How do you keep vegetable meatballs from falling apart?

Roll your meatballs in flour This is, hands down, one of the easiest ways I've discovered to prevent meatballs from falling apart when cooking.

How to make meatballs that don t fall apart in sauce?

You can do a few things while preparing the meatballs to ensure they don't fall apart once they go into the tomato sauce. Don't add too much moisture: ... Keep the meat as cold as possible: ... Don't overwork the meat: ... Add meatballs to a simmering sauce, and don't over-stir: Mar 15, 2019

How long should you simmer meatballs in sauce?

Step 5: Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and allow them to simmer for at least 1 hour . I usually allow them to simmer for up to 3 hours to really suck in all the flavor.

What makes meatballs stick together better?

Most meatball recipes depend on other ingredients, such as herbs, cheese, and the meat itself for flavor. Instead, eggs serve a more prosaic function: to help hold everything together. As the eggs cook, their proteins coagulate and solidify, binding all the other ingredients they contact.

Why do my homemade meatballs fall apart?

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together . Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

How do you keep meatballs from getting tough?

Consider the other ingredients. Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness . Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk.

How do you keep meatballs perfectly round?

Use a small ice cream scoop to make perfectly round meatballs of the same size . Put some of the meatball mixture in one hand and dish up (with your scooper) equal-sized meatballs and drop them on a baking pan. After scooping, smooth them out into round meatballs by gently rolling in your hands.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe (2024)

Published: Nov 1, 2011 · Modified: Mar 30, 2021 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 188 Comments

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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

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian Meatballs Recipe

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 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.

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 a large nonstick skillet and let it simmer until done.

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.

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

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.

Other family-friendly cannellini bean recipes:

Pasta e fa*gioli

Printable Recipe

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce

These vegetarian meatballs will satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters! A fantastic option for meatless dinners.

4.56 from 34 votes

Ingredients

1 ½ cans 15 ounces each Bush's Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1 roasted red bell pepper 2 halves, roughly chopped
½ medium yellow onion grated
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 egg
½ cup dried breadcrumbs see note
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ 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.

Video

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

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.