These Quinoa and Eggplant Meatballs are the perfect addition to a bowl of pasta to create a well-rounded meal.
Jump to RecipeThe quinoa, eggplant, oats, and walnuts give these just the right “meaty” texture you’re looking for in a meatball. Add to that the mixture of garlic, onion, nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices and you’ve got such a great whole food plant-based bite that tastes delicious and holds up well in your dish.
To make this a nutrient dense, wfpb meal, pair it with our popular No-Oil Marinara Sauce, some whole grain pasta (brown rice, whole wheat, or legume varieties), and a vegetable, such as zucchini, broccoli, or some delicious greens. They’d also be a tasty addition to bulk up a big salad and would pair nicely with different dressings.
These Quinoa and Eggplant Meatballs are easy to make, as Kevin demonstrates in the quick video found with the recipe. To save time on a busy night in the future when we want a nice meal but are short on time, we make a large batch of these and store the extra in the freezer where they keep well for up to 6 months and thaw so nicely. There’s nothing like having nutritious meal items ready to go. It’s what helps you to be successful and avoid making some bad decisions, like take-out, when energy or time is limited.
Quinoa and Eggplant Meatballs
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 2 cups dry quinoa rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Rest of Ingredients
- 1/2-2 pounds eggplant
- 4 oz coconut milk
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats can substitute rolled or old fashioned
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Turn off the heat and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a parchment lined sheet pan to cool. Alternatively, you can let the quinoa cool in the pot if you make it well ahead of time.
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Place cut side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. Roast for 30 minutes and remove from the oven to cool. Drop the oven temp to 350º F.
- Scoop out the eggplant flesh into a bowl, leaving the skins behind.
- In a food processor, add the oats, walnuts, nutritional yeast, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, red pepper, and salt. Pulse until well combined. Add the cooked quinoa and pulse until well combined.
- Portion into 2 ounce balls and place on parchment lined sheet pans. Roast in the oven at 350º F for 25 minutes.
- Enjoy with sauce or on their own. After roasting you can also freeze the cooked meatballs for up to 6 months in a freezer.
Always one of my goto’s but never taste AS GOOD as Chef’s! (❁´◡`❁)