Description
Delicious vegan meatballs made with chickpeas and rice, served with a creamy curry sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice (or any cooked rice)
- 1 cup cashews or walnuts
- 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
- 5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- Black pepper, to taste
- Additional olive oil for searing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup coconut milk or full-fat cashew milk
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1 bunch fresh parsley or fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup sautéed mushrooms (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Curry Sauce: Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, letting the spices bloom for about 30 seconds. Pour in the vegetable broth and coconut or cashew milk. Bring to a gentle boil and whisk in the tomato paste. If you’d like a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir it in. Simmer until smooth and slightly thickened. Add chopped herbs just before serving. If you prefer a deeper flavor, fold in the sautéed mushrooms.
- Make the Meatball Mixture: Place the cooked rice, nuts, mushrooms, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, onion, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Pulse again until the mixture starts to hold together. If the mixture is too soft, add the rolled oats a little at a time. If it feels dry, add a small amount of cold water or olive oil and pulse again.
- Shape and Cook the Meatballs: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Shape the mixture into firm meatballs and place them in the skillet. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are evenly browned on all sides.
- Combine and Serve: Pour the warm curry sauce over the meatballs in the skillet and let everything simmer together for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with rice, quinoa, flatbread, roasted vegetables, or salad.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, you can omit the nuts or substitute with seeds.
- Feel free to add more spices to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg