Impossible Meatballs
Impossible meatballs! Vegan meatballs made with Impossible burger meat. Serve with marinara sauce over pasta or in meatball subs.
If you love meatballs, then you’ve gotta try these impossible meatballs. Rich and hearty meatballs simmered in your favorite marinara sauce.
We love these meatballs over pasta, in meatball sandwiches, and my favorite– in my meatball polenta bowls with garlicky Swiss chard.
The technique is based on my grandmother’s meatball recipe– using grated onion, bread for binding, fresh parsley and plenty of Italian seasoning.
See below for more details on how to make these, or scroll down for the full recipe.
Ingredient and Substitution Notes
- Onion: White or yellow onion is best and it needs to be grated for best results. I recommend a boxed grater for best results, but a mini prep food processor will also work. The juices of the onion are used to soak and soften the bread. Or, you can very finely chop the onion and then soak the bread in a little milk with the flaxseed if you don’t have either.
- Flaxseeds: The ground flaxseeds help to bind these meatballs together, instead of using an egg. You can choose an egg for a vegetarian version, or use flaxmeal mixed with a little milk or water to gel first.
- Ground Fennel: The fennel adds a nice sausage-like flavor to these meatballs, but you can omit if you’d like. You can use ground fennel or do what I do– crush fennel seeds until coarsely ground, using a mortar and pestle.
- Red Pepper Flakes: I like a little heat in my meatballs, but you can also omit if you don’t want the heat. If you have Calabrian chili paste (the best, I grab it at Trader Joe’s or Williams Sonoma) then you can sub in that instead. My homemade chili crisp works too!
- Parmesan Cheese: My grandma always put parmesan cheese in her meatballs and I love the salty, umami flavor it gives. You can omit it if you’d like or use a plant-based equivelent
- Impossible Meat: This recipe was tested using ground impossible burger, but I assume it would also work with Beyond or another brand.
- Salt: I don’t think these meatballs need much extra salt, especially if you are using parmesan cheese and assuming you are serving them with a salted sauce. If you plan on serving them on their own, then I’d recommend cooking one to taste, then adding more salt as desired to your mixture, if needed.
How to Make These Impossible Meatballs
Grate the Onion
Grate the onion using a box grater (affiliate) and place in a small bowl
Add the Bread
Remove the crust, then tear the bread and add to the onion mixture and let sit for 5 minutes until the bread is very softened
Add the Rest of the Ingredients
Add all of the ingredients and mix together until very well combined
Roll into Balls
Measure out a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll lightly to form a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Brown in a Skillet
Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the meatballs, browning on all sides for 3-4 minutes
Add to the Sauce
Warm the sauce in the same skillet, then add the meatballs and warm through until hot, about 5 more minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy these impossible meatballs anywhere you would enjoy regular meatballs.
They are great in true Italian style– in a sub roll with sauteed broccoli rabe and mozzerella cheese melted on top, or with pasta.
Or, try them over creamy polenta with garlicky swiss chard.
Tips for Success
The key to making these impossible meatballs is to make sure that the onion is finely grated (a box grater or a mini prep food processor works best.)
You’ll also want to make sure to combine the mixture well. I use my hands, but a spatula or wooden spoon can also work.
Once these impossible meatballs are made, you’ll want to use a wide skillet for the sauce. The same one you just used for browning the meatballs will work! I don’t recommend a deep saucepan as the meatballs are tender and may break in a saucepan that’s too deep when you stir.
More Meaty Vegan Recipes
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Meatballs
- White Bean Meatballs in Mojo Sauce
- Spicy Vegan Pasta with Sausage
- Cajun Potato, Corn and Sausage Skewers
- Potato, Spinach and Sausage Soup
If you make these Impossible Meatballs, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Impossible Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup grated onion, with it’s juice* (see note)
- 1 slice white or white wheat bread, crusts removed
- 12 ounces 1 package Impossible ground meat
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed*
- 2 tablespoons milk or water*
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, or plant-based cheese, optional*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Grate the onion using a box grater until you have about 1/4 cup onion with its juice. See note below.
- Place the onion and juices in a small bowl and tear the bread, then add to the onion bowl. Let soak for about 5 minutes– this will help your meatballs to bind together and you want the bread very soft. I recommend a white or white wheat bread– a very hearty bread, like Ezekial, won't work.Â
- In a separate small bowl, combine the flaxseed and milk and let sit for 2-3 minutes until gelled.
- Place the onion and bread mixture into a large bowl along with the other ingredients: flaxseed mixture, impossible meat, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, fennel, salt garlic and parmesan cheese, if using.
- Use your clean hands to mix well, incorporating all of the ingredients together.
- Measure out a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll lightly to form a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. I used my cast iron, but any large skillet or non-stick skllet will work. Add the meatballs and cook until they are browned all over, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with all the meatballs.
- Heat the sauce in the same skillet and add in the meatballs. Cook for another 5 minutes, until warmed through, Take care to stir the meatballs– if you stir them to hard, they will likely break. Instead, scoop the sauce over the meatballs and gently turn them with a spoon.