck!

      Reply
  2. THANK YOU!!

    I made this recipe that many years ago too…and have been looking for it every since. Its so good and NOT full of soy!

    Cannot wait to make again!

    Reply
  3. I made the “Neat” balls tonite and also the Quinoa Peanut butter balls. I did spend a bit of time in the kitchen but man was it worth it!! My kids eat very little meat but its hard to get them to eat the stuff that I am eating. (beans etc). My 8 yr old daughter asked for a second Neat ball and picked the biggest one! I can’t even tell you how many quinoa balls they had, I had to cut them off!! Great great recipes!! tasted amazing, thank you!

    Reply
  4. Is all the washing up and time spent making these neatballs worth it? Yes, indeedy! Loved them. Absolutely delicious and could pass as dinner party food. The tomato sauce was also yummy. Might try making them in future with left over risotto… But really glad to add this recipe to my vegan repertoire. Thanks Angela.

    Reply
    • You’re so welcome Lisa! I agree that it’s a lot of work… but such lovely comfort food. We make it on special occasions (like before a big run or hike). Thanks for all your lovely feedback. Looking forward to see what you try next πŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Hello I am so happy I found your website!!! I just recently became vegan and your recipes look so yummy. I can’t wait to try them. Could I make the neatballs in the microwave do you think? I know the oven helps them crisp up. Thanks for your time and wonderful recipes!

    Reply
  6. The only thing missing was garlic. I added then roasted some grape tomatoes drizzled in olive oil,s&p and served on zucchini noodles with extra pepper. My new favorite dinner. Thanks!

    Reply
  7. I am making these right now and I subbed quinoa for rice, but I’m thinking that probably wasn’t the best idea, texture-wise. They’ve been in the oven for about 25 minutes so far and still super soft. Browning up nicely, but super soft. Thinking quinoa wasn’t the best choice for a sub, but looking forward to the flavor, regardless. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  8. Hi Angela! I use organic short grain brown rice- it cooks down perfectly to the right consistency. I make and freeze double the recipe and probably will do forever πŸ™‚
    Lovely to find a veggy+vegan non-gm main course that’s so different to normal recipes- your website is such an inspiration. Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Angela,

    THANK YOU for such a great recipe!! I am new to the vegan/gluten-free lifestyle and in the beginning thought I was destined to a life of boring salads and rice and bean dishes. This recipe (and many others on your site) have made me excited about my new eating plan. I made these tonight for the family who are reluctant, to say the least, about this change in eating habits. My husband claims to “hate” mushrooms but gobbled these up without even realizing what he was eating – he even ate seconds! He and my teenage son gave this recipe their seals of approval, so it will definitely be a regular around here.

    Thanks again for all the work you put into your site. It is much appreciated!!

    Stephanie

    Reply
    • Hi Stephanie! Thank YOU for taking the time to write and sharing your kind words. I’m so honored to hear that my humble collection of recipes has brought comfort to you and your family as you transition to a vegan lifestyle. You’ve brought a huge smile to my face… thank you!

      Reply
  10. Wow! These are great! They have a sausage-like taste. I added some minced garlic while sauteing the onions and used 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast without the almonds since I didn’t have any on hand. I also did not have a vegan egg substitute so I used 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in 3 tbsp of water to use as a binder and it worked great! I made this gluten free by using 100% brown rice bread crumbs. I plan on freezing this whole batch for quick meals later and I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Hi Brandy – I’m glad you liked them. You’re right – they do have a sausage taste. I love your substitutions! Thanks very much for taking the time to comment πŸ™‚

      Reply
  11. I made the neat balls and my family thought they were very tasty. My first ever fake meat dish. I added more spices to the balls though.

    Reply
  12. Great recipe!!! These are really tasty and easy to make. Now… I have no desire to buy the frozen ready made. I browned them in a pan then baked in the oven on parchment paper. Next time I will just bake them as I am trying to cut down on the oils.

    Thanks for sharing!!! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  13. I am making this recipe as I type and I’m somewhat confused about how much mushrooms to use. I bought 1 pound, but not even halfway through them I already have 2 cups. I’m not sure whether to use the whole pound or just the two cups. Will report back after I taste them! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • I used the two cups of finely chopped mushrooms and they turned out great. As other commenters mentioned, I don’t feel it is necessary to both brown and bake the balls. They could be popped in the oven and rotated periodically. They do taste like rice and not really meatballs, but they are very tasty. Will make again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
  14. YUM! Made the meatballs on Sunday and made the sauce quick today – it was delicious! I cannot wait to try my vegan meatball subs tomorrow with these!

    I was a part time vegan and as of 12/30/12 I am a full-time vegan. The bf and I are meatball junkies so I will def be keeping a supply of these in the freezer.

    THANK YOU!!!

    Reply
  15. Just made these for dinner and they were wonderful! I didn’t use the nutritional yeast and they still tasted great. How have you found is the best way to freeze them (baggies, Tupperware, aluminum foil)? Or does it not matter? I just didn’t want them to get nasty freezer burn.

    Reply
  16. Theses were awesome!!!!

    I made them into burgers instead of neatballs and used flaxseed instead of the enerG vegan egg. I think I’m going to try purΓ©ed mushrooms in my next batch of vegan sausages because I don’t like beans. Thanks sooo much Vegangela!!!!

