Recipes

Vegan Butter Chicken Meatballs

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 15 mins

| Cook Time: 15 mins

| Total Time: 30 mins

You may need: Garam Masala

Discover The Recipe

Butter chicken. Say it with me: butter. Chicken. This iconic Indian dish is a force to be reckoned with - rich, creamy, and loaded with aromatic spices like our authentic Indian Garam Masala blend , it's a true masterpiece of comfort food cuisine. It's the kind of dish that has earned its place in the culinary pantheon, a dish that brings people together around the table and leaves them feeling deeply satisfied. But what if you’re vegan? Well then, grab your favorite vegan protein as we do with supermarket vegan “meatballs” and make a delicious vegan butter sauce. All is right in the world.

Making vegan butter “chicken” meatballs at home is easier than you might think. Since we use premade vegan balls, start by making a creamy, perfectly spiced and decadent sauce. Sauté aromatics like onion, garlic, jalapeños, and spices then add in tomato paste and sauce and veggie stock to the pan. Simmer with additional vegan butter and your cooked vegan meatballs to the sauce for a quick toss to coat until everything is piping hot and you just can’t wait any longer to eat. Serve with rice and naan bread, to create a meal to transport you straight to the streets of Delhi. So the next time you're craving something cozy and comforting, don't hesitate - whip up a batch of vegan butter chicken meatballs and bask in its deliciousness.

Ingredients

For the Butter Sauce:
4 Tbsp vegan butter
½ medium sweet onion, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced, optional
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Garam Masala
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup plant based milk
Vegan Meatballs:
1 package frozen vegan meatballs, thawed
To Serve: Cooked basmati rice, chopped mint and cilantro, lime wedges

Notes

To make the meatballs more flavorful, you can toss them in the Piquant Post Garam Masala before baking.

If you prefer a spicier sauce, you can add some chili powder or cayenne pepper to the sauce.

For a creamier texture, you can add a can of coconut milk to the recipe.

You can make this dish ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just reheat it before serving.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Heat the vegan butter in a medium saucepan until melted. Add the onion, jalapeño, garlic and Piquant Post Garam Masala. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and vegetable stock to the pan. Stir well until everything is well combined. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce is cooking, add the meatballs to an oiled sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and hot to the center. Remove from the oven and set aside.

When the sauce has reduced, toss the hot meatballs with the sauce in a medium mixing bowl. Transfer to a serving dish.

Garnish with mint and cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and freshly cut lime wedges.

Alternatives & Substitutions

If you don't have vegan meatballs, you can use lentil balls or chickpea balls instead. We used Gardein plant based meatballs, which are available in the freezer aisle of your local grocery store.
Looking for more healthy Garam Masala recipes Try our Saag Tofu, Channa Masala, Paneer Tikka, Fish Kahari, or Potato Samsas. You might also like our Afghan Chicken Pulao, or Chicken Tikka Masala, and Bamia all feature this spice.
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