Vegan Adzuki Bean Meatballs
There’s something about a pot of “red meatballs” simmering on the stove that immediately takes me back to my childhood. My mom used to feed me all sorts of hidden vegetables through those patties, and now that I’m a parent, I find myself doing the exact same thing.
These aren’t my mother’s meatballs, though. They are my plant-based version, using adzuki beans as the star. They have that same comforting look and feel, but they’re packed with fiber, protein, and clean ingredients that make both the body and the soul feel good.
The Secret to the Perfect Vegan Meatball
The biggest challenge with vegan meatballs is keeping them from falling apart. Many recipes turn into mush the second they hit the sauce. The secret to success here is a two-step process: we bake the meatballs first to firm them up, and then give them a very short simmer in the sauce.
I love using adzuki beans because they have a lovely nutty flavor and are much easier to digest than most other beans. Plus, they cook faster, which is always a win in a busy kitchen.
How to Make Them (Step-by-Step)
- Prep the beans: Place the soaked adzuki beans in a pot with plenty of water. Crucial: Do not add salt to the water, as it will keep the beans stiff and prevent them from softening. Boil until tender (about 40 minutes) and drain well.
- The mixture: In a food processor, combine the cooked beans, onion, carrot, basil, pecans, oats, and spices. Pulse until the mixture is uniform. The mixture will be quite thick and heavy—this is exactly what helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- Shape and Bake: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Shape the mixture into balls (about 5cm/2 inches) and bake for 15 minutes.
- The Sauce: While the meatballs are in the oven, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, and basil, and let it simmer for 10 min1utes.
- The Finish: Gently add the baked meatballs to the simmering sauce. Don’t let the sauce boil once the meatballs are in—keep it at a gentle simmer for just 5 minutes. This allows them to soak up the flavor without losing their texture.
Want more plant-based comfort food? Try these:
That’s it. Let the pot sit for a few minutes before serving to let the sauce thicken slightly. Scroll down for the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. En
Vegan Adzuki Bean Meatballs
Ingredients:
for the vegan meatballs-
- 1 cup dry adzuki beans, soaked for at least 8 hours, or – 2 cups of cooked adzuki beans
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- ½ cup fresh basil
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup natural oats
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
for the sauce-
- 14 oz / 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil + some to serve chopped
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions:
- Soaking (Dry beans only): If you are using dry adzuki beans, place them in a bowl with plenty of fresh water for at least 8 hours (overnight is easiest). Tip: In the summer or if your kitchen is warm, keep them in the fridge while they soak. If using canned or pre-cooked beans, skip to step 3.
- Cooking (Dry beans only): Drain the soaking water and place the beans in a pot with plenty of fresh water. Crucial: Do not add salt to the water yet, as it prevents the beans from softening. Boil until tender (about 40 minutes) and drain well.
- The mixture: In a food processor, combine the cooked (or canned) beans, onion, carrot, basil, pecans, oats, and spices. Pulse until the mixture is uniform. The mixture will be quite thick and heavy—this is exactly what helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- Shape and Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Shape the mixture into balls (5cm / 2 inches) and bake for 15 minutes.
- The Sauce: While the meatballs are in the oven, sauté the onions in olive oil for about 2-3 minutes while stirring. Add chopped garlic cloves and cook for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. If you want the patties to have lots of sauce, you can add another 7 oz/ 200 g of crushed tomatoes and half a cup of water.
- The Finish: Gently add the baked meatballs to the sauce.Notice the sauce should be hot and simmering gently, but not at a rolling boil, to keep the meatballs from breaking apart. Cook for just 5 minutes and no more. Serve topped with fresh basil leaves for a burst of color and aroma.
Will definitely be making these, but with eggs to bind them. Thanks for the bean inspo!
Yes! I had about a half cup of adzuki beans leftover and didn’t know what to do with them. I made these today, and they made my kitchen smell fantastic! I threw them on top of my spaghetti dish and they tasted amazing! Definitely making again. I don’t have a non a, but if I did, she’d be jealous…
Hi! Just came across Thai recipe and want to try this week, but my son has an allergy to pecans. What purpose do they serve? Could I omit or perhaps replace with cashews? (I have those on hand). Thanks!
Hi to you too:) The pecans thicken the mass, and of course add their flavor. Never tried it with cashews, I think it’ll work fine. If you have walnuts, and if walnuts are safe for your son, I would use that. I used walnuts before with this recipes and it was great
Delicious even as a salad accompaniment or a power snack between meals
Delicious!I’ve tried so many bean “meat”balls and my son has hated them all – but even my non vegetarian ate these! They did fall apart in the sauce – so I renamed it bolognese 🙂 as we’re not vegan will prob add an egg next time. But flavour and texture fantastic!!
I really like this recipe! I did make a few adjustments. I added about 1/4 cup of almond flour to the mixture before forming into balls, which helped them be a bit less sticky. I also air fried them for about 4 minutes per side after baking! Gave them a nice crunchy exterior before I added them to the sauce. Really yummy!
This was very successful. Tastes yummy but the patties are a bit mushy. Maybe I over-cooked the beans? Is there some way to make the “meat” mixture more firm?
I loved these! They were so flavourful and they worked out beautifully. Will definitely be making them again.
These were so delicious!! Mine turned out a bit soft and kinda fell apart through the sauce when serving/eating BUT it actually worked. (It was probably my overcooked beans and ingredient swaps, though! Next time I might try adding a little more oats.) My kids loved them, and smooshed them happily – it felt like you were eating mince through the sauce. I did alter the recipe slightly as I didn’t have carrot on hand, so I used 2 large cup mushrooms. And 1 Tbs dried basil instead of fresh. I also added a sprinkle of onion powder and garlic powder for extra flavour. And used a bolognaise sauce jar and Passata as didn’t have canned tomatoes and was delicious. Will probably keep using mushrooms as the flavour turned out so well. I will also try a binder like flaxmeal or chia to help keep in shape. Thanks for the great recipe I’ll be using it again for sure!!
How firm should the beans be at the end of cooking?
they should be completely cooked, so pretty soft. make sure not to add salt while cooking it.
I made them today, and they are gorgeous.
Very tasty and glad I found your recipe as an alternative to soya! Works well with spaghetti
You may wish to correct the cooking time – 5hrs? Think there’s a typo.
typo indeed…fixed it. thank you!