Quick Homemade Vegan Stuffing Balls

Vegan stuffing balls, are a delightful departure from traditional recipes and I promise you this recipe is delicious. Incorporating a blend of nutritious elements, these stuffing balls cater not only to vegans but also appeal to individuals in search of lighter, plant-centred choices.

They are made with my favourite vegetarian haggis by Macsween and a few extra ingredients to really boost the depth of flavour. In fact, this recipe was inspired by the stuffing used in my VEGETARIAN HAGGIS STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH.

Elevate a Roast Dinner (even for meat eaters!)

You can’t beat a stuffing ball. They are one of the essential trimmings for an epic roast dinner. And whilst I am a big fan of the good old Paxo sage and onion stuffing, I thought it was time to switch it up a bit.

They are a great addition to your roast dinners and are good enough to roll out for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. The rich textures and flavours go very well with the lighter flavours of roast chicken and turkey. And I think their lovely dark colour adds to your plate.

Using Frozen Vegetables and Herbs

In this recipe, I use mostly frozen vegetables and herbs. I don’t find that recipes are compromised by using frozen vegetables and herbs, particularly if it’s for a stew, soup or stuffing. In fact, there are lots of great things about using them such as:

• Time-saving in the kitchen – they are a real-time saver in meal preparation
• Still flavourful – they still deliver all of those additional flavours and seasonings that will add to your dishes.
• Cheaper – they also tend to be a lot cheaper than buying fresh. Particularly if you look at the quantities you get chopped or prepared.
• Helps retain their goodness– the freezing process can help to retain more of their nutritional qualities compared to fresh.

However, if you are looking for more of a crunch from your veg then fresh is always better!

How do vegan stuffing balls compare nutritionally to traditional stuffing?

These homemade Vegan stuffing balls are crafted from a diverse mix of ingredients, featuring whole grains, legumes, nuts, and an array of aromatic herbs and spices. This amalgamation not only creates a delectable flavour profile but also packs a nutritional punch.

Whole grains contribute complex carbohydrates and fibre, while nuts offer healthy fats and protein. Despite the absence of meat, vegan stuffing balls can be a protein powerhouse, thanks to ingredients like nuts and legumes. This makes them an excellent choice for those looking to boost their protein intake. Additionally, the diverse herb and spice lineup not only enhances the taste but also brings a range of health benefits.

What are the key ingredients in vegan stuffing balls?

• Onion
  • I use frozen onion in this recipe which is finely chopped
  • However, you can use a fresh red or white onion if you prefer
• Garlic
  • Again I use frozen chopped garlic for ease, but of course, use a clove of fresh garlic if that’s what you have
• Chestnut mushrooms
  • Have a richer flavour than their white counterparts (in my opinion)
  • An excellent source of vitamin B, antioxidants and minerals
  • if you are also a mushroom fan then take a look at my QUICK VEGAN MUSHROOM SOUP it is delicious!
• Vegetarian Haggis
  • An oaty vegetable mixture with added spices and pulses
  • A great source of iron, fibre and carbohydrate
  • I like the one by Macsween which I can only get in Waitrose
• Fresh of Frozen Herbs
  • Use a combination of whatever you have or are your favourites
  • I used frozen chopped Thyme, Rosemary and Parsley
• Caramelised onion chutney
  • It gives an extra sweet stickiness that compliments the herby haggis
  • I like this one from Sainsbury’s

How to make homemade stuffing balls

These gluten-free stuffing balls really are quick and easy to make. They will elevate your meals without much effort!

Start by preheating the oven to 180°C /160 C fan and grease a baking tray big enough to hold all the stuffing balls.

Next heat a little olive oil or a little knob of butter and add your onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until softened. Then add in your chopped mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften. Now crumble in your haggis, stirring well and heat through for another couple of minutes. However, it doesn’t need to be pipping hot. 

Take the stuffing off of the heat and stir through your chopped herbs and chutney. Then making sure the stuffing isn’t too hot to handle, scoop out some of the mixture and gently roll into 12 balls. I weighed each ball and they were approx 75g.

Place your stuffing balls in your lightly greased baking tray and cook for 20 minutes.

Can I make homemade stuffing balls ahead of time?

Many people plan meals in advance, especially during the holidays and these are a great side to make ahead of time, There are so many parts to a roast dinner (particularly at Christmas time) and anything I can do in advance is a big win.

You can make these stuffing balls a couple of days before if need be. Just make and shape the stuffing into your balls and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Then all you have to do is pop them in a baking tray and cook them as per the instructions in the recipe card below 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve.

Serving suggestions for your stuffing balls

One of the standout features of vegan stuffing balls is their versatility in the kitchen. Beyond holiday gatherings, these savoury spheres can be incorporated into everyday meals.

Use them as a protein-rich topping for salads, stuff them into wraps or sandwiches, or crumble them over a bed of quinoa for a quick and nutritious weeknight dinner.

However, they really do make the perfect accompaniment for your Roast Dinners. So here are some suggestions of what you could serve them alongside.

