Vegan Meatball Casserole

No ratings yet

A protein-packed, plant-based meatball casserole of vegan lentil sausage meatballs in a veggie and black bean sauce. It has a simple ingredient list and it makes a satisfying dinner for six. Leftovers are amazing!

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 550kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Food processor
Oven-safe skillet

Ingredients

For vegan protein meatballs

2 cups canned or cooked brown lentils (about 16 ounces. Drain out all liquid)
14 ounces plant-based sausage (broken into 1-inch pieces)
4-5 garlic cloves (roughly chopped, if large)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ cup chickpea flour
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or any neutral oil)
Salt to taste

For black bean sauce

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 large carrot (or 2 small, finely chopped)
2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 heaping tablespoons harissa paste
6 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups canned or cooked black beans (from 1 cup dried beans, or use two 14-oz cans. Drain out all liquid)
1 cup mushroom stock (or water)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 scallions (chopped, for garnish. You can also use cilantro instead)

For seasoned breadcrumbs

¾ cup breadcrumbs (I used sourdough breadcrumbs, but any breadcrumbs, including panko, will work here)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Make seasoned breadcrumbs

Mix the breadcrumbs, oregano, nutritional yeast, salt and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Add the oil and mix until all crumbs are moistened. Set aside.

Make protein meatballs

Place the lentils, plant-based sausage, garlic, red pepper flakes, curry powder and chickpea flour in a food processor bowl. Add salt to taste.
Pulse 10-12 times until the ingredients come together. The mixture might feel a little bit loose but you should be able to form it into balls using your hands. Keep a bowl of water at hand and dip your fingers and palms in it to form the meatballs more easily. Make 18 meatballs of roughly the same size.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and spray or coat the bottom with oil. Add the meatballs, leaving some space between each.
Cook the meatballs on all sides in batches until lightly browned and firm. The meatballs might flatten a little, but they should hold together and firm up nicely. Set the cooked meatballs aside while you make the sauce.

Make the black bean sauce

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about five minutes.
Stir in the garlic and sauté for a minute longer.
Mix the harissa paste, tomato paste and oregano into the vegetables.
Add the black beans to the skillet. I like to mash them a bit with a fork first to help thicken the sauce. Add a cup of the mushroom stock. Stir to mix and bring to a boil, then turn off heat.

Assemble and bake the casserole

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
Nestle the meatballs into the black bean sauce.
Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs evenly over the meatballs. Place the skillet in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil for three more minutes to crunch up the breadcrumbs.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. Scatter chopped scallions on the top before serving.

Notes

Do you prefer vegan meatballs without vegan sausage? Try these yummy air fryer vegan meatballs in this casserole.
If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the black bean sauce to a four-quart baking dish, add the meatballs and breadcrumbs and bake.
If you find the meatballs aren't holding their shape, add some more chickpea flour or breadcrumbs. Because the meatball mixture is soft, it can help to dip your hands in a bowl of water, then form each meatball by tossing it between your palms. Once the meatballs have been pan-fried, they will hold their shape very well.
You can also just drop dollops of the meatball mixture on the hot skillet with a cookie scoop, if you don't want to take the time to form the meatballs.

Storage instructions

Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave before serving.

Make-ahead

Assemble and refrigerate the unbaked casserole up to two days ahead of serving. You can also freeze the unbaked casserole for up to three months. Wrap it before freezing in two layers of freezer wrap.

Nutrition