Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe

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Why should you have to miss out on “meatballs” if you don’t eat meat? This version of vegetarian meatballs is satisfying & easy to make. 259 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Why should you have to miss out on meatballs if you don't eat meat? This version of vegetarian meatballs is satisfying and easy to make. 259 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP #vegetarian

Vegetarian meatballs will satisfy any non-meat eater! Before I met my husband, I wasn’t much of a bean eater. It wasn’t that they didn’t appeal to me, but rather that I didn’t grow up eating a lot of Mexican food or other cuisines that might include the protein- and fiber-packed morsels. Everything changed when my husband ordered some black bean soup at a restaurant just a few blocks away from our New York City apartment. This wasn’t just any black bean soup – nope, this one was garnished with crispy chorizo sausage. I was a goner. You couldn’t stop me – cannellini beans in salads, kidney beans in chili, black beans in veggie burgers. You name it, I cooked it. As a result, my kids loved beans right from the get-go and we incorporate the healthy legumes into many of our meals.

When I heard that this round of Kitchen Play’s SideCar series was to feature Bush’s Beans in a meal that would satisfy the whole family, I knew I had this one in the bag. The hardest part was choosing which type of beans I would use. I started thinking of comfort foods, dishes that my family likes to eat as the thermostat drops and the days grow shorter. Spaghetti and meatballs popped to mind immediately and, as we are trying to work more meatless meals into our weekly menu, it seemed fitting to make a vegetarian version.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...259 calories and 7 Weight Watchers SmartPoints #vegan

When I think of oregano, garlic and parsley, I turn right to cannellini beans. In this recipe, I pureed the cannellini beans with roasted red peppers and then combined them with all of the regular meatballs ingredients, such as breadcrumbs and an egg. Baked in the oven and then simmered in tomato sauce, these bean “meatballs” are as healthy as they are tasty.

I throw everything into my Cuisinart Everyday Pan and let it simmer until done. I truly use this pan at least 4 times per week.

Now, don’t expect the “meatballs” to have the same texture as versions made with ground beef or turkey. These ones have a soft texture, with a golden brown coating. They are substantial and hearty, and made me fall in love with the versatility of beans all over again.

The vegetarian meatballs recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans and roasted red peppers. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.

(I use my KitchenAid 16-c. Pro Line Food Processor. This thing is amazing!

NOTE: Take care not to overprocess the “meatballs”. This could cause them to fall apart later.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...244 calories and 6 Weight Watchers PP | cookincanuck.com #vegan

Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper until well combined.

The amount of breadcrumbs required can change depending on the climate (dry vs. humid). If you find that the “meatballs” are not holding together firmly as you are shaping the first few, add more breadcrumbs, then reshape.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...244 calories and 6 Weight Watchers PP | cookincanuck.com #vegan

Using a rounded 2 tablespoon portion of the bean mixture, form “meatballs” by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...259 calories and 7 Weight Watchers SmartPoints #recipe

Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and have developed a light golden brown coating, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, heat your favorite marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering. Add “meatballs” and stir to coat.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...259 calories and 7 Weight Watchers SmartPoints #vegan

Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over spaghetti.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe...259 calories and 7 Weight Watchers SmartPoints #vegetarian #recipe #cleaneating

Other family-friendly cannellini bean recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Vegetarian Mushroom & Cannellini Bean Ragout
Cookin’ Canuck’s Mediterranean Chicken, Bean & Pasta Soup
Kalyn’s Kitchen’s Cannellini Bean & Sausage Stew with Tomatoes & Basil
Andrea Meyers’ White Chili with Turkey & Cannellini Beans
Jersey Bites’ Crockpot Pork Tenderloin with Sage, Rosemary & Cannellini Beans

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce

These vegetarian meatballs will satisfy vegetarians and meat eaters alike! 259 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SmartPoints
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Entrees
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Healthy Dinner Recipes, Meatless Monday, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 259.4kcal
Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cans 15 ounces each Bush's Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 roasted red bell pepper 2 halves, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs see note
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups marinara sauce your favorite kind
  • Parmesan cheese for grating
  • cooked spaghetti