For a Vegetarian Roast, why not try my VEGETARIAN HAGGIS STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH as the flavours complement each other beautifully. Then just serve with plenty of extra cooked vegetables and gravy.

For a Meat-eaters Roast – The texture and umami flavours from the mushrooms give this stuffing a real richness which tastes great with sliced white meat like roast turkey or chicken

Vegetable sides for your roast dinner – These are a great selection of sides to try with your roast dinners

• OVEN ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND CARROTS 
• CREAMY CELERIAC AND PARSNIP MASH
• SAUTÉED BEETROOT TOPS 
• EASY ROASTED BEETROOT AND LENTILS

These homemade stuffing balls are also exceptionally tasty as a savoury snack. Make them a little smaller so they are perfectly bite-size and enjoy them warm or leave them to cool and you can pick at them from the fridge.

How to store your homemade stuffing

If you are making these balls in advance then make and shape the stuffing into your balls and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Then all you have to do is pop them in a baking tray and cook them as per the instructions in the recipe card below, 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve.

They will keep cooked or uncooked in the fridge for up to 2 days

Can you Freeze homemade stuffing balls?

Yes you can! The MacSweeen vegetarian haggis can be frozen for up to 6 months. However, because of the mushrooms in this recipe, I would probably recommend only freezing these stuffing balls for 2-3 months.

I would open freeze them uncooked initially and then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag once solid. That way you can take out the amount you need for that meal or snack.

Simply defrost them before cooking in the oven. Then all you have to do is pop them in a baking tray and cook them as per the instructions in the recipe card below, 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve.

If you liked this recipe, then take a look at these other delicious and nutritious recipes that are blood sugar-friendly and beneficial for managing diabetes

Diabetes Note

These stuffing balls are a great addition to your Roasts but are a little trickier on the carb counting front than some of the other recipes. But this breakdown should give you a general idea of how we calculated the total carbs.

One thing to note is the carb count for the vegetarian haggis. We don’t typically have to count for pulses or beans so what I did was work out the carb amount based on the percentage of oats used (23%) which was very helpful on the nutritional label.

This is how I worked out the carb count amount for MacSween Vegetarian Haggis

Per 100g of haggis = 23g of carbohydrates

The percentage of that which is oats = 23%

23% of 23g = 5.3g of carbs per 100g

This recipe uses 500g, therefore 5.3 x 5= 26.5g of countable carbs for 500g of MacSween vegetarian haggis

We also have to count for the chutney so please see below for the carb counting breakdown based on the ingredients I used. You can just switch in your carb amounts for your ingredients used to get a more accurate carb count per serving.

Carb Counting

The overall carb count for one 75g Homemade stuffing ball, based on the ingredients we would crab count for is:

• 500g of MacSween vegetarian haggis = 26.5g of carbs
• 40g Caramelised Onion Chutney = 20.2g of carbs

Now add all the carbs together – 26.5+20.2 = 46.7g of carbs

Finally divide this by the serving size of 12 (46.7/12) = 4g of carbs per 1 75g homemade stuffing ball

Please note this carb count amount per portion is based on the standard ingredients listed above and may differ depending on what you use and how much you choose to eat.

If you enjoyed this article then it would mean a lot if you could leave a star rating and comment below. I would love to hear from you!

Don’t forget you can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Click below to connect with me

Homemade Vegan Stuffing Balls

Recipe by Michelle

These homemade stuffing balls are gluten free and full of mouthwatering flavours. They make a delicious addition to your roast dinners and are even great as a savoury snack as well.

Course: SidesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

5 from 1 vote

Pin

Print

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

Metric US

• 1 small 1 onion, finely chopped or the equivalent chopped frozen onion

• 1 tsp 1 frozen chopped garlic

• 300 g 300 chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped

• 500 g 500 vegetarian haggis

• 3 tbsp 3 frozen chopped herbs

• 2 tbsp 2 caramelised onion chutney

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C /160 C fan and grease a baking tray big enough to hold all the stuffing balls 
• Heat a little olive oil or a little knob of butter and add your onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until softened.
• Add in your chopped mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
• Now crumble in your haggis, stirring well and heat through for another couple of minutes but it doesn’t need to be pipping hot.
• Take the stuffing off of the heat and stir through your chopped herbs and chutney.
• Making sure the stuffing isn’t too hot to handle, scoop out some of the mixture and gently roll it into 12 balls.
  I weighed each ball and they were approx 75g
• Place in your lightly greased baking tray and cook for 20 minutes.

Equipment

• Cookie ScoopBuy Here
• Baking TrayBuy Here
• Silicone SpatulaBuy Here

Tips and Notes

• These stuffing balls can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days
• Diabetes note – The overall carb count for one stuffing ball is 4g. But please see the full breakdown above as we do not have to carb cunt all of the ingredients in the vegetarian haggis. And as always you know what best to count for.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @wholeheartykitchen on Instagram

Like this recipe?

Pin & Follow @wholeheartykitchen on Pinterest

Follow my facebook page

Follow Whole Hearty Kitchen on Facebook

Recipe Card plugin by WPZOOM