A delicious vegan main dish that’s a hit at the holiday table. These gluten free meatballs are flavored with stuffing-inspired herbs like fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Drizzle some mushroom miso gravy on top for an an epic plant-based feast. Don't let what looks like the ingredient list deter you: the meatballs and gravy use a lot of the same ingredients.
1(15 oz/14 fl oz/398 ml) canchickpeas, drained(but not rinsed)
2tablespoons+ 1 teaspoon tamari
2tablespoonsnutritional yeast
½tspblack pepper
¾cupbreadcrumbs(gluten free if needed)
Mushroom Miso Gravy
1tbspgrapeseed oil(or other neutral oil)
1½cupsdiced yellow onion(about 1 medium onion)
8ozsliced cremini mushrooms
3clovesgarlic, mincedminced
1teaspoonfresh thyme leaves
½teaspoonminced fresh rosemary
2cupsvegetable broth
2tablespoonscornstarch
¼cupcold water
2tablespoonsmiso (see note 1)
1tablespoontamari
Instructions
Vegan Holiday Meatballs
Preheat: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
Sauté vegetables: Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sauté until pale golden around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add celery, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Sauté until celery is tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Combine mixture: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a food processor. Add chickpeas, tamari, nutritional yeast, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth (all vegetables should be smaller than the size of quick-cooking oats). Add breadcrumbs, pulse until evenly distributed.
Scoop and bake: Scoop walnut-sized portions of dough (about 2 tablespoons each). (You should get about 24 balls). Use your hands to roll the dough into a smooth, compact ball (see note 2). Arrange balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until the outside is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve with gravy.
Mushroom Miso Gravy
Sauté vegetables: Heat grapeseed oil in the large skillet (no need to wipe it clean) over medium-high heat. Add onions, sauté until golden brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Simmer and thicken: Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a small cup or bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until smooth. Pour cornstarch mixture into the simmering stock, whisking until smooth. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes.
Blend: Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add miso and tamari. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with more tamari if needed. You can thin the gravy with additional vegetable stock or water, if you wish. Serve hot, with meatballs.
Notes
Miso paste: This recipe was developed and tested with white (shiro) miso. White miso is typically the mildest, and most readily available at grocery stores. But you could also substitute with yellow miso instead (which is slightly saltier and stronger in flavor).
Rolling meatballs: The mixture will be moist, but moldable. If it feels too tacky, slightly wet your hands with water, then continue rolling. The moisture will help prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. If you plan to make the meatballs in advance, you can alternatively let the mixture rest in the fridge for about an hour, before rolling.
Gluten free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Gluten-free tamari and white miso paste tends to be readily available, but check the ingredients/label to confirm.
Storage and reheating tips: Refrigerate extra meatballs in an airtight container. Reheat the meatballs in the oven (300°F/150°C) until warmed through, in a lightly oiled (ideally nonstick) skillet over medium heat, or in the microwave.