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Delicious Veggie Balls in the air fryer. But not just veggie balls these are my vegan veggie balls. Loaded with your favourite leftover vegetables and the best alternative to meatballs for vegans and vegetarians.
My Veggie Balls is a delicious update for my vegan veggie balls. Cooked in the air fryer they offer a fantastic healthy alternative to the classic meatloaf. It was published on recipethis.com in 2016 and we decided to update it with new info and new kitchen gadgets. We hope you enjoy our updated version.
Table of Contents
- Veggie Balls
- Veggie Balls = The BEST Ever Hidden Veggie Recipe
- Veggie Balls For Toddlers
- How To Make Veggie Balls In The Air Fryer
- What To Eat With Veggie Balls?
- Using A Meatball Press To Make Veggie Balls
- MORE Air Fryer Veggie Recipes
- Vegan Veggie Balls In The Air Fryer Recipe
- Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
- Join The RecipeThis.com Community:
Veggie Balls
Once upon a time I was a vegetarian. YES really, says the food blogger that has more recipes featuring meat than ones that are meat free. Between the ages of 10 and 15 I didn’t touch a single piece of meat.
I went meat free after seeing dead pigs hanging from the back of a butcher’s lorry and it made me feel sick. I didn’t eat much meat at the time because I just wasn’t that bothered for it. I would go to Sunday lunch and would always swap the meat for the veggie bake with my dad because I loved my cheese too much. So, it wasn’t a big deal for me.
The only reason I stopped being a veggie was because eating out was such a nightmare. When you’re allergic to nuts and hate mushrooms you will have an issue. At every place they either offer you a mushroom stroganoff or a nut roast.
After 5 years I returned to meat and it wasn’t until years later when I met my hubby chef Dominic that I started eating meat regularly.
I still absolutely HATE smoked meat, meat with loads of bones in it and whenever I have raw meat to chop up, I will call Dominic as I have a real phobia about touching it, which he finds hilarious.
But even though I do eat a lot of meat these days, I still have a big soft spot for vegetables and the vegetarian/vegan diet. I could never be a vegan because I love honey and dairy way too much, but I do like to enjoy veggie and vegan food whenever I can.
I would estimate that in the Milner house that we are vegetarian 40% of the time and vegan 15% of the time.
Vegan, vegetarian, love your vegetables, hidden vegetable mamas or love leftovers? Well this is for YOU because these veggie balls taste so good, that you will want them cooking in your air fryer forever and ever.
Veggie Balls = The BEST Ever Hidden Veggie Recipe
We all talk about fooling our kids with hidden vegetables. How we can make vegetables taste so good, that they don’t notice the veggie content.
Well these veggie balls is that recipe!
Because the veggies are well seasoned and have the breadcrumbs and the delicious outside crisp, your kids won’t notice and will love it if you made the veggie balls for dinner.
Or you could go the extra mile like I do sometimes…..
The kids leave the vegetables that you made them for dinner and eat everything else. They claim they hate vegetables. You take the vegetables make them into veggie balls and serve them for dinner in the air fryer the next night.
Not only are the veggie balls saving on any food waste, but you are also getting tomorrow’s dinner ready early thanks to some quick meal prep.
Veggie Balls For Toddlers
I should also mention that my veggie balls are perfect for toddlers. In fact the first time I made them was for Sofia when I was weaning her off breast milk and introducing her to vegetables.
She always looked with her eyes, therefore having cute veggie balls, made her forget she was eating vegetables.
How To Make Veggie Balls In The Air Fryer
I love to make veggie balls in the air fryer using up whatever leftover vegetables I have in.
As long as they are not high in water content and will bind well together, then they will be cooked in the air fryer.
My favourite veggies to use in my air fryer veggie balls are:
- Sweet Potato
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Butternut Squash
- Parsnips
- Swede/Rutabaga
- Turnips
- Broccoli
- Leeks
The worst veggies to use in air fryer veggie balls are:
- Pumpkin
- Courgette/Zucchini
To make veggie balls in the air fryer, it is incredibly simple. You are adding seasonings and breadcrumbs to cooked vegetables and making them into veggie balls.
Think of it just like if you were making meaty balls, but with your favourite vegetables too.
What To Eat With Veggie Balls?
I love to eat my veggie balls with pasta. Layer your veggie balls over some just cooked spaghetti or serve it with linguine.
Or create a homemade dipping sauce and serve your veggie balls with a sauce as an evening snack.
Alternatively, you can place your veggie balls into your kids packed lunch boxes for school the next day. Or you could take them with you to work as a much healthier lunch.
Using A Meatball Press To Make Veggie Balls
I love my Meatball Press. I am sure you associate them with making meatballs, but they work for veggie balls too.
BUT only if you flour the meatball press first otherwise, they will stick too much and not come out evenly.
MORE Air Fryer Veggie Recipes
I LOVE cooking veggies in my air fryer and when I browse through my air fryer category, I am always surprised by how many we have.
Here are a few Air Fryer Veggie Recipe Favourites:
- Air Fryer Kale Chips
- Air Fryer Zucchini Double Cheese Pizza
- Air Fryer Garlic Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Roasted Rutabaga
- Air Fryer Roasted Peppers
Vegan Veggie Balls In The Air Fryer
Ingredients
Kitchen Gadgets:
Recipe Ingredients:
- 200 g Cauliflower
- 100 g Sweet Potato
- 70 g Carrot
- 90 g Parsnips
- 2 Tsp Garlic Puree
- 1 Tsp Chives
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- 1 Tsp Mixed Spice
- 2 Tsp Oregano
- ½ Cup Desiccated Coconut
- 1 Cup Gluten Free Oats
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Place your cooked vegetables into a clean tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.
- Place them in a mixing bowl and add the seasoning. Mix well and make into medium sized balls.
- Place them in the fridge for 2 hours so that they have the chance to firm up a bit.
- In a blender mix together your coconut and gluten free oats and whizz until it resembles rough flour. Pour into a bowl.
- Roll the veggie balls in the mixture and then place them in the air fryer in the grill pan.
- Cook for 10 minutes at 200c/400f. Roll over and cook for a further 2 minutes at the same temperature on the other side.
- Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
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I’m confused… my veggie balls came out dusty and nothing like what yours look like. Yours look like they’re fried in oil.
Hi Brittany,
The balls were not fried in oil, we do not have a fat fryer. If you have a vegan friendly oil you can give them a good spray before you start cooking them and also before you turn them and that should help with the dusty texture 🙂