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How to Make Amazing Vegan Meatballs for Under $5

30 Minutes Cook
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Are you looking for a delicious and easy vegan meal without breaking the bank? Look no further than these vegan meatball subs! With a few simple ingredients, you can make a hearty marinara meatball sandwich that is full of flavor and won’t break the bank. These tasty vegan meatball subs are the perfect combination of hearty and delicious at an incredibly budget-friendly price!

If you love this recipe, you’ll want to try my Roasted Pepper Pasta, Vegan Bean Burgers, Vegan Cheeseburger Taquitos, or my Vegan Barbecue Pizza.

COURSE: Entree
CUISINE: Vegan, Gluten-free, Italian, Soul Food
NUTRITIONAL FACTS: (Per 1 of 12 Servings)

  • Calories 66.2 g
  • Protein 3.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber 2.9 g

Why You Will Love This $5 Vegan Meatballs:

Are you looking for an easy, affordable way to enjoy some delicious, vegan-friendly meals? Well then look no further! Today we’re talking about making $5 vegan meatballs. That’s right – just five bucks will get you a tasty treat that even the non-vegan folks in your household are sure to love. This dish is super simple to make and is loaded with health benefits – so why not try it out tonight and experience the joy of a flavorful vegan meal?

About the Ingredients:

This recipe proves that eating on a budget does not mean sacrificing flavor, instead it just you get to be creative in finding ways to use similar ingredients in different recipes. Feel free to serve these magical meatless meatballs with marinara tucked into toasted bread, on top of your favorite spaghetti, nestled in between lettuce wraps, or on top of a big bowl of warm quinoa. Dig in and enjoy my loves!

Cooked Lentils

This humble little legume can be used in SO many dishes like my Two Ingredient Loaded Lentil Wraps, leaving behind flavorful results that will tantalize those taste buds without ever breaking the bank. Lentils cost just $0.25 per pound and since they are full of heart-healthy nourishment like potassium, fiber, and folate.

Oat Flour or Ground Oats

Ah, oat flour! What a wonderful ingredient to work with, especially for vegans. It’s made from ground oats, which gives it a lovely nutty flavor and a soft, tender texture that’s perfect for baking. Oat flour is high in fiber, protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, which makes it a great choice for anyone looking to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Tomato Paste

Tomato paste is simply amazing! It’s like sunshine in a jar. Just imagine the sweet and savory aroma of freshly harvested tomatoes, concentrated into a smooth and luscious paste. Tomato paste adds a punch of tangy and sweet flavor, balancing the savory notes of the other ingredients and giving your meatballs that irresistible depth of flavor that makes them truly unforgettable. It can also be used in recipes like my Plant-Based Pepperoni Pizza Dip.

In terms of nutrition, tomato paste is a rich source of several important vitamins and minerals. It is particularly high in vitamin C, which is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and supporting the growth and repair of tissues throughout the body.

Steak Seasoning

Made with a blend of herbs, spices, and nutritional yeast, steak seasoning can create a flavor explosion that will make your simple meatball recipe feel like a special occasion! As your vegan meatballs sizzle in the oven, the seasoning melds together, creating a perfect balance of flavors that will make your mouth water.

Generally speaking, most steak seasonings are low in calories and fat, but can be high in sodium. Here is an example of the approximate nutritional information for one teaspoon (5 grams) of a typical steak seasoning:

  • Calories: 5
  • Total Fat: 0g
  • Sodium: 290mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 1g
  • Protein: 0g

Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is the perfect complement to your vegan meatball recipe, providing a rich and savory flavor that makes every bite a delight. With each bite, you taste the salty, slightly sweet, and slightly nutty notes that come together to create a flavor explosion that’s impossible to resist.

It’s worth noting that soy sauce is very high in sodium, with about 61% of the recommended daily intake of sodium in just one tablespoon. If you’re watching your sodium intake, you may want to use soy sauce in moderation or look for low-sodium varieties like liquid aminos or coconut aminos.

Questions and Tips:

What equipment can I make this recipe in?

First off, let me just say that making vegan meatballs doesn’t require any fancy or expensive equipment. In fact, you probably have everything you need right in your kitchen! You’ll need a mixing bowl, spatula, and a good skillet or baking sheet. When it comes to shaping your vegan meatballs, you have a few options. You could simply use your hands to roll the mixture into balls, which can be a bit messy but is also a lot of fun! Alternatively, you could use a cookie scoop or melon baller to create perfectly sized and shaped meatballs. And if you want to get really fancy, you could invest in a meatball maker, which is a handy little gadget designed specifically for creating perfectly round meatballs.

Are the extra toppings necessary?

No, extra toppings are not necessary for vegan meatballs, but they can certainly enhance the flavor and texture of the dish. Vegan meatballs can be delicious on their own, but toppings such as marinara sauce, pesto, vegan parmesan, or chopped herbs can add more depth and complexity to the dish. Ultimately, whether or not to add extra toppings is a matter of personal preference!

