Oh my gosh, you know those days where you just crave that classic, messy, satisfying comfort food? The kind that oozes sauce and makes you feel instantly better? Me too! For ages, I thought that meant giving up eating meatball subs entirely, but those days are long gone, trust me. I’ve finally cracked the code on making truly hearty, flavorful Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs that are so genuinely good, my non-vegan brother asked for seconds last week.

The secret, and this is what took me ages to figure out, is texture. Plant-based balls can sometimes go soft or crumbly, and nobody wants that when they’re drowning in marinara. But by combining chickpeas and quinoa in just the right ratios, and using the flax egg as a real binder, these hold their shape beautifully. It’s all about finding that perfect balance so you get a substantial bite, not just mush in a bun. Get ready, because this recipe is about to change your sandwich game!

Why You Will Love These Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

I know, I know, sometimes vegan comfort food sounds like an oxymoron. But these subs? They really deliver that satisfying chew and deep flavor you look for in a classic.

Incredible Texture: Forget mushy! The quinoa gives these balls a wonderful, slightly nutty bite that holds up perfectly when baked and sauced.
Super Quick Prep: Seriously, once your quinoa is cooked, you’re maybe 20 minutes away from having them ready for the oven. I love that I can plan these for a weeknight meal!
Flavor Bombs: We pack these with oregano and basil, so even without meat, you get that rich, savory Italian flavor profile that sings when mixed with good marinara. You might even find yourself trying them plain, just to taste the seasoning! Here’s a link to another favorite meatball base recipe we use, just for reference on layering flavor.

Essential Ingredients for Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Okay, grabbing your ingredients is always my favorite part before starting a recipe—it smells fantastic even before anything goes into the oven! For these subs, everything breaks down really simply into the balls themselves and what we use to build the actual sandwich. We need to make sure we get the texture right, which begins with the right combination of our base ingredients.

A good tip about the nutritional yeast: if you happen to be out, you can sometimes get a similar cheesy/savory depth by adding a teaspoon of white miso paste, though I really prefer the clean flavor of the nutritional yeast here. If you’re interested in making other creamy things at home, I have this great recipe for homemade heavy cream you might like!

For the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatballs

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water (let stand 10 minutes to thicken!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

For Assembling the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

2 cups marinara sauce
4 sub rolls
Vegan mozzarella shreds (optional, but highly recommended for that gooey pull!)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Putting these together is honestly straightforward, but you have to pay attention to the mixing step—that’s where the magic (or the disaster) happens! Make sure your oven is cranked up to 400°F (200°C) and you’ve got a baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready to go. Parchment is your best friend here; it keeps cleanup minimal for those saucy meatballs later!

Preparing and Shaping the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatballs

First up, those chickpeas! We only want to pulse them until they’re coarsely chopped, sort of like gravel, not running off into soup. If you over-process them, your meatballs will be paste-like, and we want heartiness! Transfer those pulsed chickpeas to a big bowl with everything else: quinoa, breadcrumbs, the flax egg mixture, herbs, and seasoning. Use your hands here; it’s the best way to feel if the mixture is right. If it feels too sticky or wet—and trust me, this happens if your chickpeas were extra moist—just toss in one extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Seriously, don’t skip that troubleshoot! Once you’re happy, roll them out into nice uniform balls, about 1.5 inches wide. You should get around 12 to 14 of them.

Baking and Saucing the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Get those little beauties onto your baking sheet and into the hot oven for 15 minutes. This initial bake firms them up nicely. While they’re baking, warm up your marinara sauce gently in a saucepan; we don’t want it boiling, just nice and snuggly warm. When the meatballs come out, carefully transfer them to the sauce. Try to be gentle when you toss them! You don’t want to break the structure you just worked hard to build. After they are coated, put them right back on the baking sheet and bake them for another 10 minutes so that sauce sets up nicely around them. If you want to check out another great oven method, this collection of baked meatball tips is fantastic!

Assembling and Finishing the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Now for the glorious assembly! Slice your sub rolls open, making sure not to cut all the way through—we need a hinge to hold all the goodness in! Nestle 3 or 4 of your piping hot, saucy meatballs right down the middle of each roll. If you opted for the vegan mozzarella, pile that on top now.

