Gluten Free Vegan Chickpea Meatballs
User Reviews
5
Gluten Free Vegan Chickpea Meatballs
Description
The recipe starts by gently rubbing skins off chickpeas before blending them with applesauce, salt, pepper, and cooked onion and garlic to create a smooth base. Fresh parsley and Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs are folded in to bind and flavor the mixture. Formed into small balls, they are baked twice with cooking spray to develop a crispy exterior.
Meanwhile, a simple sauce made from olive oil, onion, garlic, jarred diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning simmers until thickened. The cooked meatballs soften quickly in this sauce, which spreads their flavors throughout. Fresh parsley added to the sauce brightens the overall taste.
You can serve these meatballs atop zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or other vegetable noodles for a gluten-free, vegan meal with a tomato-forward sauce and tender bites of chickpea protein. They hold their shape well initially but become tender once combined with sauce, so they are best enjoyed fresh.
Ingredients
For The Meatballs:
- 1 chickpeas drained and rinsed, jovial food brand, jarred
- 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon salt sea salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup onion roughly chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced, fresh
- 6 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs gluten free, vegan, Italian seasoned
- 2 tablespoons parsley minced, fresh
- cooking spray
For The Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, fresh
- 1 diced tomatoes jovial foods brand, jarred
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon salt sea salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley minced, fresh
- zucchini noodles spaghetti squash or noodles, for serving
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Spread the drained and rinsed chickpeas until a paper towel and gently dry them off. Gently rub the thin, papery skins off each one and place into a SMALL food processor (mine is 3 cups.) along with the applesauce, salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Cook the onion until it begins to soften and brown, about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and lower the temperature to medium/low. Cook, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Add the onion mixture into the food processor and blend until totally smooth and combined, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in the panko and parsley. Use a cookie scoop to form 16 1 Tbsp sized balls and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Spray generously with cooking spray and bake for 14 minutes. Spray again and bake another 13-14 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
To make the sauce:
- While the "meatballs" cook, heat the oil in a large, high-sided pan with a lid on medium hear. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is golden brown and soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, uncover and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the liquid just begins to evaporate. Stir in the parsley.
- Stir the "meatballs" into the sauce and serve over your noodles of choice. *
- DEVOUR
Notes
- Chickpea meatballs soften quickly in the sauce, so serve them promptly after adding to preserve texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4People
Amount Per Serving
Calories 224 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 224kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 6.2g | 12% |
| Fat | 6.8g | 10% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.9g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.9g | 5% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4.3g | 22% |
| Sodium | 1374mg | 57% |
| Potassium | 279mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 6.3g | 25% |
| Sugar | 8.7g | 17% |
| Vitamin A | 1350IU | 27% |
| Vitamin C | 38.8mg | 43% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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