Vegan Adzuki Bean Meatballs
There’s something about food that goes way beyond fuel. A certain dish can throw us back in seconds to another time, another place, people we once had in our lives.
Like a pot of meatballs. When I see one, it instantly throws me back to my parents’ home, to that same beautiful pot we called “the red meatballs,” sitting on the stove, full of flavor and love. I, the little girl, would look at that loaded pot and already imagine the plate my mom was about to make me. Today, as a parent myself, I know the sense of satisfaction she must have felt watching me eat what she made with so much love.
And the meatballs themselves… a little ball packed with everything. Protein, carbs, vegetables (always vegetables!), all coming together into a tasty ball that simmers in sauce. So many vegetables my mom snuck into me through those meatballs. So many vegetables I sneak into my own kids through the ones I make today.
This pot only resembles the meatball pot from my childhood in looks. It’s not my mom’s meat version, it’s my own, full of plant-based ingredients that reflect who I am today. The base is adzuki beans, a tasty, easy-to-digest bean with a shorter cooking time than most, which makes it more practical for everyday life. The meatballs are fully vegan, and stay firm thanks to a quick bake in the oven before their short simmer in the sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Hearty vegan meatballs simmered in a classic tomato sauce
- Made with adzuki beans, which cook faster and digest easier than most dried beans
- Freezer-friendly and great for meal prep
- A cozy way to sneak extra vegetables into a family favorite
Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Adzuki beans – a small, reddish bean common in Japanese cooking, known for being easy to digest and faster-cooking than most dried beans. Find them at Asian grocery stores, health food stores, or online. If you’re short on time, you can use 2 cups of canned or pre-cooked adzuki beans instead of soaking and cooking your own.
- Basil – fresh basil is used in both the meatballs and the sauce for a bright, herby flavor.
- Pecans – add richness and help bind the meatballs together.
Pro Tips for Success:
- Don’t add salt while cooking the adzuki beans, it slows down the cooking and can leave them tough.
- Bake the meatballs briefly before adding them to the sauce, this helps them hold their shape.
- Add the baked meatballs gently to the sauce without stirring, and simmer for just 5 minutes, no longer, or they can fall apart.
FAQ
- Why did my meatballs fall apart? These meatballs are quite delicate since there’s no egg in them. Make sure to add them to the sauce only in the last 5 minutes of cooking, and don’t stir once they’re in, just gently swirl the pan if needed. If you’d like extra insurance, check the Notes below for a couple of binding tricks other readers have tried.
- Can I freeze these? Yes, freeze the baked meatballs and sauce separately or together in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating gently on the stove.
Want more plant-based comfort food? Try these:
Vegan Adzuki Bean Meatballs
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
- 1 cup (200g) dried adzuki beans soaked at least 8 hours, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups pre-cooked adzuki beans)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
- 14 oz (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the adzuki beans: place the soaked beans in a pot with plenty of water. Don’t add salt yet, it will slow down cooking and can keep the beans tough. Bring to a boil and cook for 40 minutes. Drain.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine all the meatball ingredients: cooked adzuki beans, onion, carrot, basil, pecans, oats, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until well combined and smooth.
- With clean hands, shape the mixture into 2-inch (5cm) meatballs and place on the lined baking sheet. (Worried about them falling apart? See the Notes below for a couple of binding tricks readers have used.) Bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: heat the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. (For a saucier dish, stir in an extra 7oz/200g crushed tomatoes and ½ cup water.)
- Gently add the baked meatballs to the sauce without stirring. Simmer on the lowest heat for just 5 more minutes, no longer, or the meatballs may fall apart. Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.
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!