Next, slide your filled subs back under the broiler (or into the oven if you don’t want too much direct heat) for just 2 or 3 minutes. You’re just waiting for that cheese to get melty and gooey. Pull them out and serve them immediately. Warning: they will drip sauce everywhere, which is exactly how you know they’re perfect!

Tips for the Best Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

I’ve learned a few tricks over the years to make these subs absolutely sing. Don’t just stick to the recipe card; listen to your gut! My favorite little flavor boost is adding about half a teaspoon of smoked paprika into the meatball mix. It gives everything a deep, savory warmth that tricks your brain into thinking there’s something rich cooking away.

I remember one terrible batch where I forgot to drain the chickpeas properly—it was a sloppy, sad mess! I fixed it by adding almost a full extra quarter cup of breadcrumbs and letting the mixture rest for 15 minutes before rolling. That rest time let the crumbs soak up the excess moisture. Another thing I sometimes do is roast the minced garlic lightly first, which mellows its sharpness. For a truly gourmet experience, you should check out this recipe for gourmet sauce ideas, which pairs perfectly.

Please, don’t skip that final 10 minutes of baking *after* they’re sauced. That’s what stops the sub from turning into a soggy mess halfway through eating. It concentrates the flavor of the marinara right into the surface of the chickpea quinoa meatball.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

We all run out of things sometimes, right? It happens to the best of us, and thankfully, these Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs are pretty flexible once you understand the roles the ingredients play. If you’re wondering about substitutions, let’s talk specifics so you can bake with confidence without losing that essential texture we worked so hard to achieve!

The quinoa, for example, must be fully cooked before you add it in. No shortcuts there! It needs to be fluffed and cooled slightly so it can absorb moisture without turning the whole mixture into soup. If you happen to have some leftover rice, I’ve used it in a pinch, but quinoa really adds that heartiness. Speaking of things you can make at home, if you ever need a very rich sauce alternative, I keep my homemade Alfredo sauce recipe handy, though marinara is the classic for subs!

Dealing with Breadcrumbs and Binders

Breadcrumbs act as your primary sponge, soaking up any extra moisture from the chickpeas or the flax egg. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, you can absolutely swap the regular breadcrumbs for gluten-free ones without much fuss. Just watch the consistency closely as you mix; GF crumbs sometimes absorb liquid slower.

If you absolutely can’t find flaxseed meal for your flax egg, you can try a chia egg—use the same ratio (2 tablespoons of chia seeds to 6 tablespoons of water), but you might need to let it sit a little longer, maybe 15 minutes, to get that thick, gummy consistency.

Choosing the Right Marinara Sauce

The marinara sauce is where you can really inject your personal flavor preference into these subs. I usually opt for a jarred sauce that is lower in added sugar because the meatballs themselves are already perfectly balanced. You want one that tastes bright and herbaceous!

Don’t worry about warming the sauce before you toss the baked meatballs in it—that’s just to prevent a temperature shock when they come out of the oven. If you happen to use a super chunky sauce, you might want to give it a quick pulse with an immersion blender just so the chunks don’t keep pulling the meatballs apart when you mix them!

Serving Suggestions for Your Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Since these Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs are super hearty—stuffed full of chickpeas, quinoa, and sauce—we definitely need lighter sides, right? Nobody wants to feel heavy after a great sandwich! Oven-baked sweet potato fries are amazing because their brightness cuts through the richness of the marinara sauce.

If you’re looking for something fresh, a simple arugula salad dressed lightly with lemon, salt, and maybe a little olive oil is fantastic. It gives you that fresh, acidic crunch. And if you are planning a bigger spread, you can always whip up a classic cold pasta salad to serve on the side. Keep it light and let the subs be the star!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

The biggest hurdle with leftovers is usually the bread getting soggy, so storage matters! If you’re planning for lunch tomorrow, the absolute best thing you can do is store the sauced meatballs completely separate from the sub rolls. The meatballs themselves keep great in an airtight container in the fridge for about four days. They tend to hold their moisture super well because of that quinoa!

