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Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Looking for a vegan alternative to meatballs? These black bean meatballs in roasted tomato and pepper sauce are simply divine, but also easy to make! Give them a try!

Picture this scenario – The big dinner night is coming up and you’re looking for something tasty and filling to make. Maybe you are looking to incorporate some diversity, so you can have something for everyone to munch on. That’s why you have to consider people’s dietary needs, and what do you do if you have one or more vegans at your table?

Or maybe you are following a vegan diet and want to enjoy something tasty for lunch that you could combine with other small nibbles in a fashion-it-yourself kind of meal. Oftentimes you might be looking for a versatile snack that you could serve in a salad or a Buddha bowl, or just eat on its own, in one of those culinarily-uninspired days. But I think I have something that will solve all your problems today! 🙂

Healthy Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Introducing black bean meatballs in roasted tomato and pepper sauce! 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!

This recipe is tasty and delicious and well suited for lunch, dinner or anything in-between. It will fill your tummy with vegan goodness and your heart with warmth and comfort!

Despite not featuring any meat, these meatballs might fool even the most seasoned of meat lovers. If you do end up serving them at your big dinner night, you might be surprised when these meat lovers ask for seconds!

Vegan Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

This recipe is comprised of two parts that we will talk about separately – the faux meatballs themselves, and then the tomato and pepper sauce. First, you have the black bean meatballs.

These meatballs are made of black beans, a very common ingredient for capturing the texture of meat. Black beans are full of protein and nutrients that your body will thank you for.

If you are searching for a meat substitute that can provide you with a healthy amount of nutrients and at the same time have a meat-like texture when mashed and mixed with other ingredients.

This recipe is better if you season your beans mix properly with black pepper, oregano, and other spices of your choice, just like you would with regular meatballs.

That isn’t to say that beans have no flavor of their own – quite the contrary, they do have a specific character that will be felt more or less, depending on how much you choose to spice the mix up.

Black Bean Meatballs in Sauce

The sauce is a work of art, trust me! 🙂 If you have the patience to make this delicious tomato-based sauce, you might start making it separately. And you should, because it is a versatile sauce that you can use on many other recipes, such as pasta, pizza, or any other recipe that calls for a tasty tomato-based sauce.

The secret to this sauce is to cut up and slow roast the vegetables beforehand. Remove the core of the tomatoes and the seeds of the red peppers. Slow roasting really brings the best in the vegetables, not to mention if you decide to go the extra mile and add garlic to the mix. Your kitchen will smell like a dream!

These black bean meatballs with special sauce will be the highlight of your vegan family dinner! If there are any meatballs left after everyone gets to eat, you can refrigerate them.

This process will make the meatballs fuse with the sauce because we all know the fridge is a magical device that makes all leftovers more delicious. The cold environment will make the sauce feel like it’s always been a part of the meatballs.

Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce recipe

Being a totally vegan and healthy recipe, even though not tasting like one, you can give this recipe to your kids to enjoy at lunchtime. Kids naturally love meatballs, and they might appreciate your unique twist on their favorite middle of the day snack.

If you’re putting them in your kids’ lunchbox, make sure to pack them accordingly, because these black bean meatballs are going to be runny, due to the sauce! Pack an energy punch in your kids’ lunch with these black bean meatballs today and they will thank you!

vegan Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

So go ahead and try out this recipe for black bean meatballs in roasted tomato and pepper sauce! It will surely end up being very tasty, but please don’t hesitate from telling me your opinions! What does it remind you of? I wish you bon appetit and have fun in the kitchen!

Yield: 2-4

Black Bean Meatballs in Roasted Tomato and Pepper Sauce

Black Bean Meatballs chiftelute de fasole in sos

Looking for a vegan alternative to meatballs? I've got you covered! These black bean meatballs in roasted tomato and pepper sauce are simply divine, but also easy to make! Give them a try!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:
  • 130g (1 ½ cup) oat flour
  • 1 can (400g | 14 oz) black beans, strained and drained
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp beetroot paste or cooked beetroot
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
  • 2 Tbsp psyllium husks
  • 1 Tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • For the tomato sauce:
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted and peeled
  • 360g (1 ½ cup) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 2 Tbsp white wine
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Making the meatballs:
  2. Line a cutting board with parchment paper.
  3. Add all the “meatballs” ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
  4. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let sit for about 10 minutes.
  5. Use a Tbsp to measure 1 meatball.
  6. Scoop a Tbsp of the bean mixture and roll one meatball with your hands.
  7. Transfer to a prepared cutting board. Repeat with the rest of the bean mixture. Set aside.
  8. For the sauce:
  9. Heat some oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.
  10. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, coconut sugar, white wine, basil, oregano, and mustard powder.
  11. Let it simmer for about 4 minutes. Set aside.
  12. Add the tomato mixture to a food processor together with the roasted peppers, salt, and pepper.
  13. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
  14. Heat another skillet with olive oil on medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes.
  15. Add the blended sauce to the meatballs, turn the heat to low, cover and let it cook for about 7 to 10 minutes.
  16. Serve warm and garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Amount Per Serving Calories 461Total Fat 14.6gCarbohydrates 65gProtein 17.4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

 

Nikola

Tuesday 8th of March 2022

Oh, and I didn't have beetroot, so I just included some canned diced tomato pieces to add moisture.

Nikola

Tuesday 8th of March 2022

This recipe blew my socks off. I have a meat-loving 3.5 year old who generally doesn't like anything bean-filled but he ate this with gusto. So did everyone else in the house, ranging from 3 to 57! Amazing, and the fact that you got all these nutritionally dense add-ins like psylium husk and nutritional yeast is just an added benefit.

Ruxandra

Thursday 10th of March 2022

Hi Nikola! Your comment made my day! :) Thank you! It makes me so happy to hear that my recipes are appreciated. I'm glad your whole family liked it! :D

Andreea Ghita

Sunday 24th of May 2020

Great recipe! I substituted beetroot with seitan, but the end result was really nice! Reminds me of “chiftelute marinate” which was my fav dish growing up! Thank you for the recipe🌺

Ruxandra

Thursday 3rd of September 2020

Thank you! I'm happy you liked it and great idea with the seitan! Will try.

Elina

Saturday 11th of May 2019

This is a delicious recipe! The whole family enjoyed it very much. I used cooked mung beans as didn't have any black beans, and milled flaxseed instead of psyllium husks for the same reason. The meatballs still turned out fine. Great texture and go really well with the sauce. Thank you for sharing!

Ruxandra Micu

Wednesday 22nd of May 2019

Thank you, Elina! Glad you and your family liked it! :D

Roslia Santamaria

Friday 10th of May 2019

It looks very yummy.Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe with us.

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