These easy vegetarian meatballs use chickpeas, feta, and fresh herbs for a protein and fiber-packed dinner. Serve them with pasta, pita, or a grain bowl!
After eating 100% vegetarian for about a decade, I still eat mostly that way with some fish and chicken thrown in (aka, the Mediterranean diet). The other day I made the best Greek chicken meatballs recipe and immediately thought: I have to create a vegetarian version!
This recipe came out of loads of recipe testing: a delicious, flavor-packed meatball made with chickpeas, feta cheese, and spices that’s so simple to make and baked in the oven. It’s a great vegetarian dinner packed with fiber and protein that you can serve so many ways: my favorites are with marinara sauce or in a bowl with rice, veggies and tzatziki!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve made a lot of meatless meatballs over the years, and here’s why I like these:
- They actually hold together. Chickpeas and oats do the binding work to make a stiff dough that sticks.
- They’re also easy to make. No pan frying, just whiz them up then throw them in the oven.
- They’re protein-packed. Chickpeas, cashews, feta, and egg make this an actually filling vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chickpeas give body to these meatballs: they bring in protein and fiber and form the base.
- Old-fashioned oats act as the binder and make this recipe gluten-free.
- Cashews add a bit more texture to these meatballs.
- Feta brings a salty pop to the flavor on the finish: it makes them more satisfying.
- Fennel seeds, cumin, and oregano are what bring big savory flavor; the fennel in particular helps them taste meaty.
- Fresh mint or parsley add a nice herbaceous flavor.
How to Make Vegetarian Meatballs
Here are the basic steps for these vegetarian meatballs. I love them because the texture of the dough is very sticky so it’s easy to roll:
- Food process the base. Pulse the garlic, oats, and fennel seeds until finely ground, then add the cashews and then process everything else: chickpeas, feta, egg, olive oil, herbs, and remaining spices.
- Roll and brush. Scoop into about 20 balls of 1 ½ tablespoons each (a #40 cookie scoop makes it easy), placing them onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little olive oil.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes, until set and golden on the bottom.
Tips To Keep in Mind
- Only the bottoms browns. I made these baked so you don’t have to pan fry and try to flip these babies. This means that only the bottoms will be golden brown, but that’s ok: I just flip them all over and see the nice “finished” side.
- Remember, the texture is naturally drier than “meatballs”. Think of them more like falafel that works great with marinara.
- Leftovers keep really well. These are so great to make and then put in the fridge; they’re delicious for up to 5 days.
Ways to Serve Vegetarian Meatballs
I originally created these vegetarian meatballs to go in the Mediterranean diet-inspired plate above with Greek chicken meatballs and tzatziki. They’re the perfect swap for that, or you can serve them a variety of ways:
- Over pasta with red sauce: Spoon them over a simple marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce and spaghetti for a meatless spin on the classic.
- On a Mediterranean plate: Add rice or farro, cucumber, tomato, tzatziki, and if you want, pickled red onions.
- Tucked into pita: Wrap them in pita bread with crunchy vegetables.
- On a grain bowl: Pile them over a Mediterranean quinoa salad or Mediterranean chickpea salad.
How to Store and Freeze
- Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes, or warm gently in sauce on the stovetop.
- Freeze: These freeze beautifully. Freeze baked meatballs in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Dietary Notes
These vegetarian meatballs are vegetarian and gluten-free. They contain dairy (feta), egg, and tree nuts (cashews). For more meatless mains, here are my favorite vegetarian dinner recipes.
Easy Vegetarian Meatballs
Pin RecipeThese easy vegetarian meatballs use chickpeas, feta, and fresh herbs for a protein and fiber-packed dinner. Serve them with pasta, pita, or a grain bowl!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (20 balls) 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¾ cup Old Fashioned oats
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large handful mint or Italian parsley leaves
- For serving: Marinara sauce or rice and tzatziki sauce (see above)
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the meatballs, in a large food processor, process the garlic, oats, and fennel seeds until finely ground. Add the nuts and process until mostly ground. Add the chickpeas, feta cheese, egg, olive oil, and spices, and pulse a few times to combine.
- Scoop out 1½ Tbsp portions of the mixture and roll into 20 to 21 uniform balls (a #40 cookie scoop is helpful). Place the meatballs on the prepared sheet and brush the tops with olive oil.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until set and browned on the bottom. Remove from the oven, flip the balls over to show the browned side up, and allow to cool for 3 minutes before serving. Store up to 5 days refrigerated.
More Meatless Meatball Recipes
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/qMkRtL4
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