When reheating, skip the microwave for the best texture, seriously. Pop the sauced meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, maybe toss ’em with a tiny splash of water or extra sauce, and reheat at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through. If you’re rebuilding the sub, warm the meatballs first, then toast the roll slightly before adding everything back in. It brings the whole thing back to life! If you’re looking for something totally different to use your containers for, check out my easy creamer recipe!

Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Since everyone wants their Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs to be perfect, I get asked the same questions all the time! I’m happy to clear up any confusion here so your sandwich experience next time is flawless.

Can I make the Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you absolutely can! You have two great options here. You can mix the entire meatball mixture up, roll them into balls, and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Or, you can fully bake the meatballs (even sauced ones!) ahead of time, cool them completely, and store them in an airtight container. When you want a sub, just toss the pre-baked or pre-cooked balls with sauce and heat according to the recipe! That’s a lifesaver on busy nights.

What is the best way to store leftover Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs?

If you have assembled subs left over, they’re not going to be great the next day because that roll will be totally saturated with sauce. To save the leftovers properly, take the sauced meatballs *out* of the bread! Store the meatballs and sauce together in the fridge, and keep your rolls separate. When you reheat just the meatballs, they will retain their texture much better than if you try to reheat the entire soggy sandwich.

Can I air fry these Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatballs?

Oh, I love my air fryer, and yes, you can totally use it! I would skip tossing them in the sauce for the first cook, though. Air fry them at 375°F (190°C) for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden brown and firm. Then, follow Step 8—toss them gently in the warm marinara and give them a final 2-3 minutes in the air fryer just to heat the sauce through. They come out incredibly crispy that way!

Can I use a different grain instead of cooked quinoa?

That’s a fair question relating to the grain base. You can certainly experiment! Brown rice works well as a straightforward substitute; just make sure it’s cooked and your measurements for the cooked grain portion are the same. Some people have had luck with rolled oats (quick oats), but you might need a little less breadcrumb if you use oats, as they tend to absorb a bit more liquid. I always stick to the quinoa mix, though, because it gives the best structure, much like how I prefer to stick to specific binders in my lentil burger recipe!

Estimated Nutritional Data for Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Alright, let’s talk numbers, because even when we’re eating pure comfort food, it’s good to know what’s fueling us! Please remember, these figures are just my best guesstimates based on the ingredients listed here. The specific brand of your sub roll or, more importantly, the sodium level in that jar of marinara sauce you chose, can really shift things around. I always treat these as a good guideline rather than gospel!

For one whole sub, packed with those hearty chickpea quinoa meatballs, here’s the snapshot based on standard portioning:

Calories: Around 450 (That’s a really solid, filling meal!)
Protein: About 18g (Thanks to all that chickpea and quinoa goodness!)
Fat: Roughly 12g total
Carbohydrates: In the neighborhood of 70g

I always focus on the Protein and Fiber (which is a generous 10g!), because that’s what keeps you feeling full and satisfied long after you’ve wiped the sauce off your chin. Enjoy every bite guilt-free—you made this from scratch!

Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

Author: memorecipes.com
Total Time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

A recipe for making vegan meatballs using chickpeas and quinoa, served in sub rolls with sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water (flax egg)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
4 sub rolls
Vegan mozzarella shreds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas until coarsely chopped. Do not over-process into a paste.
Transfer the pulsed chickpeas to a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, flax egg mixture, minced garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands until a firm mixture forms. If the mixture is too wet, add one more tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Roll the mixture into small, uniform balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get about 12-14 meatballs.
Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the meatballs bake, warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
Remove the meatballs from the oven. Gently toss them in the warm marinara sauce until coated.
Return the sauced meatballs to the baking sheet. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Slice the sub rolls lengthwise. Fill each roll with 3 or 4 sauced meatballs. Top with vegan mozzarella shreds if using, and bake for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Serve immediately.

Notes

You can prepare the flax egg mixture up to 10 minutes before using it to allow it to thicken.
For a firmer meatball, bake them for 5 minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
Use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce for convenience.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 sub
Calories: 450
Sugar: 10
Sodium: 650
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 2
Unsaturated Fat: 8
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 70
Fiber: 10
Protein: 18
Cholesterol: 0

Keywords: vegan meatballs, chickpea quinoa, meatball subs, plant-based, vegetarian sandwich