Meatless meatballs are vegetarian or vegan alternatives to traditional meatballs, made with ingredients like TVP, lentils, tofu, or breadcrumbs. Some include animal by-products like eggs and cheese. They can be made by hand or purchased at stores, and served the same way as traditional meatballs. It’s important to check for animal by-products if serving to vegans. Commercially made meatless patties come in various flavors and brands.
As the name suggests, meatless meatballs are fake meatballs made without meat. This alternate take on the traditional meatball can be made by hand or purchased at stores that carry meatless items. There are many methods of preparing them, including ones that call for structured vegetable protein (TVP), lentils, or tofu. While most, if not all, meatless patties are vegetarian, they aren’t all vegan because some include animal byproducts like eggs and cheese that vegans don’t eat.
A traditional meatball is typically made with ground beef and spices. Bread crumbs, eggs and chopped onion are further possible ingredients. Meatless patties try to mimic the flavor and texture of the traditional version without including meat in the recipe.
A meatless version incorporates a substitute for ground beef. There are many possible substitutes, but the most common are breadcrumbs or oatmeal. Tofu, tempeh or mock meat products are also typical ingredients. Some include cheese, nuts or vegetables such as potatoes and eggplants. Many meatless variants use eggs as a binding agent, while a vegan version would incorporate an egg substitute or non-animal-derived binding agent.
Some variations call for TVP, a meat analogue made from soybean meal. TVP is a byproduct of soybean oil extraction; it is rich in fiber and protein but must be reconstituted in hot water for a few minutes before being consumed. The texture of TVP is similar to ground beef and absorbs flavors and spices effectively. This meat substitute and extender is available in small flakes and larger chunks, and in unflavored and flavored varieties.
Despite a difference in ingredients, meatless patties are prepared and served the same way as the meat-based version. Both involve forming balls out of ingredients and cooking them by frying, baking, or braising in sauce. Commonly served with pasta sauce, meatless meatballs can be used in sandwiches, soups, or anything else the meat version would look like.
Because some recipes include animal by-products like eggs and cheese, not all versions will be acceptable to vegan diners. Vegans don’t consume any animal products or by-products, such as eggs, cheese and honey. If meatless patties are going to be served to vegans, it’s important to make sure they don’t contain any animal by-product ingredients.
While meatless patties can be made by hand, they can also be purchased at stores that carry meatless products. Commercially made meatless patties are often found in the frozen portion and take little time to reheat and serve. These types of meatless patties usually come in a variety of flavors, such as spicy and mushroom, and are manufactured by many different brands. The consumer should sample several brands to determine which one he prefers.
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