0 from 12 votes
Make & Freeze Quinoa Chickpea Meatballs
Freezer-friendly vegetarian meatballs filled with quinoa, chickpeas and walnuts.
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 24 meatballs
Calories: 45 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup minced onion
- ½ cup minced carrot
- ½ cup raw walnut halves
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
For serving:
- cooked pasta
- tomato sauce
- Chopped fresh basil and / or shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the quinoa and broth to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, along with the onion and carrot.
- Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground (but not so far that it turns into a paste). Add the ground walnuts to the bowl with the quinoa. Next, add the chickpeas to the bowl of the food processor. Process until about half are pureed, but the rest still have some texture. Add the chickpeas to the large bowl, along with the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, parsley, oregano, basil and garlic. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed. Add the eggs, tomato paste and worcestershire to a small bowl and beat together with a fork. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl and stir until well-combined.
- Form the mixture into balls about 1 ½-inches in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Serve as desired.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
45kcal
(2%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
2g
(4%)
Fat
2g
(3%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
14mg
(5%)
Sodium
69mg
(3%)
Potassium
61mg
(2%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
477IU
(10%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
10mg
(1%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 45
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 45kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 14mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 69mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 61mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 477IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 10mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.