Whether you're vegetarian or not, you're going to love this Italian Vegetable Meatball Recipe! They can be air friend or oven baked, and only take about 20 minutes to prep. I'll be honest - it's not easy trying to make vegetables have a good "meatball" consistency, but after a lot of testing they came out PERFECT. I used the same seasoning as I do in my Paleo Meatball Recipe, but the base of these is made with cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, egg and almond flour. They're crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with all of your favorite Italian herbs and spices! It's a great gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian option! (Updated March 2021.)
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What I love about these Vegetarian Meatballs
Like most of my recipes, these meatballs are easy to make, and only require a few simple ingredients! I've always been a big meatball fan, but I try to incorporate plant-based meals a few times a week. These vegetable "meatballs" are a great vegetarian option that still provides protein and plenty of nutrients! 5 meatballs = 5 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein!
🍴Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower & Broccoli Rice - I made my own cauliflower and broccoli rice in the food processer, but you can buy it premade from the store in the produce section! (Whole Foods + Trader Joes usually has it.) I also left instructions below if you want to make it yourself too!
- Almond Flour - I like to use Bob's Red Mill or Blue Diamond for my recipes! (Both are finely ground.)
- Whipped Egg - It works best if you use a fork or whisk to whip the egg before adding it into the meatball mixture.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - You can sub with avocado oil.
- Chopped Fresh Basil - I use fresh, frozen basil! I usually purchase my herbs fresh and then freeze them in glass containers for easy access. You can also chop some fresh basil from the store!
- Chopped Parsley - I use fresh, frozen parsley that I pre-chopped!
🍴Recipe Instructions
Making the meatball mixture
- Add cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, whipped egg, olive oil, and almond flour to a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Next add your salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, and parsley. Mix with a fork or a spatula until fully combined.
Baking
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper, or prepare your air fryer. Roll the mixture into 1 + ½ inch meatballs - it should make 15 golf ball sized meatballs. Add them to your baking sheet or air fryer.
- Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Air fry for about 20 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're golden brown on the outside. They will crisp up a bit more in the air fryer.
- Once they're done you can serve them with your favorite gluten-free pasta and sauce!
Helpful Meatball Tips
- I like to make my meatballs on the smaller side so they cook through thoroughly. If they're too big, the center might not fully cook through and it will be a little too mushy. If you make them the right size, it should yield 15 meatballs. (About golf ball size.)
- After you rinse your head of broccoli and cauliflower, make to thoroughly dry them. If they're wet when you make your vegetable rice it can change the consistency.
- It's important to use a fork or whisk to whip your egg BEFORE adding it into the mixture.
- If you want your meatballs to stay fairly firm, I would not let them simmer in the sauce. I usually store them separately and serve on top of of the pasta and sauce.
How to make your own Cauliflower & Broccoli Rice
You can purchase pre-packaged cauliflower rice and broccoli from the grocery store, but it’s a lot less expensive to make it yourself! Start by chopping your head of cauliflower and broccoli in half. Take one half of your cauliflower and chop it into small bite size pieces. Add about two cups of chopped cauliflower into your food processor. Pulse on and off until it becomes a “rice” consistency. (Takes about 30 seconds.) Repeat until you have enough for the recipe! (Repeat with broccoli.) Whenever I make my own vegetable rice, I usually double the recipe so it's worth my time!
Frequently Asked Questions
I love serving mine with gluten-free pasta and my Vegan Roasted Tomato Sauce, Creamy Tomato Sauce, or Instant Pot Meat Sauce! You could also toss them in Pesto or a Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce. If you don't want to make your own, Primal Kitchen makes great sugar-free options.
I have not tested freezing them, but I bet they would store well in the freezer! To reheat just pop them in the air fryer or oven to make sure they crisp back up before serving.
I have not tested with using an egg replacement - It might make them a bit too mushy!
Gluten Free Pasta Suggestions
The Whole Foods brand makes a delicious chickpea pasta that is organic, and only has ONE ingredient – chickpeas. They also have a Mung Bean pasta that I used in this particular recipe that tastes great, and has a nice texture. I use it for most of my sauce recipes because it doesn’t get soggy. (Wouldn’t recommend eating it without a sauce.) A lot of the gluten-free pasta products are filled with additives and “gums” that are unnecessary. Make sure to always check the ingredients! Don’t be tricked by fancy labels! My other favorite brands are Tolerant and Jovial!