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans and roasted red peppers. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.
  • Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper until well combined.
  • Using a rounded 2 tablespoon portion of the bean mixture, form “meatballs” by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
  • Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and have developed a light golden brown coating, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • In a large saucepan, heat you favorite marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering. Add “meatballs” and stir to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Serve over spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 5 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 7 (Points+)
Note: The amount of breadcrumbs required can change depending on the climate (dry vs. humid). If you find that the "meatballs" are not holding together firmly as you are shaping the first few, add more breadcrumbs, then reshape.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25of Meatballs & Sauce | Calories: 259.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.5g | Protein: 15.8g | Fat: 2.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 46.5mg | Sodium: 1002.1mg | Fiber: 12.9g | Sugar: 9.1g
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bush’s Beans. All opinions are my own. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Comments

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:17 am

      Thanks, Jessica. We love beans, too and try to incorporate them into meals several times each week.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:19 am

      Thanks, Katie. You really can’t beat the price of beans. You certainly get a nutritional bang for your buck.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:20 am

      Thanks, Chris. It’s always nice to have some non-meat options for healthy family meals.

      Reply

  9. Jenny Flake says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 7:24 am

    LOVE how you did beans for meatballs! My husband is going to love this as he is trying to stay away from red meat! Thanks for the recipe, will be trying it on my family soon 🙂 xoxo

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:21 am

      Thanks, Jenny. While they don’t have the same texture or taste as regular meatballs, they are very heart and satisfying.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:21 am

      I’m with you – vegetarian recipes are starting to fill up our menus and it’s nice to have some variety.

      Reply

  13. Kelley says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 8:54 am

    My least favorite part of New York is their lack of great Mexican food. I will admit though that the black bean soup with chorizo sounds amazing. I do live the creativeness of these meatballs! Another great healthy recipe!!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:22 am

      So true, Kelley. We found a couple of good spots while we were living there, but we had to search.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:23 am

      Thank you! Black beans are a big hit here, too and my kids are coming to appreciate other types, too.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:23 am

      Thanks so much, Lauren. I had fun shooting these and was happy to see how much they looked like regular meatballs.

      Reply

  18. Carolyn says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Oh wow! Kept seeing stuff on twitter about these so I had to come over and check them out. What a creative way of using the baked beans!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 10:25 am

      Thanks, Asiya. Cilantro would be great in these, too. I hope you and your little ones enjoy them.

      Reply

  21. brandi says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 10:58 am

    What a great way to use cannellini beans, Dara! They’re one of my favorite type of beans – I bet they’re delicious in these “meatballs”

    Reply

  23. Cassie @ Bake Your Day says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    This sounds wonderful, Dara! I’ve never been a big fan of beans either…lately, though, I’ve been eating a lot of burgers made from beans and I love them. I’m sure these would be great too and I know my meat-loving husband would go for these flavors!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 2:16 pm

      Cassie, we eat a lot of bean-based burgers and patties too. The flavor is great and they are often so satisfying and filling.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 1, 2011 at 2:17 pm

      Sarah, I think these would work really well. I’m actually tempted to try them in a lettuce wrap with some sort of fruit-based relish.

      Reply

  26. Nichol says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 1:54 pm

    Wow these sound interesting. They look incredible and I do believe I need to give them a try. Never made a meatball out of beans!

    Reply

  27. Liren says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 2:15 pm

    Brilliant! I KNOW my kids would gobble this right up, and I can’t wait to try it with them! So glad to do my first Kitchen PLAY with you, Dara 🙂

    Reply

  30. Jeanette says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    Love the idea of bean “meatballs.” I wouldn’t think they would hold together in a sauce, but they look like they are very firm. Lovely photos!

    Reply

  34. Sally says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    THANK YOU for this recipe! I always try to incorporate one vegetarian meal a week, which is hard to pawn off on my meat-loving husband. These creative little “meat” balls may be just the trick.

    Reply

  36. Katrina says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 9:19 pm

    I LOVE meatless food. I’m going to have to make these, too. Love those black bean burgers and now this. Maybe even try to “trick” the fam and see if they can even tell. 😉

    Reply

  37. Nutmeg Nanny says

    Nov 1, 2011 at 9:26 pm

    These sound amazing! I’m always amazed at how much vegetarian food can look like meat. Also, I had no idea that Bush made canned beans…besides the baked beans. I gotta keep my eyes peeled for them 🙂

    Reply

  48. Barbara says

    Nov 2, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    These sound great! In an effort to incorporate more veg and beans in our meals I have tried making black bean burgers but they didn’t turn out the way I wanted them to. Can’t wait to try your bean balls now. I don’t own a food processor or blender but surely I could just mash the beans with a fork and chop the peppers really fine?

