Fried meatballs and chutney is a popular north Indian appetizer. It’s a spiced, aromatic fried meatball. It is served with a mint-cilantro chutney and tastes epic! I obviously made it vegan and it tastes exactly the same as the real deal since I’m using a vegan meat replacement. Follow the blog post to see helpful tips and tricks, substitutes for all the ingredients, and the full recipe.
I can make anything vegan!
It’s SO easy to create vegan alternatives to non-vegan foods, especially with the wide variety of plant-based ingredients available today. Take for example vegan appetizers – instead of traditional meat-filled appetizers, I can create delicious vegan versions using mushrooms, lentils, cashews, and other plant-based ingredients.
For example, instead of traditional meatballs, I can easily whip up some vegan meatballs using a combination of soy mince, lentils, and mushrooms. The texture and flavor are surprisingly similar to the non-vegan version but with the added benefits of being cruelty-free.
Even classic non-vegan dishes like lasagna, tacos, Indian desserts and burgers can be made vegan by swapping out the meat for plant-based alternatives. With the growing interest in plant-based eating, there are countless recipes, and resources available to help you create delicious vegan versions of your favorite non-vegan dishes.
Why I love this recipe
I absolutely love this fried vegan meatball recipe for several reasons. First, it’s incredibly easy to make, taking only 30 minutes from start to finish. Second, the flavors are totally customizable, allowing me to switch up the herbs and spices to suit my mood. Lastly, I adore the fact that I can make a big batch ahead of time and freeze them for later use – it’s a huge time-saver for busy days.
These vegan meatballs are versatile and can be served in a variety of ways. They are delicious with pasta, in subs, on top of salads, or simply on their own with a flavorful dip like chutney.
I also sometimes like to blend the chutney with some plant-based cream and pour it over the meatballs! What I love most about them, though, is their moist and flavorful texture. They are packed full of savory goodness and have the perfect amount of moisture, making them truly irresistible.
This recipe is easy, customizable, and perfect for making ahead and freezing for later use. The moist and flavorful vegan meatballs can be enjoyed in countless ways, making them a staple in my kitchen.
Ingredients and substitutes for this recipe
– Plant-based meat alternative (e.g. Beyond Meat) – This provides the protein base for the dish and can easily be substituted with cooked lentils, soaked and minced textured soy (soy mince), cooked beans, and minced firm tofu.
– Onion, ginger, and garlic – I use red medium onion, but you can use white onion. Then I use fresh ginger and a few cloves garlic. These aromatics provide a flavor base for the dish and can be substituted with pre-made ginger-garlic paste for convenience.
– Whole spices (cumin and coriander seeds) and ground spices (red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric) – These spices provide depth and heat to the dish and can be substituted with pre-made curry powder or garam masala blend.
– Oil – This is used for frying and can be substituted with any neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil.
– Chickpea flour – This is used as a binding agent and can be substituted with all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend.
– Fresh coriander leaves, lemon juice, and vinegar – These provide freshness and acidity to the dish and can be substituted with dried coriander, lime juice, or apple cider vinegar.
– Baking soda and kosher salt – These are used for seasoning and leavening and can be substituted with baking powder and table salt.
This recipe uses a combination of plant-based meat, aromatic spices, chickpea flour, ginger, and garlic to create a flavorful and satisfying dish.
Tips to make the best vegan fried meatballs!
Flavoring options for customizing these vegan meatballs include Mexican, Italian, and Greek.
For a Mexican twist, add cumin, chili powder, and cilantro.
For an Italian flavor, use oregano, basil, and garlic. These Italian meatballs can be used this to make vegan meatball subs!
To make Greek-inspired meatballs, try using lemon zest, dill, and parsley.
When it comes to cooking, these meatless meatballs can be air-fried, baked, or even pan-fried.
To air fry, preheat the air fryer to 375°F, arrange the meatballs in a single layer, and cook for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
If baking, preheat the oven to 375°F, place the meatballs on a baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For pan-frying, heat a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the meatballs for 10-12 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.
To make these vegan meatballs, you will need a mixing bowl, a spatula, and either a frying pan or baking sheet. Shaping options include rolling the mixture into balls by hand or using a small cookie scoop for uniform size.
By incorporating various flavoring options, cooking methods, and equipment needed, you can easily customize and prepare delicious vegan meatballs to suit your preferences.
FAQ
Can I substitute the Plant-based meat?
Yes, you can substitute plant-based meat with various alternatives such as TVP (textured vegetable protein), tofu, and seasoned mince.
To use TVP as a replacement for plant-based ground, start by rehydrating the TVP in a 1:1 ratio of TVP to hot water or vegetable broth. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes until the TVP has absorbed the liquid and has a ground meaty texture. If these are larger chunks, then pulse them in a food processor. Then it can be used in recipes just like ground meat.
Tofu can also be used as a substitute for plant-based grounds. To use tofu, start by pressing it to remove excess moisture, then crumble the tofu to a ground meat-like consistency. It can then be seasoned and used in place of ground meat in recipes.
Seasoned mince, typically made from soy or mushroom-based products, is another great plant-based meat substitute. Cook the seasoned mince as you would regular ground meat.
These substitutes provide a versatile, plant-based alternative to ground meat, and each can be easily incorporated into a variety of dishes.
How to store these vegan meatballs?
Prepare the meatball mixture in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day or freezer in a freezer-safe container for much longer. This makes it convenient to have it ready for cooking. Shape the uncooked meatballs 1 to 2 days ahead and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them. Leftover fried meatballs can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to reheat these vegan meatballs?
If you want to store the meatballs after frying, allow them to cool completely and then transfer them to an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, simply place them in the oven or air fryer at 350°F or 186°C for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Please be sure to keep an eye on the meatballs to prevent them from overheating and becoming dry. Once they are heated through, they are ready to enjoy!
Other meatless recipes from the blog to try
Fried Meatballs and Chutney – Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beyond meat or any other plant-based minced beef alternative, 400 g
- ½ medium size onion finely chopped
- 1 green chili pepper finely chopped
- ¼ bunch fresh coriander/cilantro leaves finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoon minced ginger and garlic
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon chickpea or gram flour besan
- Enough oil for frying
Instructions
Dry roasting spices:
- First, roughly crush the coriander seeds.
- In a frying pan, add the hand-crushed coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
- Dry roast them on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Making the mixture:
- In a bowl, combine the ground vegan meat, fresh lemon juice, vineger, minced ginger and garlic and olive oil and mix well. Use a rubber glove if you wish.
- Next add in red chili powder, ½ tsp baking soda, black salt, cilantro/coriander leaves, garam masala, ground turmeric, onion, gram flour(besan), a pinch of baking soda, dry roasted cumin seed and coriander seeds. Mix well.
Prepare the meatballs and fry:
- Grease your hand with oil then shape the ground beef mixture into little ½ inch meatballs.
- In a wok or frying pan, add enough frying oil on medium heat.
- Once it's heated, add in couple of meatballs and fry them well on all sides for 5-7 minutes, then fry the rest.
- Serve with green mint cilantro chutney.
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