Vegetarian Meatballs

Here’s a recipe for vegan beans and brown rice balls served in a rich masala sauce with incredible flavors. Everyone, including meat-eaters, will love this dish!

Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 1 hour
Resting time: N/A
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Masala Sauce:

• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 3 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground chili
• 1 inch freshly grated ginger
• 1 cup water
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1/3 cup non-dairy yogurt (or coconut cream)
• 3 tbsp oil

Veggie Balls:

• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 4-5 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup oat flour

Method:

Masala Sauce:

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook until onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
2. Add diced carrots, red bell pepper, and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add spices: cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili, salt, and fenugreek leaves if using.
4. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
5. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, stir in yogurt, and set aside.

Veggie Balls:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   2. Cook rice according to package instructions.
   3. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms, cook for 7-8 minutes until carrots are slightly tender.
   4. In a food processor, combine cooked onions, carrots, and mushrooms with drained beans, tomato paste, chives, rolled oats, nutritional yeast, spices, salt, maple syrup, and cooked rice. Process for 10 seconds, leaving a slightly chunky mixture.
   5. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add oat flour, and mix until fully incorporated.
   6. Shape mixture into 2-tbsp size balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, turning halfway through.
   7. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add baked veggie balls and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
   8. Pour masala sauce over veggie balls and cook for another 5 minutes.
   9. Serve with rice, vegan biryani, or salad.

Notes:
To add a deeper flavor to the veggie balls, you can roast the rolled oats in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they are lightly browned and fragrant before adding them to the food processor. This will enhance their nutty flavor and improve the overall taste of the dish.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 280
Carbs: 41g
Protein 8g
Fat 10g

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