    Reply

  49. Kim Beaulieu says

    Nov 2, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    Omgoodness these look so good. I must try these out. We just started doing more meatless meals. It’s fun to see what you can do without it. These look so much like the real thing I can’t even tell they are meatless. Great recipe.

    Reply

  50. Monet says

    Nov 2, 2011 at 6:59 pm

    OH MY. Sweet Ryan is going to be in heaven when I make these for him. I wish I hadn’t already started dinner. I can’t wait to make and share this with him. Thank you for this lovely post. It was a nice way to end my day. I hope you are having a wonderful week!

    Reply

  52. baobabs says

    Nov 2, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    YUM! this looks amazing, thanks for sharing this recipe, now I have more vegetarian recipes to pull out when cooking for vegetarian friends!! great photos btw!

    Reply

  53. Jess says

    Nov 2, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Wow! This looks absolutely delicious. I love how you plated it with the meatballs on the sides and the noodles all curled in the middle.

    Reply

  57. Claudia says

    Nov 3, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    I came to beans later in life. My father didn’t like them so my mother didn’t make them. Now I am a bean fiend! I love this – especially with the roasted red pepper. Just perfect!

    Reply

  58. shanny says

    Nov 3, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    I just tried out this recipe and because my fiance does not eat any eggs I omitted them in my process. I knew it would happen but most the “meatballs” that simmered in the sauce fell apart so I only put half thankfully. That aside they turned out great! Need to find an egg substitute though…

    Reply

    • Brian says

      Dec 6, 2012 at 6:33 am

      Flax seeds and water or Chia seeds and water work amazing as an egg substitute when you need a binder!

      Reply

      • Pat says

        Feb 3, 2013 at 8:36 pm

        Thanks Shanny and Brian for the question and answer on the egg substitute I was scrolling through the comments to see if anyone else asked about that and there you both were. And of course, thank you Dara for this recipe. It looks delish! Can’t wait to try it!

        Reply

  61. Connie says

    Nov 4, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    I have all of the ingredients in my cupboard – I wonder if I printed this before and that’s why. Either way, this time I’m making them!

    Thanks!

    Reply

  62. Laura says

    Nov 5, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    My 4 year old recently went vegetarian (her choice; we are supportive), so she was a bit sad to say goodbye to spaghetti with meatballs. these will be a huge hit with her I am sure (and me too!). She loves all sorts of beans and she loves balls. I’ve made lentil balls previously, but I think the lighter flavour of the canelli beans will be nice.

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 16, 2011 at 9:29 am

      Jill, I haven’t tried freezing these, so I can’t tell you for certain one way or another. That being said, I have had success freezing black bean burgers, so these will probably behave similarly.

      Reply

  70. Emma says

    Dec 27, 2011 at 5:53 pm

    I’m not sure what I did wrong. . I left the bean-balls in the oven for 20 minutes, but they fell apart when I simmered them in the sauce.

    They did, however, smell delicious.

    Reply

      • Anon says

        Aug 17, 2013 at 8:47 pm

        A few of mine started to fall apart but I quickly realized I was cooking them on too high a temp. As soon as I turned the temp down……pretty low (the temp at which I simmer rice) the problem was fixed.

        Reply

  71. Natalie says

    Jan 1, 2012 at 7:18 pm

    Happy New Year! Thank you for this recipe. I made it for some friends at a NYE dinner both vegetarian and omnivore alike and they all loved it! I didn’t have cannelloni beans on hand so I used black beans and chick peas together. Everything else I kept the same and I cannot wait to try the recipe as written. Thank you for this wonderful recipe (again).

    Reply

  72. A Canadian Foodie says

    Jan 3, 2012 at 11:52 am

    The photo was stunning. I can’t eat meat – so here I am! I cannot wait to make these. You didn’t say in the post whether you liked them or not. They sounded like they might be dry reading how you baked them until brown… but, then one of your comments said they were a family hit. They are certainly easy enough to make – so, I am IN!
    Thank you, Dara!
    🙂
    Valerie

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Jan 3, 2012 at 6:59 pm

      HI Valerie, I don’t put anything on my blog that I don’t like (I don’t want anyone else to waste their time reading about/making something that didn’t work for me. 🙂 So yes, I am a fan of these vegetarian meatballs. I hope you enjoy them, too.

