Vegan Thanksgiving ‘Meatballs’
Vegan Thanksgiving ‘Meatballs’- hearty, satisfying and packed full of umami flavor, these vegan ‘meatballs’ are gluten-free, grain-free and nut-free. But they’re so delicious even the meat eaters will be gobbling them up!
This post is sponsored by Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc.
If you’re looking for an incredible plant-based main to serve for Thanksgiving, look no further!
These vegan ‘meatballs’ are made with wholesome and filling ingredients, and are packed full of savory flavor. They’ll easily put any of those frozen faux roasts to shame.
One of the key components that gives them their irresistible umami flavor is the Organic Gluten-free Vegan Worcestershire sauce from Edwards & Sons Trading Company.
I was actually in the process of testing a few variations of the ‘meatballs’ when Edwards & Sons reached out to me and ask if I’d like to experiment with some of their products for Thanksgiving. Being a a huge fan of their products, it automatically seemed like a no-brainer but once I learned more about their mission as a vegetarian company to support organic and sustainable farming methods, I knew it was the perfect fit.
Adding their Vegan Worcestershire to the recipe instantly took the ‘meatballs’ from meh to WOW. The unique blend of ingredients gave them just the right amount of tangy, smoky flavor that I was looking for.
I also used the Not-Beef Bouillon Cubes to cook the lentils along with the Shiitake Mushroom Quick Gravy on the side and they amped up the flavor even more.
They have so many great products that can help make your holiday cooking more convenient without compromising the integrity of the ingredients.
Now, about the balls. They might be somewhat time consuming but I promise they are worth it. They can also be prepped ahead and cooked or reheated the day of making them perfect for the holidays.
They’re based off of my Mushroom Lentil Loaf, however I wanted to make a version that didn’t require any grains or nuts. Shaping them into balls rather than a loaf helps give them structure, while using chickpea flour and ground sunflower seeds helps bind the ingredients and adds texture.
On the topic of texture, a food processor is key to getting the vegetables finely chopped and the sunflower seeds ground to a fine crumb. You might be able to achieve similar results with a blender or chopping them by hand but I recommend using a food processor for the best possible outcome.
If you try these please let me know how they came out! We think they’re phenomenal and I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Vegan Thanksgiving 'Meatballs'
Yield: makes 25 balls
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed and picked over (2 cups cooked)
- 2 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped (1 and 1/2 cups)
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped (1/2 cup)
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped (1/2 cup)
- 3 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
Directions:
In a pot, bring 2 and 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Add lentils, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, or until soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Drain excess liquid then set aside.
Using a food processor, finely chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the vegetables to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Meanwhile, finely chop the mushrooms in the processor then add to the skillet with the salt & pepper, thyme and oregano. Continue to cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until mushrooms have released their liquid and vegetables are tender. Set aside to cool.
Using the food processor, add 1 cup of the cooked lentils and pulse for 5 seconds, just until finely chopped. We’re looking for a chunky texture, not mushy. Transfer all of the lentils (unprocessed and processed) to a large bowl along with the cooked vegetables. Next, process the sunflower seeds to a crumb-like texture. To the bowl, add the worcestershire sauce and sunflower seeds. Stir to combine. Add the chickpea flour and stir until mixed well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the mixture to set while you preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Once mixture has cooled, use a spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop out about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time. Roll into balls and arrange on the baking sheet at least an inch or two apart. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until firm. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm and enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! 
These meatballs are so full of delicious ingredients that I for one wouldn’t miss the meat at all! This entire meal looks perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!
Thanks Marcie! xo
What would you suggest using as a replacement for the mushrooms?? I’d love to make these but my husband is a mushroom hater. Thanks!
Oh that’s a tough one! They are such a big part of what gives the recipe a meaty texture. I don’t think I can recommend anything else for this recipe but you might be able to modify this recipe: https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/vegan-mediterranean-chickpea-meatballs/ to make something similar!
These look super delicious Sarah! Definitely need to get my hands on some Vegan Worcestershire!!
Yes! It is delicious!!
Thank you so much for posting this! I was just starting to think about what I’ll bring as my Thanksgiving meal “alternative.” These look perfect and sound delicious!
Can these be made ahead of time and then put in the freezer?
Hi Lisa! That should work. I would just be sure to place parchment paper between them so that they don’t stick together. Then you can just bake from frozen when ready to serve. They might take a little longer to cook (maybe) 5 mins, but they should still taste delicious! :)
Do you think regular flour would work in place of chickpea flour?
I think so but I didn’t test them that way. If you want to serve them for the holidays I would recommend doing a test run first.
Also, chickpea flour is much higher in protein and doesn’t cost a lot more than regular flour so it might be worth trying out. I have many recipes that call for it! :)
Could you just use canned brown lentils for a quicker version? Thanks!
That should work the same!
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I was thinking of making these and have a question: the ingredient lists calls for 2.5 cups of broth, but the directions use 1.5 cups and I don’t see where I’d add the other cup?
That’s supposed to be 2.5 cups in the directions! Sorry about that.
Very yummy!! Mine were a little mushy but taste awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! You can try baking them a little longer next time to help dry them out a little. :)
Would this work as a meatloaf?
I have a very similar recipe for a lentil loaf here: https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/mushroom-lentil-loaf/ :)
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Made these tonight for dinner. I’ll serve my hubby the rest tomorrow as others eat turkey. We all agreed this has a very similar feel to it as falafel and would be great with hummus on it. Your printed ingredients tell me to add the salt, pepper thyme and sage into the mushrooms, yet there is no mention of sage in the ingredients list. We also, as a personal preference, will use less thyme next time. Overall, we liked this a lot. It just wasn’t completely what we expected. It was a “happy surprise” for the new vegans in our house. :)
Making these for dinner. Ingredients call for oregano but written instructions calls for sage. Which do you use?
Sorry that was a typo! It’s oregano. :)
I was also confused about using the oregano in the Ingredient list or the sage in the Instructions. I went with the SAGE and it made it perfectly Thanksgivingish! Also, I didn’t have chickpea flour so used CORNMEAL instead and allowed the mixture to sit for at least an hour before baking. They were wonderful!!
Hey I am thinking about making these, have you made them recently with any adjustments since the original post based on comments above?
They Michelle! I’m not sure which comments you’re referring to but I haven’t made any changes to the recipe, only clarifications where there was confusion on specific amounts. One person mentioned adjusting the amount of herbs due to their personal preference but that was the only thing I saw. :)
I just made these and they are amaaaaazing! I appreciate all the ingredients you have chosen, including the flour!
The flavor is totally Thanksgiving. My husband said it tastes like stuffing.
Texture is dry and amazing. Not too wet. I did not turn them in the oven as they are sticky on the bottom and hard to turn. Once I removed them from the oven I let them sit and after a few minutes they came off the silpat easilly!
I also made a change – I added 1/2 cup of chopped dried cranberries. SO GOOD! And I added 5 extra minutes in the oven.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you so much for such a lovely recipe that has perfect flavor and texture :)
Hi there, I’d like to make these tomorrow but only have green lentils. Will this be ok?
French green lentils tend to be firmer so that could effect how well they hold together. It’s hard to say without testing them myself but it’s worth a try!