• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wimpy Vegetarian
  • Home
  • About Susan
    • About Susan
    • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Recipe Index
  • Essential Pantry
    • Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Meal Plans
    • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » MAINS

    Beyond Beef Meatballs That Don't Fall Apart

    Modified: Nov 16, 2023 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Vegetarian meatballs made with Beyond Beef in a white bowl, with text overlay.

    These Italian meatballs swap out ground beef for plant-based Beyond Beef, one of my 10 tips for how to become a vegetarian. They're perfect for vegetarian meatball sandwiches, pasta dishes, and pasta soups (think Lasagna Soup!). And they don't fall apart like so many do!

    This vegetarian meatball recipe comes together super-quick, and the meatballs are baked.

    Jump to Recipe
    Cooked meatballs made with Beyond Beef in a bowl.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧅 Ingredients + Notes
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • 📝 Instructions Overview and Tips
    • 👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips
    • 🤷‍♀️ FAQ
    • 📇 Pasta Dishes and Sauces for Meatballs
    • Beyond Beef Meatballs Recipe

    My husband, Carnivorous Maximus, loves meatballs. If something on a menu is a meatballs something-or-other, he orders it. I've made them in past years using both pork and beef, a recipe of my mom's, but I needed to come up with a vegetarian version we could both enjoy.

    There are two ways to go when making vegetarian meatballs: make them with beans, nutritional yeast and spices, like this vegan meatball recipe, or use a vegan meat product such as Beyond Beef. My husband prefers Beyond Beef, so I took that path.

    When I started researching vegetarian and vegan meatballs recipes online, I noticed in the comments sections that many home cooks had problems with them falling apart. It's not a horrible thing to happen since you just end up with a "meat" sauce.

    But when you've promised meatballs to your husband, you want to make meatballs. So I turned to Beyond Beef. I use it in my vegan sloppy joes, and its twin, Impossible Meat, in a vegetarian hamburger helper, so it's a perfect choice. How

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • These Beyond beef meatballs are vegetarian (they use eggs as a binder).
    • They don't fall apart when you remove them from the baking sheet.
    • Use ingredients you probably have on hand.
    • Kid-friendly comfort food.
    • Carnivore-husband-friendly. (He LOVED them.)
    • Make-ahead, and refrigerate or freeze until you need them.

    🧅 Ingredients + Notes

    • Breadcrumbs - either plain, Italian seasoned or panko all work.
    • Milk - either whole milk, 2% milk, or oat milk. Other plant-based milks may work, but I only tried oat milk.
    • Grated Parmesan cheese - either dairy-based or vegan Parmesan substitute.
    • Eggs - for a binder, to prevent the meatballs from falling apart.
    • Garlic
    • Fresh parsley
    • Dried herbs and spices - Kosher salt, red chile flakes, fennel seeds, oregano and onion powder.
    • Beyond Beef

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    🔪 Recommended Equipment

    This is the equipment and pantry items I recommend for making these vegetarian meatballs.

    • Chef's knife
    • Mixing bowl
    • Whisk
    • Wooden spoon
    • Ice Cream Scoop
    • Baking sheet
    • Parchment paper

    Meatball made with Beyond Beef arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet, ready to go in the oven.

    📝 Instructions Overview and Tips

    Detailed instructions for making these vegetarian meatballs with Beyond Beef are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!

    Step 1

    Mix. Whisk up the eggs, and combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix until combined using a wooden spoon.

    Step 2

    Chill. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Scoop. Using a small ice cream scoop, form little meatballs about 1.2 ounces, and gently roll between your palms. Arrange on a parchment sheet lined baking sheet.

    Step 4

    Bake. Bake at 400˚F for 15-20 minutes.

    👩‍🍳 Preparation Tips

    A great way to check the seasoning is to take about 1 teaspoon of the mixture before the chilling step, and fry it in a skillet. It just takes about 5 minutes, and now you'll know if you want to add additional salt, herbs or other spices.

    🤷‍♀️ FAQ

    Can I make these ahead?

    Yes. Completely cool, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 6 month in the freezer.

    Can I cook them from frozen?

    It's best to thaw them first on the countertop, or in the oven using low heat. A toaster oven works great for this.

    But if you're in a pinch for time, you can add them to a pasta sauce, but you'll need to cook them longer.

