Vegan Chickpea Cocktail meatballs

Name: Vegan Chickpea Cocktail meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 15 oz can Chickpeas (rinsed and drained); ½ cup Rolled Oats (gluten-free); 1 cup Shredded Zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini or squash); ½ cup Dried Cranberries (chopped); 2 tsp Garlic Powder; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1 tsp Dried Oregano; ½ tsp Sea salt or Kosher Salt; Juice from ½ Lemon

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Say hello to the best Vegan Chickpea Cocktail Meatballs recipe. Featuring tender meaty textures, loads of Mediterranean flavors, and a tasty twist of luxe sweet dried cranberries. It doesn’t get much better or tastier than these vegan neatballs.

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These vegan Chickpea Cocktail meatballs are great for any time and any occasion. Serve them as tasty cocktail meatballs that everyone will adore, dish them up for your next party…or don’t even wait for a part; just serve them with a salad or a side of rice for your kids as a tasty easy weeknight dinner that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Here are some of these amazing vegan chickpea cocktail meatballs’ best qualities:

They’re easy and quick to make
No chopping required
Minimal amount of cleanup afterward
No splatters from sautéing
A minimum amount of work with a maximum delicious payoff
Great party meatless meatball recipe
Can be made in the oven or an air fryer
Kid-friendly neatballs recipe
Requires only easy-to-get ingredients
Freezer friendly and meal prep friendly
Vegan
Gluten-free

Let’s talk cranberries

Now I know cranberries are considered a more winter than summer ingredient, but I disagree. Cranberries are amazing all year round in recipes because they add depth, sweetness, and a luxe twist. It doesn’t taste like Christmas, it simply adds a delicious sweetness to the meatballs that once you try it you will want to add cranberries to everything.

Air fry meatless meatballs

These easy vegan meatballs are great and so versatile. You can make them in an air fryer, bake them in the oven, or fry them on a pan…you can even toss them on the barbecue and slather on a BBQ sauce to serve them as tasty BBQ Meatballs. There are so many easy and tasty ways to cook these meatballs.

How to serve meatless meatballs

Let me just start by saying “yum”. You really can’t go wrong with these tasty, meaty, and completely mouthwatering vegan meatballs. Whether you’re serving them as cocktail meatballs, as a party snack, or as a tasty dinner, there’s no going wrong with this recipe. It goes so well with everything.

Ways to serve vegan meatballs

in a meatball sub sandwich
As a burger filling
With a side of salad for a healthy meal
In a meatless meatballs spaghetti – just add a quick tomato sauce and these meatballs to your spaghetti and you’re meatballs pasta is ready to serve
With a side of fluffy rice

What to serve with vegan meatballs

You can serve these vegan chickpea neatballs with just about everything, but here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with them:

You might like to serve the vegan chickpea cranberry meatballs with

What do you need to make Vegan Cocktail chickpea meatballs

Not a lot. This recipe is as simple as it is delicious. Fully loaded with flavors and made with only easy-to-get ingredients.

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
rolled oats, gluten-free
garlic powder
onion powder
dried basil
oregano
salt
nutritional yeast (optional)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
dried cranberries, chopped
shredded zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini

Step-by-step instructions on how to make the best vegan cranberry meatballs

Step 1: Add chickpeas, rolled oats, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and cranberries to a food processor and pulse for 5-10 seconds until the mixture is very finely chopped.

Step 2: Next, add the shredded zucchini and pulse a couple of times until it’s just combined. Using two spoons or your hands, divide the mixture into 12 even-sized lumps and roll each lump into a ball.

That’s it. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

How to make Frozen meatballs in an air fryer

Making meatballs in an air fryer is so easy. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll be ready to serve delicious meatballs in less than 20 minutes.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Place frozen meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer. Turn the air fryer down to 380°F.
Cook neatballs for 15-20 minutes or until browned and lightly crispy on the outside.
Rest 1-2 minutes before serving.

How to make chickpea meatballs in an air fryer

Air fryers are a great quick way to make meatballs that are lovely golden and crispy on the outside and deliciously tender on the inside. It requires little time, and minimal effort because the air fryer does all of the work, and you will be ready to serve crispy and tender meatballs in only 15 minutes. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Place meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer. Turn the air fryer down to 380°F.
Cook neatballs for 12-14 minutes or until browned and lightly crispy on the outside.
Rest 1-2 minutes before serving.

How to bake vegan meatballs

Heat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Place the “meatballs” on the lined baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil.
Bake in the oven for around 20-25 minutes or until the neatballs are golden and lightly crispy on the outside.
Remove from the oven and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make vegan meatballs without a food processor?

If you don’t have a food processor don’t worry. You can just as easily use a handheld potato masher to mash the meatball ingredient in a bowl. Simply add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use the potato masher to mash the chickpeas until everything forms a dough that will hold together well when you roll it into balls.

Can you bind meatballs together without eggs or flax eggs?

Yes. There are no eggs in this vegan meatballs recipe. Instead, we’re using rolled oats and chickpeas as the binder to hold everything together.

What to do if meatballs are too wet and won’t hold together?

If your meatballs are too wet, simply add a handful of extra rolled oats at a time to the dough and mix it well. The rolled oats will absorb a lot of the liquid. Keep adding oats to the dough until you are happy with the consistency of the neatballs.

How do you keep vegan meatballs from falling apart?

To make your meatballs hold together you need grains such as rolled oats, quinoa, flax seeds, or another great binder such as chickpeas. The right ingredients in the right amount make for amazing vegan meatballs every time.

Why do you use garlic and onion powder? Can I use fresh instead?

I like to use garlic powder and onion powder because it cuts down on my chopping and it makes it easier to control the consistency of the meatless meatballs. But you can easily use fresh grated or finely chopped garlic and onions in this recipe if you prefer.

How to freeze vegan meatballs?

Place your cooked and cooled meatballs in a clean sealed container and place them in the freezer. That’s it. There’s nothing more to it. Once you are ready, simply remove the meatballs from the freezer and reheat them before serving.