For a delicious Paleo & Whole30 option, you can use zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash! Never made spaghetti squash? Check out my How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Post! If you’re interested in making your own zuchini noodles or any vegetable noodles, I highly recommend purchasing an inspiralizer. I’ve had mine for about five years, and it’s amazing!! I use it for zucchini, broccoli, yellow squash, beets, sweet potato.. I also have two of her cookbooks! It’s a fun way to sneak in extra veggies!
How to store & reheat leftovers
After you make your meatballs, you can either serve them on top of your sauce and pasta, or after they cool place them in a glass Tupperware container to store in the refrigerator. I have not tested freezing them, but I bet they would store well in the freezer! To reheat just pop them in the air fryer or oven to make sure they crisp back up before serving. I would not store them in the sauce as they can easily get soggy. They're best served fresh on top right before you eat them!
More Vegetarian Recipes!
- Healthy Minestrone Soup
- Butternut Squash Risotto (Dairy-Free)
- Buffalo Cauliflower Meatballs
- Creamy Vegan Walnut Pesto
- Vegan Roasted Tomato Sauce
Italian Vegetable Meatball Recipe
Equipment
- Oven or Air Fryer
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 + ½ Cups Fresh Cauliflower Rice
- 1 Cup Broccoli Rice
- ½ Cup Almond Flour
- 1 Whipped Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
Seasoning:
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Add cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, whipped egg, olive oil, and almond flour to a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Next add your salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, and parsley. Mix with a fork or a spatula until fully combined.
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper, or prepare your air fryer. Roll the mixture into 1 + ½ inch meatballs - it should make 15 meatballs. Add them to your baking sheet or air fryer.
- Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Air fry for about 20 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're golden brown on the outside. They will crisp up a bit more in the air fryer.
- Once they're done you can serve them with your favorite gluten-free pasta and sauce!
Notes
How to make your own Cauliflower Rice
You can purchase pre-packaged cauliflower rice and broccoli from the grocery store, but it’s a lot less expensive to make it yourself! Start by chopping your head of cauliflower and broccoli in half. Take one half of your cauliflower and chop it into small bite size pieces. Add about two cups of chopped cauliflower into your food processor. Pulse on and off until it becomes a “rice” consistency. (Takes about 30 seconds.) Repeat until you have enough for the recipe! (Repeat with broccoli.) Whenever I make my own vegetable rice, I usually double the recipe so it's worth my time!Helpful Meatball Tips
- I like to make my meatballs on the smaller side so they cook through thoroughly. If they’re too big, the center might not fully cook through and it will be a little too mushy. If you make them the right size, it should yield 15 meatballs. (About golf ball size.)
- After you rinse your head of broccoli and cauliflower, make to thoroughly dry them. If they’re wet when you make your vegetable rice it can change the consistency.
- It’s important to use a fork or whisk to whip your egg BEFORE adding it into the mixture.
- If you want your meatballs to stay fairly firm, I would not let them simmer in the sauce. I usually store them separately and serve on top of of the pasta and sauce.
How to store & reheat leftovers
After you make your meatballs, you can either serve them on top of your sauce and pasta, or after they cool place them in a glass Tupperware container to store in the refrigerator. I have not tested freezing them, but I bet they would store well in the freezer! To reheat just pop them in the air fryer or oven to make sure they crisp back up before serving. I would not store them in the sauce as they can easily get soggy. They're best served fresh on top right before you eat them!Frequently Asked Questions
Gluten Free Pasta Suggestions
The Whole Foods brand makes a delicious chickpea pasta that is organic, and only has ONE ingredient – chickpeas. They also have a Mung Bean pasta that I used in this particular recipe that tastes great, and has a nice texture. I use it for most of my sauce recipes because it doesn’t get soggy. (Wouldn’t recommend eating it without a sauce.) A lot of the gluten-free pasta products are filled with additives and “gums” that are unnecessary. Make sure to always check the ingredients! Don’t be tricked by fancy labels! My other favorite brands are Tolerant and Jovial! For a delicious Paleo & Whole30 option, you can use zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash! Never made spaghetti squash? Check out my How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Post! If you’re interested in making your own zuchini noodles or any vegetable noodles, I highly recommend purchasing an inspiralizer. I’ve had mine for about five years, and it’s amazing!! I use it for zucchini, broccoli, yellow squash, beets, sweet potato.. I also have two of her cookbooks! It’s a fun way to sneak in extra veggies!Nutrition
After you make these Italian Vegetable Meatballs, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe! Your feedback is helpful for me, and for anyone planning to try this recipe. I hope you love them as much as I do! xo Mariah
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We loved this recipe! They’re delicious in sauce.
Happy to hear that!