      Reply

  73. Shasta says

    Jan 19, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    Hi Dara!

    Tried these and LOVED them. LOVED.

    Better yet, they received an A+ from the Suspicious-Of-Vegetarian-Food-Carnivore here, so I’ll definitely be making these again, thank you!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Jan 19, 2012 at 3:26 pm

      Shasta, I’m so glad! It’s always a tough job to convince a carnivore that meals without meat can be satisfying too, but it sounds as though you did it. I’m glad I could help.

      Reply

  74. Michael Miller says

    Jan 26, 2012 at 7:40 am

    The first time I made these, I followed the recipe exactly and really liked them. But the second time I made them, I used half black beans and half cannellini beans. I also added sundried tomatoes and some sauteed shitaki mushrooms which helped make these taste a little more “meaty”. I put a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese mixed in to the meatball mixture as well. DEEELISH!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Jan 26, 2012 at 5:33 pm

      Michael, I love that you added more ingredients to suit your taste buds. Shiitake mushrooms and sundried tomatoes? That sounds like heaven to me!

      Reply

      • Michael Miller says

        Jan 27, 2012 at 7:36 am

        It really, really was good! I had them for dinner Wednesday night when I made them, then for lunch on Thursday, and for dinner again last night! YUM!

        Reply

  75. Aunt LoLo says

    Apr 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Now I know – I shouldn’t troll Pinterest when I’m hungry. These look AMAZING!! Thanks for posting! I wonder how they’d be with other beans…maybe black beans and cilantro?

    Reply

  76. Lyndsey says

    Apr 9, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    Just got done making and eating this! It turned out so well! My husband is a meat person and was hesitant, but loves it too! This is definitely a recipe I will be making again!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Apr 9, 2012 at 9:38 pm

      Lyndsey, I’m so glad! I always love when a meat-lover ends up really enjoying a meatless meal.

      Reply

  77. Lisa says

    Apr 12, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    I came across this recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight – amazing! I’m vegetarian but even my meat lover husband liked these. I’m already thinking about a toasted “meatball” sandwich with the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

    Reply

  78. Shannon says

    Apr 27, 2012 at 6:16 am

    These meatballs were really something special. I tried them with a square of mozzarella folded into the middle of each one and the cheese explosion was awesome. The meatballs themselves were just delicious. Out of all of the vegetarian meatball recipes I’ve seen, these were the only one to incorporate the red pepper like that. It really added a depth of flavor and umami. Thanks for a great recipe.

    P.S. For anyone who found that the meatballs fell apart, you may have processed the beans and red pepper a bit too finely in the food processor.

    Reply

  79. Buffy says

    May 26, 2012 at 7:29 pm

    I used this as a base for a vegan, Italian Meatball recipe (substituted silken tofu for the egg – added pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, Spinach, Italian herbs) and it worked beautifully. Thanks!!!

    Reply

  80. Pam says

    Jun 19, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    Of all the things I could find zipping around the world wide web I found this and I am so excited. We are trying new dishes out in two weeks after our little at home veggie boot camp and beans are a real tough one for my son.
    I think this might work if I add something that resembles a little the spices in pizza.

    thank you so much,
    Pam

    Reply

  81. Barbara Q ualls says

    Aug 28, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    Think I must be the only person that actually MADE this, because these fell apart as soon as they hit the marinara sauce…..awful mess and only mediocre taste….sorry Cooking Canuck, but maybe I missed something? Thought I followed the recipe exactly.

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Aug 28, 2012 at 10:13 pm

      Well, I can’t say that I appreciated the way that you phrased your comment. However, I am sorry that the “meatballs” didn’t meet your expectations. As you can see from the comments section, several people actually did make these and were very pleased. One reader did make an astute comment, reminding everyone to take care not to overprocess the beans, which could cause them to fall apart (I retroactively included this in the post). You may also want to try adding additional breadcrumbs. I find that different climates (dry vs. humid) can effect how many breadcrumbs are needed. If you find that the “meatballs” are not holding together firmly as you shape them, add additional breadcrumbs.

