Recipes Cuisine European Italian Chef John's Meatless Meatballs 4.7 (562) 439 Reviews 80 Photos I made this recipe for vegetarian meatballs to celebrate Earth Day. Thanks to a thorough browning, mushrooms provide more than enough savoriness. The garlic, cheese, and parsley do the rest. What really blew me away was how close the texture was to actual meatballs. They are officially approved for use on spaghetti! By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on November 21, 2024 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 80 80 80 80 Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins Additional Time: 4 hrs Total Time: 5 hrs 45 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 16 small meatballs Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound fresh white mushrooms, finely chopped 1 pinch salt 1 tablespoon butter ½ cup finely chopped onion 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup quick-cooking oats 1 ounce very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ½ cup bread crumbs ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, packed 2 large eggs, divided 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 pinch dried oregano 3 cups pasta sauce 1 tablespoon very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste Directions Gather and prep all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the hot oil, sprinkle with salt, and cook and stir until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Stir butter into mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook and stir mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir onion into mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir garlic into mushroom mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Mix oats into mushroom mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently stir 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into the mixture. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 egg; season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Mix together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in remaining 1 egg. The mixture should hold together when pressed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. For best flavor and texture, refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Form mixture into small meatballs using a 2-tablespoon scoop. Roll meatballs lightly between your hands until smooth, if desired; arrange meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Bring pasta sauce to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat to low. Gently stir meatballs into sauce until coated. Simmer meatballs in sauce until cooked through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS Chef's Note It looks like a ton of Parmesan cheese in the video, but it was only 1 ounce. Because I used a Microplane to grate it, it created a huge pile of cheese. It would be about 1/2 cup if you measured it, but you should use weight for this ingredient. I Made It Print 1,129 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 421 Calories 18g Fat 50g Carbs 17g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 421 % Daily Value * Total Fat 18g 23% Saturated Fat 6g 31% Cholesterol 110mg 37% Sodium 1695mg 74% Total Carbohydrate 50g 18% Dietary Fiber 8g 30% Total Sugars 21g Protein 17g 34% Vitamin C 15mg 17% Calcium 215mg 17% Iron 4mg 23% Potassium 1135mg 24% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.