versatile, healthy, delicious
Hearty enjoyment: Recipe for vegan meatballs – without any soy
The vegan meatballs taste wonderfully spicy and can be used in many ways – for example in combination with a homemade tomato sauce
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We Germans love our “meat patties” – but it turns out that it works surprisingly well without meat. Vegan meatballs based on kidney beans convince both vegans and non-vegans. The hearty recipe invites you to feast.
The good old meatball belongs to the category of typical German home cooking and enjoys great popularity in this country. A total of 50 names for the meatballs can be found in the German-speaking area alone – from the Bavarian “Fleischöpferrl” to the Berlin “Bulette” to exotic names such as “Bulli”, “Prachschinken” or “Bäckerbraten”. Terms such as “meatball” or “bulette” give an indication of the origin of the hearty meatballs. The history of this begins in the 17th century at the time of the great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg. The so-called “Boulette” (French for balls) was brought to Berlin by the Huguenots who had fled France at the time. The word meatball also comes from French and goes back to the term “casser”, which translated means “to break” and refers to the way the meatball is prepared from chopped meat.
Meatball veganized
The good thing about the preparation method: It can be variably designed and adapted. And so the meaty meatball becomes a vegan version based on kidney beans. That’s right – the legume is ideal for processing in any form thanks to its soft, floury consistency and its subtle taste. In addition, the kidney-shaped bean is super healthy: it is not only rich in fiber, protein and carbohydrates, but also provides numerous minerals such as potassium and magnesium as well as vitamins such as vitamins B1 and B6. It also contains iron, biotin and folic acid. Mixed with oat flakes, wholemeal spelled flour and plenty of spices, this creates tasty, nutrient-rich plant-based meatballs.
Multifaceted enjoyment
As versatile as the name of the meatball is, the possible combinations of it are just as varied. Whether it’s the classic way with mashed potatoes and beans, Italian touches with pasta and tomato sauce, or in a flat form as a meat-free alternative on a burger – the possibilities are almost endless. The vegan meatballs also taste particularly good cold and are therefore ideal for taking away. If you need a bit of variety, you can vary the spices. A little garlic, curry, cinnamon or marjoram bring variety to the meat-free cuisine and make the preparation of the spicy meatballs almost an adventure. Let your imagination run wild – bon appetit.
Recipe for five homemade vegan meatballs based on kidney beans
ingredients
- 1 can of kidney beans (drained weight: approx. 255 grams)
- 4 tablespoons of oatmeal
- 1 tablespoon wholemeal spelled flour
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 white onion
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder, sweet
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
preparation
- Drain the kidney beans in a colander.
- Mash the drained kidney beans well with a fork. Mix together with the oat flakes, wholemeal spelled flour, tomato paste and mustard to form a homogeneous mass.
- Peel the onion, cut into small cubes and add. Blend again.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika powder and cumin and knead well.
- Form five meatballs from the mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan. Place the patties in the hot oil and fry on both sides for about two to three minutes until they are crispy on the outside.
- Serve immediately or process further.