Let’s find out how to make egg-free baked cannellini bean meatballs, complete with a step-by-step video recipe! A legume-based main dish that’s really easy and quick: about 20 minutes of cooking and your meatballs will be ready to serve.
After publishing the recipe for bean meatballs in tomato sauce, the most frequent question was: “Can I replace borlotti beans with cannellini?”. The answer is of course yes, you can vary the type of beans as you like. That curiosity inspired me: could I create a version specifically with cannellini? Absolutely! Thinking back to the oven-baked pea meatballs without potatoes and ricotta I shared a few months ago, the idea clicked.
Here are the vegetarian cannellini bean meatballs: super tasty, light, crispy on the outside and soft inside. They are perfect for the whole family and ideal served as an appetizer, finger food or main, perhaps accompanied by a yogurt and parsley cream that enhances their flavor.
Below you can find clickable links to the other legume meatball recipes I’ve shared here on the Le Ricette di Bea blog. I also remind you that from April 1st the newsletter service will start! You will receive one email per month with three recipes linked by a single ingredient or special theme. Subscribing is free — just enter your email in the dedicated form.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, All seasons
- Energy 236.93 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.23 (g) of which sugars 2.63 (g)
- Proteins 10.05 (g)
- Fat 7.97 (g) of which saturated 2.97 (g)of which unsaturated 2.20 (g)
- Fibers 5.21 (g)
- Sodium 592.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to make baked cannellini bean meatballs
- 8.5 oz canned cannellini beans
- 2.1 oz cheese (grated)
- 2.1 oz breadcrumbs (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 pinch curry
- 1 pinch paprika
- 1 pinch coriander
- 1 pinch dried parsley
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp flour (for coating)
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs (for coating)
I didn’t add an egg, but if you want you can add one to obtain a firmer dough; otherwise do as I do and work the ingredients well with your hands so that the cannellini bean meatballs hold together properly.
Tools to make cannellini bean meatballs that are crispy outside and soft inside
- 1 Chopper
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Oven
- 1 Plate
Steps to make cannellini bean meatballs quickly and easily
I start the preparation by gathering all the ingredients and the tools needed for these savory meatballs. First, drain the cannellini beans from their preserving liquid, but do not dry them excessively: a little moisture will help achieve the right consistency.
Pour the beans into the chopper and add: salt, pepper, dried parsley, curry, paprika, cumin and coriander. For convenience, in the video recipe you’ll see that I mixed these spices in a small bowl before adding them to the beans. You can skip that step and add all the ingredients directly to the chopper bowl. Don’t forget two tablespoons of lemon juice for a touch of acidity. Turn the machine on and let it work until you obtain an almost creamy mixture.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven in conventional mode to 356°F, so it’s hot when it’s time to bake. Line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper and keep it ready on the work surface.
Transfer the bean cream to a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs and the grated cheese (I chose Grana Padano). Start working it with your hands: you’ll notice the mixture is quite grainy, since there are no added fats or eggs to bind it.
Bea’s tip: To get perfect meatballs, press firmly with the palm of your hand while shaping the balls; this will help the mixture bind well without falling apart during cooking.
Prepare a plate with some breadcrumbs and a couple of tablespoons of flour: this mix will make the outer crust even firmer and tastier. Scoop small portions of the mixture and, pressing well with your hands, shape the meatballs; then pass them through the breadcrumbs and flour mix for an even coating.
Arrange the meatballs on the baking tray, leaving space between them. With the quantities indicated you’ll get about 20 meatballs. Before baking, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top and bake in the middle of the oven in conventional mode at 356-374°F for about 20-25 minutes. The meatballs should be well golden and crispy outside while keeping a tender and flavorful center.
😋 The finishing touch: yogurt sauce
While the meatballs bake, prepare the dipping sauce. In a small bowl pour about 1/2 cup (100 g) plain yogurt and add a generous sprinkle of parsley. Stir well with a teaspoon and the sauce is ready!Now all that’s left is to bring this tasty appetizer (or main) to the table and enjoy dipping each meatball into the fresh, light yogurt cream!
Wishing everyone a good meal and remember that I wait for you every day here on my cooking blog with lots of easy, quick and delicious recipes like this one!!!
Storage, tips and recipe variations:
❄️ Storage of the cannellini meatballs
You can store the meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about two days. If you prefer, you can also freeze them (properly sealed) for about one month. In that case, I recommend letting them thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheating them in the oven or in a pan for a few minutes before serving, so they become crisp again.
💡 Tips and variations
Is the mixture not binding? If the mixture is too loose and hard to work (maybe because the beans were drained too much), don’t worry: you can add an egg to the mixture to help form the meatballs.
Customize the flavors: You can substitute the spices and herbs according to your taste. If you don’t have parsley, chives or thyme are excellent alternatives. Get creative with what you have in your pantry!
Pan-frying: If you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can cook the meatballs in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. A little secret: use a lid while cooking. The steam that forms will keep the meatballs soft and allow you to use less oil, preventing them from sticking or browning too quickly.
