Vegan Mushroom Meatballs

Easy Vegan Meatballs with mushrooms and rice are packed with comforting flavors. Healthy, gluten-free and ready in under 1 hour, this recipe is perfect for a meal prep or family dinner.

Ingredients:

– ▢1 c white Basmati rice – ▢4 tablespoon olive oil  – ▢2 medium onions  – ▢1 large carrot  – ▢3 cloves garlic minced – ▢8 oz Portobello mushrooms  – ▢1 ½ c tomato sauce – ▢4 c water divided – ▢1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – ▢½ teaspoon smoked paprika – ▢2 ½ teaspoon corn starch – ▢1 teaspoon Maple syrup – ▢1 ¼ teaspoon salt divided – ▢¼ teaspoon pepper – ▢2 tablespoon parsley

1. Cook the rice. Rinse the rice with a filtered water, add to a medium pot along with water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until rice absorbs all water is cooked, about 15 minutes. Transfer rice to a large bowl to cool.

2. Cook the onion and carrot. Heat olive in a large pan and over medium heat. Add half of the minced onion, carrot and saute stirring from time to time for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

3. Cook the mushrooms.  Add finely chopped mushrooms and cook on a high heat for about 5 minutes or until mushroom slightly brown. Transfer the veggies to a plate and wipe down the pan with a paper towel.

4. Prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large pan and over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, salt, and sauté stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, combine corn starch and water. Whisk in tomato sauce, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, Maple syrup, salt and pepper.

Add the sauce to the sauteed onion and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Using an immersion or stand blender, blend the sauce until fewer veggie chunks remain.

5. Combine rice and sauteed vegetables. In a large bowl add cooked rice and sauteed onion, carrot and mushrooms. Mix for a few minutes until the mixture is slightly "sticky". That way you'll be able to easily shape it into the balls. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.

6. Shape the meatballs. Take about 1 heaping tsp of the mixture and using your hands shape into the meatballs. I had about 29 meatballs. Place meatballs into the tomato sauce, simmer for 2 minutes and remove from the heat.

7. Serve. Sprinkle these easy vegan meatballs with some parsley and serve as they are or over some pasta.

I think you'll also love this mushroom risotto:

Mushroom Risotto