Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatballs Recipe

I’m so pleased to have partnered with Hilary’s Eat Well to bring you a healthy dinner idea that everyone in your family will love: gluten free vegetarian meatballs!*

Longtime readers will know that my husband, daughter and I are dairy-free and primarily vegetarian, although we eat seafood on occasion. My son eats everything (but makes it known as only a teenager can, that he prefers meat), so making healthy family meals that everyone will eat and enjoy can sometimes be a challenge.

Traditional comfort foods are always a good choice, but it can be difficult to make them tasty AND healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free and meat-free. So I’ll let you in on one of my secrets: Hilary’s Eat Well burgers and minis, because they make the foundation of many dinners much easier.

Did you know that most vegetarian crumble products (ground beef subs) actually contain gluten? And let’s just say that the few gluten free brands left have not exactly met my family’s taste tests (my kids politely say “it’s not my favorite” when they really dislike something). So any recipe where you’d ordinarily use ground beef — I use Hilary’s instead. Think lasagne, sloppy joes, tacos, meatloaf … and now, meatballs!

I’m so happy with this gluten free and vegetarian meatballs recipe. After creating the base recipe, I’ve tried it a few times with different ingredients and I have to say that making them with Hilary’s Eat Well products is by far the easiest and tastiest way to bring yummy gluten free vegetarian meatballs to the table.

There are so many choices for meatball flavors with the Hilary’s product line, since it includes a wide variety of uncommon flavors like Adzuki Bean, Black Rice, Root Veggies, Kimchi, Curry, Spicy Thai, and Hemp & Greens … and that’s just the burgers! The Veggie Bites (which make adorable and super easy apps, just sayin’) include flavors like Mediterranean, Spicy Mesquite and Broccoli Casserole. I could probably eat something from Hilary’s every day of the week and not get bored (if I’ve already done this, you didn’t hear it from me).

Add to that the fact that all Hilary’s products are certified gluten free — which is a bit rare to find in the veggie burger department — and they’re also certified organic, non-GMO, vegan and kosher, plus free of all common food allergens as well as artificial ingredients. That’s no easy feat, especially when the end results taste this good.

And since they’re vegan and already cooked, they save time making the veggie meatballs because you don’t have to cook the base ingredient and you can taste test as you add herbs and seasoning to get the flavors just right (plus I just like to taste test — cook’s perks, you know?).

Bottom line: when I start out with Hilary’s Veggie Burgers or Bites, I don’t have to put forth much effort to make these gluten free vegetarian meatballs something special. And you can make them just the way your family likes them by choosing which product you start with. I’ve used Adzuki Bean, Black Rice, and Mediterranean flavors, and they’re all yummy, but different. So start your taste testing now and find the one that works best for your taste buds.

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Gluten Free Vegetarian Meatballs Recipe

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Ingredients

Veggie Meatballs

• 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal + 6 Tbs. warm water (OR 2 eggs, mixed)
• 4 Hilary’s Veggie Burgers, thawed (OR one 12-ounce pack of Hilary's Veggie Bites)
• ¼ cup red onion or scallions, diced
• ¼ cup red pepper, diced fine
• ½ Tbs. olive oil
• ¼ cup almond meal or gluten free bread crumbs (make sure bread is vegan if needed)
• 1 Tbs. gluten free nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese)
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasonings (or ½ tsp. each dried oregano and basil)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro (optional)
• marinara or tomato sauce
• parmesan or vegan parm. for finished dish (optional)
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1-2 Tbs. olive oil for sautéeing “meatballs”
• gluten-free pasta (pictured: black bean noodles & rice noodles)

Breading

• 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs (make sure bread is vegan if needed)
• 1 Tbs. gluten free nutritional yeast (or parmesan)
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasonings (or ½ tsp. each dried oregano and basil)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.

Mix flaxseed meal and water in a small dish and set aside to thicken.

Thaw four Hilary’s veggie burgers (any flavor) in the microwave or oven just until soft. Mash with a potato masher or fork until no large chunks remain.

Sauté onion and peppers in ½ tablespoon olive oil (use more or less, depending on whether you have a non-stick pan) over medium heat until soft - about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add sautéed veggies to the mashed Hilary’s Veggie Burgers, flaxseed meal mixture, almond meal/GF bread crumbs, nutritional yeast and seasonings, stirring with a fork to blend until all ingredients are incorporated and the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. If it is too crumbly to hold together, either add another recipe of flaxseed + water mixture or an egg.

Scoop out one tablespoon of the mixture in your hands and roll into approximately 15-20 tight balls, depending on size.

In a small bowl, combine the breading ingredients, processing one slice of dry or frozen gluten free bread into bread crumbs, if needed. Roll each “meatball” in the breading mixture, then set aside, ready to cook.

Heat a skillet with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil to medium heat, just covering the bottom of the skillet. Add breaded “meatballs” to brown for about 5 minutes, rolling them around after 2-3 minutes to brown other sides.

When all the “meatballs” are cooked, place them on the lined baking sheet and bake for 15 more minutes while you prepare your gluten free pasta and marinara sauce.

Serve over cooked gluten-free pasta and marinara sauce, topping with vegetarian parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.

* This sponsored post was created in partnership with Hilary's Eat Well. As always, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure policy for more information. Working with select brands I love allows me to keep bringing you free recipes, and I hope that in the process, you'll learn about some of the safe gluten free products I choose for my family. Thanks so much for your support!

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