Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

These black bean meatballs in roasted tomato and pepper sauce are a hearty vegan alternative to classic meatballs, made from black beans, oat flour, and warm spices, then simmered in a smoky blended sauce. They are easy to make, satisfying enough for a main dish, and versatile enough to serve on their own, over grains, or tucked into a bowl. If you want something tasty and filling that works for vegans and omnivores alike, this is the recipe to try.

That may be a mouthful of a title, but once you make them and the smell hits your nose, you won’t be able to wait to get your mouth full, trust me! Picture the scenario: a big dinner night is coming up and you want something everyone can enjoy, including one or two vegans at the table. Or maybe you are following a vegan diet and just want a versatile snack you can serve in a salad or a Buddha bowl, or eat on its own on one of those culinarily-uninspired days. I think I have something that will solve all your problems today!

What Goes Into These Black Bean Meatballs

The “meatball” base starts with a can of black beans, strained and drained well so the mixture is not too wet. Oat flour gives structure and soaks up moisture, which is what keeps the balls from falling apart. For binding, the recipe uses psyllium husks, which swell and gel when they hydrate, holding everything together without any egg. If you prefer, you can swap the psyllium for one egg for a vegetarian version instead.

The rest of the flavor comes from onion, garlic, soy sauce, and nutritional yeast, which lends a savory, almost cheesy depth. Smoked paprika and white pepper add warmth, sesame seeds add a little texture, and a spoon of beetroot paste (or cooked beetroot) gives the meatballs that deep, meaty color. Nothing here is exotic, but together these ingredients build a bean ball that actually tastes like something, not just mashed beans.

The Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

The sauce is a work of art, trust me! The secret to this sauce is to cut up and slow roast the red pepper beforehand, then blend it with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, white wine, and a touch of brown sugar. You saute the onion and garlic first, simmer the tomato mixture with basil, oregano, and mustard powder, then blend it all with the roasted pepper until smooth. The meatballs finish cooking right in that sauce, so they drink up all the flavor.

Why Roasting the Pepper Matters

Roasting and peeling the red bell pepper before it goes into the sauce is not a step to skip. Roasting concentrates the pepper’s natural sugars and adds a smoky, caramelized note that raw pepper simply cannot give you, while peeling off the charred skin removes the bitter, papery texture that would otherwise show up in a blended sauce. The small spoon of sugar balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes, and blending everything smooth is what turns a rustic tomato base into a silky sauce that coats each meatball.

Tips for Meatballs That Hold Together

• Drain the black beans really well. Excess liquid is the main reason bean meatballs turn mushy.
• Let the blended mixture rest for about 10 minutes before shaping. This gives the psyllium (or egg) and oat flour time to absorb moisture and firm up.
• Use a tablespoon to portion each meatball so they are even, then roll gently with your hands. Lining your board with parchment keeps them from sticking.
• Cook the meatballs in a little oil for a couple of minutes first to set the outside, then let them simmer in the sauce on low so they stay intact.
• If the mixture still feels too soft to roll, add a little more oat flour a spoon at a time until it holds its shape.

What to Serve With Black Bean Meatballs

Because they come in a generous sauce, these meatballs are happy over pasta, rice, or a bed of mashed potatoes, or scooped up with crusty bread. They also work as part of a spread of small plates, alongside something like a white bean hummus or a Kalamata white bean spread for dipping. If you are building out a fuller vegan menu, browse more vegan dinner recipes to round out the table. And if you love this bean-forward, meatless approach, you might also like my vegan meatballs and black bean burgers.

Make-Ahead and Storage

You can shape the meatballs a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook. The sauce also blends up in advance and keeps for a couple of days, which makes dinner assembly quick. Once cooked, store the meatballs and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and gently reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. They freeze well too, so it is worth making a double batch to stash away for a busy week.

It will surely end up being very tasty, but please don’t hesitate from telling me your opinions! If you make these black bean meatballs, come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment below telling me how your sauce turned out and whether you served them over pasta, rice, or on their own. I wish you bon appetit and have fun in the kitchen!

Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Looking for a vegan alternative to meatballs? These black bean meatballs simmer in a rich roasted tomato and pepper sauce until glossy and full of flavour. Hearty, satisfying, and on the table in about 40 minutes.

Print

Rate

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Choose Serving Size 2

Ingredients 

For the meatballs:

• 1 ½ cup oat flour
• 1 can black beans drained
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp beetroot paste or cooked beetroot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp parsley chopped, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp psyllium husks or 1 egg, for the vegetarian version
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt

For the tomato sauce:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper roasted and peeled
• 1½ cup tomatoes canned, crushed
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp white wine
• 1 tsp oregano dried
• 1 tsp basil dried
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

• Making the meatballs:
• Line a cutting board with parchment paper.
• Add all the meatball ingredients to a food processor: the black beans, oat flour, olive oil, beetroot paste, garlic, onion, sesame seeds, parsley, psyllium husks, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, white pepper, and salt. Blend until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Use a tablespoon to measure out each meatball.
• Scoop a tablespoon of the bean mixture and roll it into a meatball with your hands.
• Transfer it to the prepared cutting board. Repeat with the rest of the bean mixture, then set aside.
• For the sauce:
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, white wine, basil, oregano, and mustard powder.
• Let it simmer for about 4 minutes, then set aside.
• Add the tomato mixture to a food processor together with the roasted red bell pepper, salt, and white pepper.
• Blend until the sauce is smooth.
• Heat another skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
• Add the blended sauce to the meatballs, turn the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

For a vegetarian (non-vegan) version, replace the psyllium husks with 1 egg. Serve over pasta or rice, or with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently in a covered pan; the meatballs also freeze well for up to 2 months.

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to share with me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Youtube!

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe

Frequently Asked Questions