The BEST Vegan Meatballs

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I'm a vegan who loves a good "meat"ball. I grew up eating various vegetarian meatballs. I have eaten my share of frozen vegan meatballs, most of which are gluten-free and contain a variety of ingredients that I categorize as junk food. I wonder if these companies are just trying to get their vegan meatballs to stick together without using gluten?!

A little gluten goes a long way in a vegan meatball and unless you are gluten-intolerant or have celiac disease it is good for you!

Well, I used gluten and a variety of other minimally processed ingredients, to make a meatball that the entire family loved them. This is why I think these are the BEST!

Not only do these vegan meatballs stick together (thanks to the gluten) but they are healthy, high in protein, taste great, freeze well, and no animals were harmed. I think it would be difficult to even tell the difference between these and real meatballs but I haven't had a real meatball in well... forever because the thought of actually touching ground-up cows is just creepy.

I make a double batch then simmer some in our favorite marinara sauce. The other half go right in the freezer ready for a meatball sub or quick meal.

Here's what you need:
1 cup oats (I used thick cut rolled oats)
1 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
1 medium onion
2 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 TBSP dry basil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP paprika
1 1/2 cup water (We add Organic Better Than Bouillon for a tastier meatball)

Yield - 10 servings

Here's what you do:

Chop oats and walnuts in food processor until fine. Cut your onion into smaller pieces and add to food processor. Chop until mixture is crumbly.

Add everything else except the vital wheat gluten and water to mixture and process a little more.

Add vital wheat gluten and water, and quickly process until you get a fairly uniform in color and texture.

Roll dough into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cover with parchment or tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for thirty-five minutes.

Uncover, and flip the balls. finish baking for another ten to twenty minutes. They should be browned to your liking.

Add to a saucepan of marinara sauce and use for meatball heroes, pasta, or hors d'ouevres.