Chickpea Meatballs are freezer-friendly, kid-approved, and come together in just 20 minutes. Enjoy these vegetarian meatballs with pasta, in a pita, or simply with your favorite dipping sauce.
Why You’ll Love these Chickpea Meatballs
At first, the thought of meatballs without meat may seem a bit off-putting. However, I can assure you these bean-based balls are every bit as savory, versatile, and satisfying as their beef-based counterparts. And while the main component (chickpeas) may be uncommon, the binders and spices stay true to most classic meatball recipes.
If you’re looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this recipe is for you. Or, if you’re simply looking to expand your cooking repertoire and try something new, you’re also in the right place!
These vegetarian meatballs are kid-friendly, omnivore-approved, and come together in just 20 minutes. Enjoy them with pasta, in a sandwich, or simply with your favorite dipping sauce. (My personal favorites are BBQ and honey mustard.)
Recipe Ingredients
While vegetarian meatballs run the gamut in terms of ingredients, these call for many pantry staples:
- Canned Chickpeas: The star of this recipe is the humble, yet oh-so-versatile, chickpea. It’s important to drain, rinse, and thoroughly dry the chickpeas prior to mixing with the other ingredients. You can either pat them with a towel or leave them out to dry for 20 minutes ahead of time.
- Breadcrumbs: A classic binding and bulking agent in most meatball recipes, breadcrumbs are a necessity here. However if you’re allergic or sensitive to gluten, feel free to use almond meal instead.
- Eggs: Another classic binder in most meatball/meatloaf recipes. However if you’re making these vegan, you can sub for two flax eggs.
- Nutritional Yeast: All the “cheesy”, savory flavor without the dairy, nutritional yeast is a major flavor agent here. If you don’t have any on hand (or don’t need to make the recipe dairy-free), you can use grated Parmesan cheese instead.
- Fresh Parsley: At least in most Italian meatballs, fresh parsley is a must!
- Spices: It’s no secret that chickpeas are quite bland on their own. For this reason, this recipe leans HEAVILY on spices to deliver big, bold flavor. For these meatballs, you’ll need smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These chickpea meatballs come together in right around 20 minutes. And as far as equipment, all you need is a food processor and a large skillet. From there, let the meatless magic begin!
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
This includes the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, nutritional yeast (or Parmesan), and spices.
Step 2: Blend until mostly smooth.
The mixture will be a little coarse, which is perfectly fine. You just want the mixture to be cohesive so you can roll it into balls.
Step 3: Roll into meatballs.
Using 1 heaping Tablespoon or a mini cookie dough scoop, roll the mixture into 14 to 16 meatballs.
Step 4: Cook chickpea meatballs in a skillet.
Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chickpea meatballs and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning to brown all sides, until golden.
Step 5: Eat!
These chickpea meatballs can be enjoyed in so many delicious ways. Read on for a few of my favorites.
What to Serve with Chickpea Meatballs
I’ve included some of my favorite ways to serve these chickpea meatballs below, however they are just as (if not more) versatile than any classic meatball. For example:
- Serve with spaghetti and red sauce. You can’t get more classic than spaghetti and meatballs, and the Italian flavor of these chickpeas meatballs make for the best alternative.
- Place in a hoagie roll. True story: My all-time favorite sandwich growing up was a meatball sub. I mean, does a heartier, more satisfying sandwich exist?!
- Stuff in a pita: With a smear of hummus and some fresh veggies, these chickpea meatballs are a mighty fine sub for falafel.
- Enjoy as is! Keep it simple and serve these chickpea meatballs with your sides of choice and/or favorite dipping sauce. They’re also delicious over a salad to amp up the protein. And since they make a great finger food, toddlers will inevitably love them too.
How to Freeze these Meatballs:
In case you were wondering, YES, you can absolutely freeze and reheat these vegetarian meatballs.
- For best results, let them cool to room temperature before placing in a zip-top freezer bag.
- Before sealing, press down to release as much air from the bag as possible. Next, label and date the bag, if desired, and freeze up to 3 months!
- To reheat, I prefer to place them in the oven (or toaster oven) and bake at 325°F for about 20 minutes, or until heated through. This method is much preferred over microwaving because it helps salvage their crispy exterior.
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your fun creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!
More Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas:
Balsamic Tofu
Vegetarian Paella
Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
Chickpea Meatballs (Vegetarian)
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs sub almond meal if making gluten-free
- 2 large eggs sub flax eggs if making vegan
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast or grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- To serve: pasta and sauce, hoagie rolls and condiments of choice to make a sub, or your sides/dipping sauce of choice.
Instructions
- Combine first 10 ingredients (chickpeas through salt) in a food processor. Blend until mixture is cohesive and mostly smooth.
- Use a small cookie dough scoop or measuring spoon to gather one heaping Tablespoon amounts and roll into balls. You should have 14 golfball-sized meatballs. (If the mixture feels too wet to form, add 1 to 2 more Tbsp breadcrumbs.)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add chickpea meatballs and cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning to brown all sides, until golden.
- Serve with pasta and sauce, in a sandwich, over a salad, or with your sides and dipping sauce of choice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
My husband is a meat eater and I am not. I have been cursing at my chickpea meatball attempts for YEARS, until I recently discovered you – and tonight happened to re-Google chickpea meatballs again in my attempt to make myself a version of How Sweet Eats ranch chicken meatballs. When I saw your recipe come up first, I had faith my luck would be changing! This is the first time EVER I have had a chickpea meatball that stayed intact and didn’t result in me adding more flour, more breadcrumbs, more egg… more annoyance, lol. Thank you!!! It’s a miracle!
Hi Stephanie – oh I’m SO thrilled they worked out for you!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Very tasty and have made it into the regular rotation!
Great flavor. Is it possible to bake them instead of pan fry?
Perhaps I did something wrong, but the texture after taking out of the food processor was not conducive to rolling. The material was too soft for that. any idea where I went wrong? I will add, I still fried up my “clumps” and they tasted delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Angie – you may have just needed to mix in 1 to 2 more Tbsp of breadcrumbs for easier rolling. I’m glad you enjoyed them anyway!
I make these at least once a month in my house! They’re SO versatile and just down right tasty — plus filling for a person who eats a more plant-based diet. I’ve recommended these to so many friends to try who love them equally as much!
Yay! I’m so glad this recipe is a regular in your rotation!
Loved this one! Simple and tasty
Awesome vegetarian meatballs! Thank you Jamie!
Hi Mary–I’m so glad you enjoyed the meatballs! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Made these yesterday evening with a tomato based itaiian sauce and pasta, by far the best receipe I have come across as tried a few others from other websites which had poor consistency but found these firm up and cook well retaining there shape with a great taste too. Will definately make again and plan veg sausagues with this receipe as I think this would also work well,
Thank you for the receipe!
Hi Mark–I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
These are SO simple and super flavorful. I enjoy them best with a dipping sauce (BBQ, as you sugested) for an easy snack or lunch.
Hi Kimberly–I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Good recipe I loved it but FYI Parmesan isn’t vegetarian
That’s why the ingredient list also gives nutritional yeast as an option! 😉
These came out great, have made them a couple of times. The first time I followed the recipe as is and the balls tasted amazing . However, have made bunch of modifications where have added And substituted for the garlic powder and onion powder , cooked onions, garlic, dried mint, oregano, ground cumin and olive oil instead of eggs and have baked them at 400 for 30 minutes where have flipped them once.
Hi Eda– I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for letting other readers know of your modifications.
Easy and tasty!! My kids even love them.
Hi Jordan–I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a rating and review.
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor to blend the ingredients ? And maybe just continuously pulse everything?
Hi Yaz– that should work fine! I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you! I just made them for tonight’s dinner. So yummy! I blended the chickpeas on their own, and then stirred the other ingredients in, in a bowl 👍
Made them as buger patties… great for a meal or as a grab & go snack 🙂
Hi Louise – I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
So easy and perfect for prepping for lunches. My favorite way to eat them is with tzatziki sauce and pita (faux falafel).
Hi Susanna- I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
Amazing! 5 stars coming from an Italian girl! Loved these “meatballs”-forever and ever! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Janis! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
This is the only way to get my kiddos to eat beans. And they love them! Great freezer recipe, too- thanks!
Hi Barbara, I’m so glad the recipe was a hit!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Love these!! So easy to make!
These are fabulous…so tasty. I have to admit that my first batch partially burnt and they still tasted awesome!!! Will make these again and again.
We love this recipe!! My kids eat them with BBQ sauce!
I was wondering if I could bake these instead of frying?
Hi Kathy,
I’m sure that’d work fine! I’d try baking at 375F for about 15 or 20 minutes.
These look great – my daughter just became vegetarian and we’ll make this together 🙂