      Reply

  82. Molly says

    Sep 25, 2012 at 1:42 pm

    I am making meatball subs for my Bible study group tomorrow night, but we have a vegetarian friend in our group. I found this recipe and gave it a try. I won’t know how they work in the subs until tomorrow night, but I did give one a try out of the oven. Wow – what flavor! I did make a few modifications, primarily to reflect our tastes and what I had on hand. Instead of the onion, I used onion powder. I replaced the oregano and parsley with Italian seasoning (as I did not have the others), and I also used a small amount of dried basil. My meatballs seemed very moist, so I added more breadcrumbs (Italian seasoned breadcrumbs) – I would say that I used closer to 3/4 cups of bread crumbs than the 1/2 cup called for, but they are holding together wonderfully. I did chill the mixture for approximately 45 minutes before scooping and baking since I had to pick up my daughter from school. I used a cook scoop to avoid over-handling and scooped them directly onto the prepared pan. No, they do not have a beef or sausage meatball taste or texture BUT they taste delicious. I really hope my friend likes them. They were easy to make, cost effective, and tasty. AND they are 5 year old approved 😉

    Reply

  83. Molly says

    Sep 26, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Just wanted to say that mine held up great in the crockpot and sauce. I baked them yesterday and let them cool. The I refrigerated them until this afternoon. Placed them in the crockpot with my marinara sauce on low for about 2 hours before serving. Everyone asked for the recipe because the other “bean ball” recipes they have tried wouldn’t stay firm. Maybe it was the increased breadcrumbs that helped mine, who knows. But they were definitely well received by my vegetarian and health-conscious friends…as well as a few of the kiddos!

    Reply

  84. Bree says

    Oct 5, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    I just made these! Not a huge fan of roasted peppers, so I left them out & instead used 1 can of cannelini beans and 1 can of red kidney beans. The rest of the recipe I did as your described– they came out SOO good! Thanks for this!

    Reply

  85. Loralyn says

    Nov 23, 2012 at 10:37 pm

    My dad is allergic to peppers so is I was wondering if this would work without them or is there and alternative to the red peppers that I could use?

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Nov 24, 2012 at 11:07 am

      Hi Loralyn, you could either leave them out or substitute with some chopped sun-dried tomatoes. I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply

  87. Sharon says

    Jan 4, 2013 at 3:39 pm

    I just made these for the first time, and they were great. My husband is from Italy and turned vegetarian several years ago. He loved these. I cooked them in a store bought sauce since I didn’t have time to make one from scratch, and they tasted delicious. I don’t think a meat eater could tell the difference. Maybe he/she would think they were chicken instead of meat, but I don’t think you’d ever know they were bean meatballs. Thanks so much for posting this recipe. It’s a low-calorie, healthy recipe that is also delicious.
    Also, thanks for the tip about the breadcrumbs. I live in central Florida and had to use a bit more.

    Reply

  90. Chanda says

    Jan 13, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Really loved this idea! I tried this reciepe tonight while making regular meatballs for my meat-loving boyfriend. They were really delicious bt feel apart in the sauce : (. Any suggeations?!?!? Would love to try them again!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Jan 14, 2013 at 9:00 am

      Hi Chanda, I’m glad you enjoyed the flavors, but I’m sorry that they fell apart on you. I would suggest adding more breadcrumbs. Here is the note posted at the bottom of the recipe. I hope it’s helpful for you: “The amount of breadcrumbs required can change depending on the climate (dry vs. humid). If you find that the “meatballs” are not holding together firmly as you are shaping the first few, add more breadcrumbs, then reshape.”

      Reply

      • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

        Jan 14, 2013 at 9:01 am

        Chanda, one more note. Also take care not to overprocess the “meatballs” in the food processor. This could cause them to fall apart later.

        Reply

  91. Maureen says

    Jan 15, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    Pinned this recipe some time ago and finally got around to making them tonight. I thought they were a little too moist when I formed them. I should have followed my gut and added some more breadcrumbs. Some of them fell apart in the sauce, but many did not. They taste very good. I will definitely make them again. I haven’t eaten beef in a year and so it is FUN to have spaghetti and meatballs again! Thanks for a keeper.

    Reply

  93. Janel says

    Jan 21, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Just made these to have some meals for the week and taste tested one — amazing! SO flavorful (even without the fresh parsley) and can’t wait to pair it with pasta and sauce this week. Thanks!

    Reply

  94. Veggie says

    Feb 4, 2013 at 6:38 am

    This looks absolutely beautiful. I love to make those “meatballs” from chickpeas but I defintely have to give your recipe a try!

