Meatless Monday Recipe-Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls

Mushroom "No-Meat" Balls
Vegan; Makes about 24

I made these to go with some mushroom pasta that Bruce and picked up while shopping at the Farmers Market. I made a simple tomato sauce and garlic bread with a tofu feta and artichoke heart topping.

3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1 lb. Portobello mushroom caps (should make 2 cups when finely chopped, about 3 caps)
4 tsp. olive oil
1/2 leek, diced
1 vegan egg (EnerG egg replacer works great)
1 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup almond/nutritional yeast mix (half nutritional yeast, half finely milled almonds)
1/4 cup parsley (fresh or dry works with this measurement)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper


1. I had Bruce help me out and get the rice started for me in the rice maker. This gave me time to get the mushrooms started and the tofu feta for the side dish. In food processor, pulse mushrooms in batches until finely chopped-almost paste like.

2. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2-3 mins. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 3-5 mins. Add to bowl with rice; let cool.

3. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Add vegan egg, breadcrumbs, almond/nutritional yeast mix, parsley, and salt to cooled rice mixture and mix well. Form mixture into about 24 oval-shaped nuggets, each about 2 by 1.5 inches.

4. In clean large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil over medium high heat; tilt to coat bottom. Add half the nuggets and cook until browned on one side, about 2 mins, and sprinkle black pepper over the nuggets. Turn nuggets over onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining nuggets. Bake until nuggets are browned and firm, 15-20 mins.