these vegan turkey meatballs with gravy are the perfect comfort meal! these are great for the holidays and best served over mashed potatoes.
the inspiration
I love meatballs. A few years ago I shared a recipe for Peanut & Ginger Vegan Meatballs and they were so good. The texture reminded almost more a chicken meatball and I really loved it. So, I thought why not make a vegan turkey meatball with some gravy?! It is a fun cozy mockmeat that could be great for weeknight dinners but it is also special enough for the holidays. The recipe is seitan free and easily made gluten free.
the ingredients
- Super Firm Tofu: this is the base of our vegan meatballs. You can also use a soy free tofu like Big Mountain Foods fava bean tofu. If you use an extra firm tofu you should press it and you may need to add in additional breadcrumbs.
- Breadcrumbs: this helps to bind the meatballs together. You can use gluten free breadcrumbs if needed. I like to use panko but any breadcrumbs that are vegan will work great.
- Egg Replacer: this also helps to bind the meatballs together. I like the Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer but you can also use a flax or chia egg.
- Seasonings: you will need a few different seasonings for this recipe – garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. You can always add in more of what you like or use less it is your call!
- Better Than Bouillon: this will be used in the gravy. You can also use a bouillon cube but I like Better Than Bouillon because it is a paste. There are a lot of flavors to choose from I like either the vegan chicken or seasoned vegetable.
- Vegan Butter: this is used in the gravy to help start forming the roux.
- Gravy Master: this is used in the gravy to add flavor.
- Cornstarch: this is used in the gravy to thicken it.
making the vegan turkey meatballs
To start off the process for the vegan turkey meatballs you will need a food processor. You just need to add in the tofu, breadcrumbs, egg replacer, and seasonings. Pulse until it is well combined and can form into a ball. If you need to add a little water in during the process that is totally fine. You can also taste the mixture when it is done being pulsed and add in more seasonings to your preference. Now, you are ready to roll out the vegan turkey meatballs.
rolling the vegan turkey meatballs
These meatballs should be very easy to roll out. The mixture sticks to itself and your hands shouldn’t get too dirty. Depending on how big you want the vegan turkey meatballs will depend on how much you scoop. I take about 1 heaping tablespoon and then roll it into a ball. If you want to make these tiny they would be so cute as a holiday appetizer! I made 16 average sized meatballs from this recipe.
baking the vegan turkey meatballs
For this recipe I decided to bake the meatballs. I lightly spray them with spray oil and then you just bake them for 25 minutes. They will be lightly golden and crispy on the outside but maintain a softer texture inside. If you would like to pan fry these you definitely can as well. However, I feel because we are coating these in the gravy I like baking them better.
the gravy
This recipe has a VERY simple gravy recipe to go with it. You only need a few ingredients: Better Than Bouillon, Gravy Master, cornstarch, vegan butter, and water. I also added in some additional seasonings but overall it is simple and flavorful. You will start by melting some vegan butter then add in the Better Than Bouillon and Gravy Master. Let it cook up for a few seconds and then add in the cornstarch. Mix this together until it forms almost into a dough this is the beginning of our roux. Next, you will slowly add in water and whisk. In order to get a smooth gravy you want to do this slowly and have patience.
Once you’ve added in all the water you can let it cook and thicken to your preference. You can also add in any additional seasonings you like, I did some dried thyme, oregano, and garlic powder. Then, you can transfer it into a gravy boat and you are all done.
the final dish
To bring it all together I like to serve the meatballs and gravy over some mashed potatoes. Whether you want to make them homemade or just use instant it will be delicious. Just place some of the vegan turkey meatballs on top of the mashed potatoes and cover in gravy. I like to top it with some fresh herbs and black pepper, and we are done! It is now time to enjoy.
more serving ideas
There are plenty of ways to enjoy these vegan turkey meatballs. You can put the meatballs right into the gravy first if you want them to be really coated well. Like I had mentioned earlier you can make them small and then use them as a cute appetizer. I think these would also be great over some rice, polenta or couscous! You can play around with what you add into the gravy as well. This recipe is delicious as is and a great starting off point to add more to.
SIDE DISH IDEAS
Need some side dish idea to pair with this recipe? Try out these Maple Roasted Carrots, Homemade Crescent Rolls or Smashed & Breaded Brussels Sprouts!
more mockmeats
vegan turkey meatballs faq
- Is this recipe soy free? The base of the recipe is tofu. However, you can use a soy free tofu like Big Mountain Foods fava bean tofu.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
- Is this recipe gluten free? If you use gluten free breadcrumbs, yes! Also, be sure to check the ingredients on the BTB and Gravy Master to make sure they are gluten free friendly.
- How long does this recipe last? Up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Can I freeze the vegan meatballs? Yes! You can either freeze them in the gravy or just on their own. If you freeze them in the gravy you may want to add in a little water when you reheat it.
- How can I reheat the vegan turkey meatballs? If reheating from the fridge you can put them in the microwave or a pan on the stove. If reheating from frozen let it thaw first and then warm in a pan on the stove. You can add some extra water if necessary.
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Vegan Turkey Meatballs with Gravy
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 package (16 ounces) super firm tofu
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 vegan egg replacers
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Gravy
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons Better Than Bouillon
- 1 tablespoon Gravy Master
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (216°C).
- In a food processor add all the ingredients for the meatballs. Pulse until well combined and able to roll the mixture into a ball. If necessary, you can add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help combine it better. You can taste the mixture and add in any additional seasonings if desired.
- Once it can easily form into a ball you are ready to roll the meatballs. Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon and use your hands to roll it into ball. Repeat until all meatballs have been made.
- If desired you can spray with spray oil and then bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan melt the vegan butter over medium low heat. Then add in the Better Than Bouillon and Gravy Master. *Note: if you would like to use a bouillon cube you can dissolve it in the 1.5 cups of water and add it that way later when we add in liquid. Once everything has cooked down, you can add in the cornstarch. It should form a into almost something that looks like a dough. Then slowly start to add in the water and whisk. I like to add in about ¼ cup (60ml) at at time, this helps to make a smooth gravy. Once you add in all the water let it cook an extra 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Remember it will thicken more as it cools. If you would like to add in any extra seasonings as well.
- Once the meatballs are done you can toss them in the gravy or you can add them to a plate and drizzle with the gravy. Top with any fresh herbs if you like and some black pepper if desired.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- For the vegan egg replacer you can also use a flax or chia egg.
Nutrition
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Made these last night to take with me for thanksgiving. These are really tasty! I added a little of my own seasoning to it but they came out so good, n
Hi Jay! Oh yay I am so glad to hear that. Thank you so much for making them and taking the time to leave a comment and review means so much. Happy Thanskgiving!
This recipe is easier than I expected Will do again Thanks
Thank you so much I am glad you enjoyed it!!
Hi there! The gravy master helps make the gravy flavorful but I’m not sure what exactly gravy master is. Can you elaborate please? So excited to make these!
Hi Denise, sure Gravy Master is the name of the product! It is a paste that just has seasonings and flavor. Hope that helps!
These are so so good! i don’t know why I thought there was supposed to be bouillon in the meatballs. So I ended up throwing half a chickenless cube in the food processor and I think I will own it moving forward because these were wonderful!
Hi Bea, I am so glad you enjoyed them!!! Yay thank you for trying it and leaving a comment/review! Eh no biggie it will just add extra flavor anyway!