    📇 Pasta Dishes and Sauces for Meatballs

    One-Pan Meatball Casserole

    Spaghetti Squash Pasta with 'Meaty' Sauce

    Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (with Pasta)

    Smoky Spicy Roasted Tomato Sauce

    Hearty Vegan Roasted Tomato Sauce

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

    Save Recipe
    Cooked meatballs made with Beyond Beef in a bowl.
    4 from 8 votes

    Beyond Beef Meatballs Recipe

    These Italian meatballs swap out ground beef for plant-based Beyond Beef meat substitute. They're perfect for vegetarian meatball sandwiches, pasta dishes, and pasta soups (think Lasagna Soup!). And they don't fall apart like so many do!
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Chill Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time50 minutes mins
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Beyond Beef meatballs, vegetarian meatballs
    Servings: 20 meatballs
    Calories: 74.5kcal
    Author: Susan Pridmore
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup breadcrumbs plain, Italian seasoned, or Panko
    • 3 tablespoons milk whole, 2% or oat milk
    • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan cheese
    • 2 large eggs lightly whisked
    • 3 large garlic cloves grated, or use Gourmet Garden garlic paste
    • ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons Kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon table salt
    • ¼ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
    • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds lightly crushed using a mortar and pestle
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 16 ounce package of Beyond Beef

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Dump all the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix together using a wooden spoon.
    • Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
    • Using a medium size ice cream scoop, about 1 ½ inches wide, form the meatballs. Gently roll between your palms to form round balls. Mine weigh anywhere from 1.1 - 1.3 ounces.
    • Arrange on the parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. They should feel firm when you lightly press your finger on them.
    • Use in a pasta dish or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The meatballs can be stored in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 74.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.1g | Protein: 5.7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 20.4mg | Sodium: 301.5mg | Potassium: 94.7mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 122.4IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 49.4mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    « Best Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
    Pasta and Meatball Casserole (Vegetarian!) »

    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lynn S

      August 07, 2023 at 5:02 am

      2 stars
      Followed the recipe exactly with one exception. To make the meatballs vegan (besides using vegan parm as suggested) I used Just Eggs as an egg substitute. While the meatballs had an okay flavor they were still very mushy even after baking for the full 20 minutes. The meatballs felt firm and had a nice “crust” on the outside but the centers were not cooked and quite unpleasant to eat.

      Reply
      • The Wimpy Vegetarian

        August 07, 2023 at 1:30 pm

        I'm sorry they didn't work for you. I'm made them around 15 times now over the past year. I'm wondering two things 1) did you use Panko breadcrumbs or regular ones, and 2) what was the size of your meatballs?

        Reply
        • Lynn S

          August 21, 2023 at 10:05 am

          I used regular bread crumbs. Size was slightly smaller than the recipe suggested as I made 24 meatballs rather than the 20 noted in the serving information.

          Reply
    2. DAS333

      July 28, 2024 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you These are the best. My family loved them so much. Followed recipe exactly. I put them in a vegan gravy I make which has layers of flavors, too, and boy, perfect in that gravy as well. Always pays to follow people who go to culinary school. THANK YOU!.

      Reply
      • Susan Pridmore

        August 01, 2024 at 1:27 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you so so much!!! I'm delighted that the recipe worked so well for you!! Thank you very much for letting me (and my readers) know!

        Reply
    4 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Susan at The Wimpy Vegetarian

    about the author:

    Susan Pridmore

    Hi there! I'm an award-winning cookbook author, culinary school graduate, professional photographer and recipe developer. My cookbook Simply Vegetarian was named #1 best cookbook for new vegetarians, and I want to make it easier for you to cook fabulous vegetarian meals. Come join me in the kitchen!

    More about me →

    READER FAVORITES

    • Summer peach cake topped with fresh peaches and blueberries on a marble counter.
      Lazy Summer Peach Cake Recipe with Blueberries
    • A bowl of fresh strawberry salsa with a crostini spread with cheese and topped with salsa.
      Easy Strawberry Salsa Recipe with Chocolate Nibs
    • A bowl of cooked, fluffy brown rice topped with a little fresh thyme.
      How to Cook Fluffy Rice with Tips (White AND Brown Rice)
    • Four dishes from a vegetarian St. Patrick's Day roundup of recipes with text overlay.
      Irish Vegetarian Recipes (St. Patricks Day)

    15 Tips for Going Vegetarian (Updated!)

    A colander filled with freshly washed apples with text overlay.

    Purchase My Cookbook!!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Purchase my cookbook
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe Index

    Copyright © 2025 The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.