    Reply
  17. Having these tonite, they are becoming a weekly fave.
    I decided to make just the neat balls and put them on a bed of mashed potato , with a side of brocolli and corn.
    A comfort meal on a cool night πŸ™‚

    Reply
  18. I made these last night – AMAZING!! I didn’t have any fresh parsley, so I spiced them with garlic, oregano, basil & red pepper. They reminded me of stuffing! I served them with tomato sauce, but I think they would be great for a sandwich with spinach and cranberry sauce (Kind of like a toasted thanksgiving sub, without the turkey)! Thank you for sharing this recipe – it is going in my regular rotation!

    Reply
    • I forgot to add that I didn’t add the nuts. I just subbed with equal amount of nutritional yeast. Perhaps that’s why mine had more of a stuffing taste to me. Still tasted great!

      Reply
      • Hi Kate! Thanks for taking a chance on this somewhat labor-intensive recipe. I love them too and definitely think they’re worth it, especially if you can freeze part of the batch and enjoy them later. Your substitutions sound great, I’ll especially keep that in mind if I don’t have parsley on hand (which I often don’t).

        Reply
  19. omigosh, these ‘neatballs’ are awesome. i found this recipe at the last minute after realizing i didn’t have all of the necessary ingredients to make a mushroom stroganoff, and i had to use those mushrooms that had been hanging out in my fridge for awhile. i skipped the browning step and just popped the balls in the oven, as i figured i’d already dirtied enough dishes for one day! my boyfriend and i smothered them in soy cheese and devoured them. this recipe made about 20 decent-sized meatballs (and lasted about 5 meals).

    Reply
  20. Thanks a mil for this incredible recipe, Angela. I followed the recipe only loosely (I roasted the mushrooms and used white rather than cremini or baby bella; I added a little white truffle oil; I used brown rather than regular, white, arborio rice; and tried the neat balls with and without the almond meal). Also, instead of the tomato sauce, I tried pesto and sauteed chopped vegetables and threw the whole thing over pasta. No matter how you cut it, the neat balls are incredible – great flavor and texture. And just as delicious frozen and reheated.

    Reply
  21. Found your site for the first time today and made these… time consuming but worth it. I increased quantities to make 3 dozen, added some quorn mince to the mix plus additional herbs. Definately would add that you need to make all your balls before you start frying them off. Just chilling them off in half dozens per bag before sticking them in the freezer …will likely make these again! Thanks.

    Reply
  22. Is the vegan egg necessary? IΒ΄m not sure where to find it. And same for the almond/nutritional yeast mix? Are they both necessary?

    Reply
    • The vegan egg holds everything together. You can get EnerG egg replacer at any good health food store. It’s just potato starch that you add water to to make a liquid “egg” substance. As fr the almond/nutritional yeast, that’s what gives it a nutty/cheesy flavor…

      Reply
  23. I made the “neatballs” this evening. It’s a little bit time consuming but well worth the effort. Instead of vegetable broth to cook the rice I used water seasoned with smoked paprika, and italian seasoning. I loved the flavor of these. I have a carnivore in the house and he loved them as well. Thank you very much for posting this recipe. These were very enjoyable.

    Reply
    • I’m so glad you liked them – they’re definitely a bit of work but I think they’re worth it. I like your modifications and I love hearing that the carnivores loved them too! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  24. I’m going to try these out! I have been craving sweet and sour “meatballs”, and I wonder how these would turn out if they were fried and then went into the slow cooker in a sauce to simmer for a few hours on low?

    Reply
  25. I don’t know how I ran across your site, but I’m glad I did. I made these today. I really enjoyed them! I have been a vegetarian since March, and I am trying to go vegan, but I’m terrible at it. I don’t like most vegetables. I didn’t do it for my health, I did it because of animal welfare. Most of the recipes I’ve tried I haven’t cared for, but this one was great. I’ll be making it again for sure.

    You mentioned adding onions in the neat balls, but not as to how much onion.

    Someone asked if they hold up. They do, but definitely not like a meatball.

    Reply
    • Hi Jenn, Thanks for the kind words and feedback. I’m glad to hear that you’ve found a recipe that you like – that makes the transition to vegetarianism so much easier!

      Thanks for the tip about the onion. It’s one medium onion, so I’ll fix the recipe.

      Reply
    • Just finished making a batch of the Neat Balls. They have great flavor and are sturdier than some Beet Balls we made some time back. I suspect they will hold up nicely in your sauce which I will be whipping up tomorrow. Thank you!

      Hang in there Jenn. It will get easier. And its such an important thing you are doing. The great thing is that you will benefit with significantly better health as well. After 3 years we have compiled hundreds of great recipes that we truly love. Hopefully with time, you will as well. Good luck!

      Reply
  26. Hi, do these hold together ok? I’d love to fry then cook in sauce to get all that lovely sauce flavour in – but a lot of vegan meatballs fall apart – any thoughts on this?!

    Reply
    • Hi Victoria – They’re pretty dense so I think they’d hold-up… but there’s only one way to know for sure… try it and let me know how it works out for ya! πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • A fellow carb-lover, I see? I love you already! These “neat” balls are so delish… I can’t believe the recipe sat there for 10 years, untouched!

      Reply

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