VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

"VEGETARIAN  MEATBALLS"

Here they are! The meatballs of the hour – that are, actually, not meatballs.

Because they are VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS! Made without beans (we’re going rogue!) and made instead with cauliflower and brown rice and quinoa.

I know, right? Sneak-ayyy.

As much as I love a good MEAT-ball meatball from time to time, today we’re talking about these little vegetarian meatball nuggets of powerhouse nutrition that are inspired from the (here comes the weird zone) spicy cauliflower burgers.

The breakdown is that they’re made with cauliflower, brown rice, quinoa, oat flour, eggs, and a nice big pinch of garlic and spices. And they don’t require hours of prep. That’s it! It’s just simple, straightforward, SUPER YUM plant-based goodness in the form of vegetarian meatballs made weeknight-dinner-friendly, because real food that matches real life is where it’s at.

And don’t we know it, guys? DON’T WE KNOW IT.

HOW TO MAKE OUR VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS (1 MIN):

VEGETARIAN  MEATBALLS 

 Prep time :  15 mins    Cook time : 15 mins

Yield : 10 or more servings

DESCRIPTION:

30 Minute Vegetarian Meatballs – cauliflower, quinoa, brown rice, garlic, and spices. SUPER versatile – recipe makes a huge batch so you can stockpile them in your freezer for easy meals later!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups cauliflower florets (roughly 1 head of cauliflower)
• 3 cups cooked quinoa and/or brown rice (see notes)
• 3/4 cups of a “dry ingredient” like oat flour, almond meal, breadcrumbs, etc.
• 4 eggs
• 1 heaping tablespoon spices (chili powder, paprika, and/or cumin will work)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan with a thin coating

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. Cauliflower: Cook the cauliflower florets in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes, till fork-tender. Drain well.

2. Mix: Pulse the quinoa and cauliflower through a food processor until semi-smooth (see pictures for texture). Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and combine with all other ingredients. Stir until everything is incorporated. Roll into small balls (about one heaping tablespoon per ball was best for me).

3. Cook: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat – add the balls and cook for a few minutes on each side – they will need to be gently turned every so often to get browned all the way around. Serve with yummy sauces, salads, bowls, or freeze for later!

NOTES:

1. I used Seeds of Change pre-cooked garlic brown rice and quinoa for this recipe (2 packets = about 3 cups). Since this has garlic flavor already in the mix, if you are using your own pre-cooked quinoa and/or brown rice, make sure to add some minced garlic or garlic powder.

2. If the mixture doesn’t stick together in a ball when gently pressed, add about 1/3 of the mixture back into the food processor and pulse until it’s more the consistency of hummus. That should help it hold together. If that still isn’t enough, just add a little more of your “dry ingredient” till you get a consistency that you can gently roll between your hands to form ball shapes.

3. Nutrition facts are for 1/12th of this recipe, so just take your total # of meatballs and divide them into 12 servings – the exact number of meatballs per serving depends on how big you make the meatballs.