There are some meals that just feel like they were designed for a chilly evening, a comfortable pair of socks, and absolutely no plans to leave the house again. Vegan sebzeli köfte is one of those meals.
Traditional versions combine köfte with hearty vegetables and a rich tomato-based sauce, creating the kind of simple, satisfying dish that feels very much at home on a Turkish dinner table. For this month’s Meatless Monday, I wanted to keep everything I love about that idea—the potatoes, vegetables, tomato sauce, herbs, and wonderfully comforting something-is-cooking smell—while swapping the meat for a completely plant-based köfte.
The result is this vegan sebzeli köfte: savory little plant-based köfte nestled among potatoes, carrots, peppers, and peas in a warm tomato sauce.
And perhaps most importantly, this recipe does not require seventeen mysterious vegan specialty ingredients that can only be obtained by climbing a mountain during a full moon. 😂 Most of what you need should be available at a regular supermarket in Türkiye.
Jump to RecipeMeatless Monday Is Back!
If you have been following Tiffles in Türkiye for a while, you may remember that Meatless Monday first appeared here as a four-part series during the summer of 2025.
I loved creating those posts, and I have wanted to bring the idea back in a way that felt sustainable rather than turning every Monday into a small-scale kitchen emergency.
So from now on, Meatless Monday will return on the first Monday of each month.
Sometimes I will veganize a Turkish favorite. Other months, I may revisit a dish I loved in the United States and show how I have adapted it using ingredients I can actually find here in Türkiye. And occasionally, I suspect the recipe will come from opening the refrigerator, staring at its contents for several seconds, and deciding that confidence is basically a seasoning.
This month, Meatless Monday is returning with vegan sebzeli köfte.
A Turkish Classic, With a Plant-Based Twist
One of the things I appreciate about Turkish cooking is how naturally vegetables fit into a meal. They are not always relegated to a sad little pile beside the “real” food. Potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, legumes, greens, aubergines, courgettes, and all sorts of other vegetables regularly get to be part of the main event.
For this version of sebzeli köfte, the biggest change is obviously the köfte itself.
I use a pea-protein-based vegan mince or crumble, then season it with onion, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, and thyme. Breadcrumbs and ground flaxseed help the mixture stay together as it cooks.
Once everything is combined with the vegetables and tomato sauce, you end up with something hearty, familiar, and deeply comforting—without the meat.
Vegan Sebzeli Köfte
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine the ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water. Stir and leave for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add the vegan mince to a large mixing bowl. Add the grated onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, olive oil, and flax mixture. Mix thoroughly. If the mixture feels too wet, add another tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs.
- Form the mixture into small oval köfte, roughly the size of a walnut. You should have approximately 14–18 pieces. Rest for about 10 minutes.
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the köfte in batches for about 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the potatoes, carrots, and peppers in a large baking dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for about 15 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Nestle the browned vegan köfte among the vegetables and pour the tomato sauce over everything. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add the frozen peas during the final 8–10 minutes. The dish is ready when the potatoes and carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Notes
What to Serve With Vegan Sebzeli Köfte
This dish is substantial enough to eat on its own, but a simple salad works beautifully alongside it.
You could also serve it with crusty bread for soaking up the tomato sauce—which, in my opinion, is basically an invitation the sauce has already extended.
For a more traditional-style table, add a simple shepherd’s salad (çoban salatası) or another fresh tomato-and-cucumber salad on the side.
A Few Tips Before You Start
The Vegan Mince Matters
Different brands of vegan mince behave very differently. Some are already quite firm, while others are softer and need more help staying together.
If your mixture seems too soft, add breadcrumbs a tablespoon at a time. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
Don’t Skip the Browning Step
Technically, you could put the uncooked köfte directly into the sauce.
But browning them first gives them a better texture, adds more flavor, and reduces the likelihood that your beautiful vegan köfte will decide to become vegan köfte soup halfway through cooking.
We would prefer they maintain some boundaries. 😆
Adjust the Vegetables
You can easily swap in courgette, aubergine, mushrooms, or green beans depending on what you have.
Just remember that softer vegetables may not need the same head start as the potatoes and carrots.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3–4 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave. If the sauce thickens overnight, add a small splash of vegetable broth or water before reheating.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes.
For the best texture, freeze the cooked köfte and sauce together and consider preparing fresh potatoes when you serve it again, since potatoes can sometimes become grainy after freezing.
Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months.
Why Meatless Monday?
You certainly do not need to be vegan to enjoy vegan food.
That has always been the spirit behind Meatless Monday on Tiffles in Türkiye.
The original four-part series gave me a chance to share a few plant-based meals and show that vegan food does not have to feel complicated, expensive, or dramatically different from the kinds of dishes people already love.
Now I am bringing the series back as a monthly feature on the first Monday of every month.
Some recipes will be Turkish favorites given a vegan makeover. Others will be dishes from my life in the United States that I have learned to recreate with ingredients available here in Türkiye. And I am sure a few will be born entirely from culinary improvisation and blind optimism.
My hope is simply to show how flavorful, comforting, familiar, and completely normal plant-based food can be.
No lectures.
No sad lettuce.
Just good food—and apparently quite a lot of potatoes.
More Meatless Monday Recipes
If you missed the original Meatless Monday: Turkish Meze Magic series from summer 2025, there are eight plant-based recipes waiting for you across four posts:
Part 1: Hummus & Baba Ganoush
Start with creamy homemade hummus—with several variations—and smoky baba ganoush. Read Part 1: Hummus & Baba Ganoush
Part 2: Spicy Ezme & Dolma
Fresh, fiery ezme meets comforting stuffed grape leaves. Read Part 2: Ezme & Dolma
Part 3: Muhammara & Çiğ Köfte
Rich red-pepper-and-walnut muhammara paired with a plant-based take on çiğ köfte. Read Part 3: Muhammara & Çiğ Köfte
Part 4: Çoban Salatası & Zeytinyağlı Enginar
Finish the series with a refreshing shepherd’s salad and tender artichokes cooked in olive oil. Read Part 4: Çoban Salatası & Zeytinyağlı Enginar
Afiyet Olsun!
If you make this vegan sebzeli köfte, I would love to hear how it turns out. If you changed the vegetables, tried a different plant-based mince, or discovered an ingredient combination that made it even better, please share it.
Part of the fun of cooking—especially when you are adapting recipes in another country—is realizing there is rarely only one “correct” way to make something delicious.
Wishing you warm meals, full bellies, and the courage to experiment when the recipe—or life—doesn’t go exactly according to plan.
With love from Ankara,
Tiffles, Stormy, and Smokey 🐾❤️