    Reply

  96. Emily says

    Feb 24, 2013 at 5:07 pm

    Thanks for such a great recipe! I made it tonight and it was a big hit. We’ve been vegetarians for a year and I wasn’t able to find a good meatball recipe. Being Italian this was hard, but your recipe is perfect! Thanks!

    Reply

  97. Rachelle says

    Feb 25, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    I wanted to come back and post to tell you how much I enjoyed this recipe. Unmade it vegan and did not include the egg. As a result, my meatballs fell apart when I stirred them into the sauce. But it created this sort of ground meat texture which was good, too. The seasoning was very good. Thanks for posting!

    Reply

  98. merrittj1 says

    Apr 2, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    This was a great recipe! The Bean Balls were a little soft, but if they are browned in a little oil and then baked for about 30 minutes at 35o degrees. Added pasta sauce at the end. Very flavorful and fun.

    Reply

  99. Anon says

    Aug 17, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    I just had these bean-balls for dinner and they were absolutely delicious. I haven’t been tolerating meat very well lately so we have consciously been eating mostly vegetarian dishes. My meat loving husband said he liked them a lot too but would appreciate them even better if they were slightly chewier (to give them more of a real meatball texture). Do you think this can be accomplished using old fashion oatmeal instead of bread crumbs? Or do you think they would fall apart once in the sauce?

    Reply

    • Anon says

      Aug 31, 2013 at 10:43 pm

      I answered my own question I guess. I added 1/2 cup quick oats in addition to the bread crumbs and they were marvelous!!! They were definitely chewier and my hubby even called them ‘PERFECT’!!!

      Reply

  103. Sandy says

    Nov 25, 2013 at 6:27 am

    Does anyone know of a good substitute for bread crumbs? Am gluten intolerant, but really want to make these! Thanks. 🙂

    Reply

  104. Heather K says

    Dec 22, 2013 at 3:18 am

    These are delicious! I make them all the time! My 3 year old always thinks they are cookies when they come out of the oven though, lol. He is not turned off by the savory cookies though – he loves his bean cookies. I even brought these to my husband’s family’s party, where they eat meat at every meal, and they all loved them too!

    Reply

  105. Beth says

    Jan 6, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    So I went to make this recipe last night when I realized what I thought was a can of white beans was actually a can of chick peas. Since I was really gung ho on this recipe and had nothing else in the house for dinner I went ahead and made them with the chick peas anyway. They were excellent! I’ll try them with the white beans next time but thought I’d post this to let people know that chick peas work just as well. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Jan 6, 2014 at 2:07 pm

      That’s great to hear, Beth! Thanks so much for leaving your comment. It’s always great to know when variations work out so well.

      Reply

  106. Ros says

    Jan 15, 2014 at 1:35 am

    Hi Dara, I am always grabbing recipes off your site from here in Suffolk, UK. Tell me, how do you think this would come out with borlotti beans? I have a surplus… Thanks!

    Reply

  107. edel says

    Mar 7, 2014 at 4:25 am

    just want to point out this is not a vegaterian receipt as parmasen cheese is never vegaterian, other than changing that the rest looks fine

    Reply

    • J. Rogers says

      Mar 7, 2014 at 3:59 pm

      Vegetarian means you don’t eat meat or any kind of animal.

      VEGAN means you don’t eat Dairy, eggs, or ANY animal/byproduct.

      This dish IS vegetarian.

      Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Mar 7, 2014 at 4:40 pm

      Yes, you’re absolutely right! I had forgotten that Parmesan cheeses typically contain rennet, which is an animal product. Please see my response to the next comment.

      Reply

  108. Nancy says

    Apr 6, 2014 at 11:35 pm

    These look easy and delicious, my son & daughter in-law are vegetarians, so I am going to try these out on them and hey, they won’t hurt me or his dad to eat them too, we are meat eaters, but I bet they are that good that we won’t know the difference. How many meatballs does this recipe make ? Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  109. Jeffrey says

    Apr 8, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    What do you think I can use instead of breadcrumbs? Do you think I could use quinoa or a nut/seed flour?

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says

      Apr 8, 2014 at 9:02 pm

      Hi Jeffrey, are you looking for a gluten-free option? If so, I recommend using crushed gluten-free crackers. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  112. Maggie says

    Jun 29, 2014 at 10:25 am

    So delicious, but the not-meat-balls fell apart a little bit on us and sort of disintegrated into the sauce. I’m not sure exactly what we did (perhaps we should’ve let them cool a little bit more before we added to marinara sauce?), but will continue to make and experiment with these.

