I really wouldn't want to work with meat or even feed it to my kids. Here's a recipe for you. If you can't find all the spices look in a Indian or Oriental Grocery.

KOFTA BALLS

2c. grated cauliflower
2c. grated cabbage
1+1/2c. garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
1+1/2tsp. sea salt
1/s tsp. hing (asafoetida)
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. corriander powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
pinch of cayenne
ghee of oil for deep frying

Heat oil. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place as many balls that can fit into oil, leaving room for them to float. Fry over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the kofta is a rich golden brown. Drain. Add Kofta to sauce 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe is from the Higher Taste Cook Book. A Guide to Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking and a Karma-Free Diet

You can buy a product called Gimme Lean in many stores - it's a vegetarian burger or sausage preparation that can be used to make all kinds of meat sub.s.Vegsource.com has recipes for meatloaf & sausage using it as a base & adding TVP for more texture.I've used it myself & it tastes great, but I think adding the TVP would help, cuz it tends to get sticky if used in a sauce.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vegsource - meat sub.s

I made these for my family, and they loved them. I got the recipe from Home Matters on the Discovery channel.

Macaroni with Eggplant Meatballs
Materials or Ingredients:
Macaroni with Eggplant Meatballs:
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant (about 12 ounces), peeled and diced
1 to 2 Tbsp. Water
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 tsp. Fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. Dried oregano
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups Tomato and Basil Sauce kept hot
1 pound macaroni

Tomato and Basil Sauce:
5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes or three 28-ounce cans crushed plum tomatoes with their liquid
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. Fine sea salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 to 8 large sprigs fresh basil
Instructions or Directions:
Macaroni with Eggplant Meatballs:
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan and slowly cook the garlic over medium heat until golden. Add the eggplant and 1 tablespoon of the water, cover, and steam the eggplant over low heat until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining water only if the eggplant begins to stick to the skillet. Stir the eggplant occasionally while it cooks. Set the eggplant aside and let it cool.
Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, eggs, and cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the eggplant, mix well, and let it stand for 20 minutes. Scoop small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a small egg. There should be enough to make about eighteen.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly, or bake them in an oiled casserole dish in a preheated 350°F oven until browned, 10 to 25 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce and keep hot.
Cook the macaroni according to the directions. Drain and place the macaroni in a serving dish. Mix with some of the tomato sauce, then arrange the meatballs and sauce on tip of the pasta, and serve immediately. Pass additional cheese for sprinkling on top.

Tomato and Basil Sauce:
If using fresh tomatoes, core them, cut them into coarse chunks, and puree them in a food processor, blender, or food mill until smooth. Strain the fresh or canned tomatoes through a fine sieve to remove the skins and seeds. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft. Do not let the garlic brown or an acrid taste will be imparted to the sauce. Pour in the tomatoes and wine and stir to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Tips:
When forming the meatballs, wet your hands...

We make walnut cheese balls. 1 1/2 cups of walnuts, same of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, 1 cup grated cheese and a diced onion- then season as you like. We roll them and put them in a 13x 9 pan and bake at 350 for 45 min. My husband likes to put ketchup on them before baking because it reminds him of his mom's meatloaf. Yummy!

Here's a recipe from Chef Deb @ vegsource:

Fantastic Meetballs
(They taste just like "the real thing"!)

1 package LightLife Italian Links (or 1 package Gimme Lean Sausage Flavor)
6 oz Veggie Burger (Yves or LightLife)
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
Oil or pan spray
Spaghetti sauce
Soy Parmesan (opt)

Mix links and burger very well.
Mix in crumbs.
Form into balls.
Brown on all sides in oil or pan spray (or a little of each).
Add sauce, and heat until hot throughout.
Sprinkle with soy parmesan, if desired.

Serve with spaghetti, on pizza, or in sandwiches.

hope this helps....

Here's a link to my all-purpose burger and meatball recipe. Cheap, easy, and man-tested! Oh, it's got eggs in it, sorry vegans!

Here is a link that might be useful: bean burger/meatball recipe

Rice sticks together very well, and has an interesting consistancy. If you add lots and lots of spices to it, and bread it, it should be meatball-ish.

You can get canned "meat balls" can't remember the brand name right now. I jazz them up a little and my carnivor friends really think they are real meat balls. I'll try to remember to check the name and get back to you.

Back with the brand name on those "meat balls". Brand name is Loma Linda and they are called meatless Tender Rounds. Comes in a can with gravy but they need some jazzing up. I saute some onions add the gravy from the can and ablut 3 tablespoons of flour. I cook it down until the flour starts to brown, add a little more water and cook it down again, this gives the gravy a meaty taste. Add salt and pepper to taste just like you would with real meat balls. I serve them over rice. I take this dish to any pot luck I attend and the people who know I'm vegetarian are always suprised that I'd bring a meat dish, :->

I am not a vegetarian, although I have cooked many vegetarian dishes- One which my family would eat was meat balls made with the Harvest Direct Herb and Spice Soy product mix. In fact one of my son's had to be told that it wasn't meat

Lisa,

Go ahead!!! Eat the meatball. You know you want to! I make an awesome meatball. Equal parts veal & beef, garlic, chopped fresh parsley, good grated romano cheese and Royal Lunch crackers. Yummy!!!

My son, age 3 at the time of going vegan also loved meatballs but I make pecan meatballs and he LOVES them. He is six now and they are still his favorite. We juice and make all our stuff from scratch so because most people don't have the time to do it, I'll modify my recipe for the best all round regular ole grocery items.

1/2 cup pecans
1 cup cracker crumbs
heavy doses of sage, onion powder and garlic powder
egg replacer, like egg beaters or something
1 large can V-8 juice

Mix your pecans, crumbs and seasonings.
Add enough egg replacer to make your mixture clear the sides of the bowl. Add a little V-8 juice to the mixture and then roll into balls. Put in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and then pour the rest of the V-8 over the meatballs. Bake at 350° for about 35 minutes or until browned and the V-8 thicker but still on the wet side (don't want to turn it into tomato paste! I've done that - YUK!!).