My fascination with meatballs began after I stopped eating meat. A past relationship introduced me to Swedish holiday meals—potatoes, pickled herring and, of course, meatballs. Back then I didn’t fully appreciate them. Now, as a plant‑based cook, I’ve developed a vegan version that captures the cozy, familiar flavors of the holidays.
These are what I call holiday meatballs because each bite tastes like Thanksgiving or Christmas. They echo classic bread stuffing with onion, celery, and a mix of fresh herbs—sage, thyme, rosemary—without the gluten. Their compact size makes them ideal for a holiday buffet: they work as a satisfying main while leaving room to sample other dishes on the table.
These meatballs are relatively low‑fuss and come together quickly with a food processor after a short sauté. Chickpeas and mushrooms form the base, delivering protein and rich umami. Unlike some meatball recipes, you don’t need to rest the mixture before shaping—it’s moist but manageable. If the dough sticks, wet your hands slightly to make rolling easier.
Equally important is the mushroom miso gravy. Potatoes and meatballs feel incomplete without a good gravy, and this one uses both mushrooms and miso to boost umami. I use many of the same fresh herbs in the gravy and the meatballs, which saves time and helps avoid wasted ingredients. If you often find herbs go unused, this dual‑use approach helps put them to good work.
For a gluten‑free thickener I use cornstarch; arrowroot is an alternative but can be less dependable when reheating. I prefer a smooth gravy that will look elegant on the holiday table, so I blend it until silky. If you like texture, blend only half or skip the blender. To retain miso’s beneficial qualities and flavor, stir it in at the end rather than cooking it for long.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Meatballs with Mushroom Miso Gravy
Ingredients
Vegan Holiday Meatballs
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
- 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon tightly packed minced fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz/398 ml) can chickpeas, drained (but not rinsed)
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon tamari
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs (gluten free if needed)
Mushroom Miso Gravy
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
- 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons miso
- 1 tablespoon tamari
Instructions
Vegan Holiday Meatballs
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Preheat: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
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Sauté vegetables: Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium‑high. Add onions and sauté until edges are pale golden, 3–5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in celery, thyme, sage and rosemary and cook until the celery is tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Combine mixture: Transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add chickpeas, tamari, nutritional yeast and black pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth—aim for pieces smaller than quick‑cooking oats. Add breadcrumbs and pulse until evenly incorporated.
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Scoop and bake: Scoop walnut‑sized portions (about 2 tablespoons each) — you should get roughly 24 meatballs. Roll into compact balls using slightly wet hands if needed. Arrange on a parchment‑lined sheet and bake until golden at the edges, about 40 minutes. Serve with gravy.
Mushroom Miso Gravy
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Sauté vegetables: In the same skillet (no need to clean), heat grapeseed oil over medium‑high. Add onions and cook until golden at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until deep golden, 5–8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Simmer and thicken: Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth, then whisk that mixture into the simmering broth. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
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Blend: Transfer to a blender, add miso and tamari, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning; thin with extra broth or water if needed. Serve hot over the meatballs.
Notes
- Miso paste: This recipe was tested with white (shiro) miso, which is mild and widely available. Yellow miso can be used as a slightly stronger, saltier substitute.
- Rolling meatballs: The mixture will be moist but moldable. Wet your hands slightly if it feels tacky. You can also chill the mixture for about an hour before rolling if you prefer.
- Gluten free: Use gluten‑free breadcrumbs and check labels for gluten‑free tamari and miso if required.
- Storage and reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until warmed through, in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, or in the microwave.