    Great meatless alternative! Yummy flavor, and easy to make.

    Reply

  113. Marina says

    Aug 7, 2014 at 9:15 am

    The red peppers that you call for, are these the kind like in a jar or do you just roast some red peppers? I have a red bell pepper on hand, would that work? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Dara says

      Aug 12, 2014 at 11:24 am

      Hi Marina, I apologize for taking so long to respond. I typically roast my own red peppers because it’s pretty easy to do and I prefer the flavor. That being said, you can certainly use the jarred ones found in most supermarkets.

      Reply

    • Dara says

      Aug 27, 2014 at 9:15 am

      Hi Jenna, I haven’t tried this myself, but have read many times and heard from several vegan friends that “flax eggs” are a great substitute. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons water to equal 1 egg. I hope that works out for you!

      Reply

  116. steph says

    Oct 13, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    I cooked them tonight, and after baking them for 15min in the oven i added them to the tomato sauce, and after a while mixed them gently, but they all fell apart… 🙁

    Reply

  117. Lauren says

    Dec 30, 2014 at 9:21 am

    Can these meatballs be frozen and reheated at other times? I want to make meatless meatballs ahead of time for quick spaghetti nights. Thank you!

    Lauren

    Reply

  118. Querino de-Freitas says

    Jan 15, 2015 at 11:22 am


    I have tried so may different kinds of veggie balls,,but they don’t always work for me …as sometimes they just break and its a mess…I will try yours and I will let you know how I make out….. I wonder if I can use a small ice cream scoop to gather the mixture ..then place in the freezer for 5/6 minutes to firm up……what do think………thanks……Querino x

    Reply

  119. Miranda says

    Feb 1, 2015 at 1:19 am

    Hi my friend! I want to say that this article is awesome, nice written and include approximately all important infos.
    I’d like to see extra posts like this .

    Reply

  120. Meow Meow says

    Mar 13, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    Sounds great. How many meatballs does this recipe make? I’d like to know so I can count calories… Thanks.

    Reply

  124. Zoe says

    Nov 25, 2015 at 12:43 am

    Just made this tonight! SO, SO GOOD! Wonderful recipe. It almost tasted like meat! I’m vegan but sometimes use eggs from our chickens so I made it for my meat-eater family and they really enjoyed it. I used cannellini beans as well as half a can of black beans in chilli sauce that was in a can which gave it an extra kick. Very yum, healthy and lots of protein.

    Zoe

    Reply

  126. Caroline says

    Feb 9, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    Ooooh…I JUST made these for dinner tonight! SO delicious! I love the flavor of the red pepper and paired with marinara….so good! My whole family loved them!

    Reply

  127. Kate says

    Apr 3, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Did you roast the red bell pepper in the oven, then remove the skin and dice? This is how I usually use a roasted bell pepper, but that seems like it might be a little too moist for this recipe? I haven’t tried it yet, but in your picture your red bell pepper looks not quite the same as how my roasted bell pepper looks and I just want to follow this recipe as close as possible! Also, did you incorporate the entire bell pepper in the food processor?
    Thanks!!!
    P.S. I’m cooking these for dinner tonight and CAN’T wait to try them!!!!

    Reply

    • Dara says

      Apr 3, 2016 at 3:51 pm

      Hi Kate – yes, that is exactly how I roast my peppers, too. Before roasting, I cut the peppers in half, remove the seed and membrane, then roast skin-side-up. I don’t find that I have a lot of moisture. Here’s my photo tutorial on roasting bell peppers. Once roasted, skinned and chopped, I throw them into the food processor. If you find that the meatballs are too moist (because every climate seems to produce a slightly different result), just incorporate some extra breadcrumbs. I hope you enjoy the meatballs!

      Reply

  128. Ally says

    Jul 14, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    I veganized these with a flax egg instead of real egg and they were amazing! Fantastic recipe! Thank you Xx

    Reply

  129. Penny Cassell says

    Jul 26, 2016 at 3:59 pm

    Hello Dara, I made this dish today and it was delicious. My husband really like it.. The next time I make this, I’ll add water chestnuts for crunch. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply

  132. Mn3835 says

    Jan 11, 2018 at 7:53 am


    I made these using gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs and they were incredible! I subbed a pesto sauce for the tomato sauce, as I cannot eat tomatoes, and the combination was great! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for my lunch today.

    Reply

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