What else can I serve with this $5 Vegan Meatballs?

These vegan meatball subs pair perfectly with sides like Rosemary Garlic French Fries , Creamy Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti, How To Make This Superfood Sweet Potato Chili (Vegan), roasted vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc., or even homemade fries or potato wedges. Adding an extra side of marinara sauce is also an excellent way to enhance your sub experience! No matter what sides you choose to accompany your meal, you can be sure that this delicious and affordable meal will not disappoint!

How long does this recipe last?

If you make a big batch of vegan meatballs and want to save some for later, you’ll want to make sure to store them properly. If you keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, they can last for up to five days. However, you can freeze your vegan meatballs for even longer-lasting freshness. Just pop them in a freezer-safe container or bag and they can last for up to three months!

Just make sure to thaw them properly before cooking. The best way to do this is to transfer them to the fridge and let them defrost overnight. Then, when you’re ready to cook, you can bake them, fry them, or even microwave them, and they’ll be just as tasty as the day you made them.

Will non-vegans like this?

Of course! Whether or not you’re an experienced vegan or new to plant-based dieting, these drool-worthy meatballs provide tasty satisfaction everyone can enjoy. With succulent texture and zesty seasonings, our mouth-watering vegan balls will make every dish unique. Packed with flavor and bursting with deliciousness, topping off any of your favorite dishes with these innovative extras is guaranteed to turn up the heat on any night’s meal. Serve this with a hearty marinara sauce and loaded with love, don’t tell anybody these are vegan and watch them go back for seconds and thirds. So bring on the fun and let’s get cooking with our extra topping vegan meatballs – guaranteed to please!

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$5 Vegan Meatballs

$5 Vegan Meatballs

gabriellereyes
Are you looking for a delicious and easy vegan meal without breaking the bank? Look no further than these vegan meatball subs! With a few simple ingredients, you can make a hearty meatball sandwich that is full of flavor and won’t break the bank. These tasty vegan meatball subs are the perfect combination of hearty and delicious at an incredibly budget-friendly price.
prep time
20 Minutes
cooking time
30 Minutes
servings
12 Servings
total time
50 Minutes

Equipment

  • Large bowl

  • Large pot

  • Large glass baking pan

  • Oven

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • INGREDIENTS:

  • Cooked Lentils (2 Cups)

  • Oat Flour or Ground Oats (½ Cup)

  • Tomato Paste (1 Cup)

  • Steak Seasoning (3 Tbs)

  • Italian Seasoning (2 Tbs)

  • Red Pepper Flakes (¼-1 Tsp)

  • Maple Syrup or Agave (3 Tbs)

  • Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce (2 Tbs)

  • Oil of Choice (¼ Cup)

  • White Onion (1 Cup)

  • Minced Garlic (4 Tbs)

  • USE AS NEEDED:

  • Hearty Red Marinara Sauce

  • Hummus or Plant Based Mozzarella Cheese

  • Toasted Bread, Pasta Noodles, Pizza Crust, Quinoa or Lettuce Cups

  • Chopped Fresh Herbs or Greens

Instructions

1
In a medium-sized pot, boil 4 cups of water with 2 cups of lentils and season with freshly ¼ cup chopped herbs and a splash of steak seasoning. Mix together, cover the pot and let them cook for 18-28 minutes or until the lentils are tender and soft enough to chew.
2
While the lentils are cooking, In a hot pan sauté sliced white onions and minced garlic in oil until they are translucent and slightly golden brown.
3
Once the lentils are done cooking, add into a big bowl or food processor : the cooked lentils, sautéed onion, sautéed garlic, additional oil from the sautéed onions, steak seasoning, tomato paste, oat flour, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, maple syrup, and liquid aminos.
4
Lightly mash the ingredients together in the large bowl or food processor until a thick batter forms. Make sure to not to pulse it too much or it will become more of a Hummus and less of a Meatball. Add a small amount more of the oat flour if the batter becomes too loose.
5
Using an ice cream, scoop, or spoon, portion out equal sizes of the meatball batter and one at a time, roll the lentil batter into round balls, using the palms of your hands.
6
Place the rolled out meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake them at 380F for 18 to 25 minutes, periodically flipping them, so that they bake on all sides and let them cook until they are firm and golden browned.
7
Toast your bread to your liking, and then add on a healthy helping of hearty marinara sauce, topped with thinly sliced vegan mozzarella or hummus. Bake the bread again until the vegan cheese is melted and hot.
8
Add the vegan meatballs to your toasted cheesy bread and add on another layer of hearty marinara sauce on top of the lentil meatballs. Sprinkle on basil or chopped fresh greens and slice your sandwich for serving.
9
If you are making spaghetti, then cook your noodles until al dente, or still slightly a little bit firm, pile on some hearty marinara sauce with the meatballs, plant-based mozzarella cheese, and fresh herbs sprinkled on top.
10
Sing your song, Do your dance, Speak your truth and enjoy these Vegan Meatballs!
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