One of the healthiest food trends today is vegan meatballs recipes, which are savory little “meatballs” filled with beans, veggies, herbs, and whole grains baked into golden perfection and served with a flavorful sauce, as in this recipe for White Bean Sage Vegan Meatballs with Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce. Plant-based dishes like this can be the star of your plate, taking the place of less healthful animal protein choices. So, if you’re wondering what you can enjoy on a more plant-based diet, this hearty, satisfying comfort food entrée recipe is a great example.
Eating a more plant-based diet is linked with a multitude of health benefits, including lower risk of chronic diseases. By including more servings of pulses (beans, lentils, peas), whole grains (oats, quinoa, wheat), veggies (sweet potatoes, broccoli, squash), and nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios), you can fill your plate with disease-fighting nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and phytochemicals—plant compounds that act to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body which can lead to chronic disease. No wonder this plant-powered eating style is so good for you!
How do you get started including more plant-based meals during the week? Start with this 100% plant-based recipe, which features white beans, sweet potatoes, sage, oats, hazelnuts, and more. Mix up the ingredients in a food processor to save time, shape them into balls, and bake them up. Then mix up this gorgeous, flavorful Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce to accompany these vegan meatballs. Serve them with mashed potatoes and a crisp garden salad for a balanced meal everyone will enjoy. You can even freeze these vegan meatballs to enjoy later on.
Step-By-Step Guide:
Wondering how to make vegan meatballs? Check out this step-by-step guide on how to make White Bean Sage Vegan Meatballs with Pomegranate Mandarin Sauce.
Mash the white beans until they are smooth, with some chunks remaining.Combine all ingredients and chill for about one hour.With a spoon and your hands, shape the veggie balls, place on baking sheets, and bake for 55-60 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.To make sauce, mix pomegranate juice, freshly squeezed mandarin orange juice and zest with cornstarch over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.Pomegranate Mandarin SauceServe veggie balls with pomegranate mandarin sauce on the side.
Check out the video for this delicious, plant-based recipe here, as well as on Instagram.
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Description
These savory, delicious White Bean Sage Vegan Meatballs are filled with the goodness of beans, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, hazelnuts, and sage. Serve them as an entrée with this flavorful pomegranate mandarin sauce.
Using a food processor with the shredding attachment, shred sweet potato, onion, celery, mushrooms, hazelnuts, garlic, and sage. (Alternatively, shred them with a box grater, or chop very finely by hand).
Place the drained beans in a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher until smooth, with some chunks remaining.
Add shredded vegetables mixture to the bowl with beans.
Add mustard, celery salt, black pepper, soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, oats, and flax seeds. Mix well, using hands, to create a smooth texture. Add enough breadcrumbs to make a soft consistency that holds a shape. Season with salt as desired (optional).
Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow easy handling of mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Using a spoon and clean hands, shape mixture into about 40 golf ball-sized meatballs, pressing firmly together.
Place veggie meatballs on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 375 F for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
To make pomegranate mandarin sauce, whisk together pomegranate juice, mandarin orange juice, maple syrup, cardamom, and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until bubbly and thickened. Stir in mandarin orange zest and pomegranate seeds (arils) and chill until serving time.
Serve vegan meatballs with sauce immediately. Makes 10 servings (4 meatballs + 1/4 cup sauce each).
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:60 minutes
Category:Dinner
Cuisine:American, Mediterranean
Nutrition
Serving Size:4 meatballs + ¼ cup sauce each
Calories:257
Sugar:11 g
Sodium:117 mg
Fat:6 g
Saturated Fat:1 g
Carbohydrates:43 g
Fiber:8 g
Protein:10 g
Keywords: vegan meatballs
For other vegan meatball recipes, try some of my favorites:
Golden Beet Vegan Meatballs with Almond Sage Cranberry Crema Greek Veggie Balls with Tahini Lemon Sauce
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