Culinary recipe

Quinoa Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Presenting our twist on an Italian classic, quinoa meatballs in marinara sauce.
 
Vegan meatballs are served in a rich tomato marinara sauce for super simple comfort food that can be enjoyed any night of the week.
 
Our technique for cooking meat-free meatballs can also be used to recreate other family favourite dishes such as the Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, kofte, gehaktbal, spaghetti and meatballs or even a meatball sub.

Tuck into our quinoa meatballs in marinara sauce recipe which uses whole organic ingredients including red quinoa and kidney beans.
 
Seven Shelves HolyFlavours Whole Organic Red Quinoa is the ultimate ingredient for creating meat-free meatballs as the quinoa works to bind the ingredients together whilst adding flavour, texture and moisture.
 
Plant based meat substitutes are becoming increasingly popular as we become more health and environmentally conscious, our vegan meatball recipe is perfect for vegans, vegetarians and those looking to reduce their meat intake, plus the delicious taste will please even the most adamant carnivores.
 
This recipe is also especially useful when entertaining a group of friends with varying dietary requirements, as quinoa is a seed rather than a cereal which means this recipe is totally gluten-free.
 
In addition to adding flavour, texture and moisture to the meatballs, red quinoa is also the rarest variation with a sweet nutty taste. Quinoa is regarded as a superfood as it provides a great source of plant-based protein, calcium, manganese and iron.
 
Red quinoa also contains more fibre, nutrients and antioxidants than other variations. Kidney beans are used within the recipe to compliment the red quinoa as a further source of plant-based protein whilst adding to the irresistibly smooth mouthfeel of a meatball.
 
Once easily prepared in a food processor the quinoa meatballs are baked in the oven for minimal effort. They are then gently simmered within the marinara sauce to make them juicy and bring all the flavours of the dish together, try it for yourself by following the instructions below!

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Servings   4

 

Time   Preparation- 30 minutes

                  Cooking- 45 minutes

  

Equipment Mixing Bowl

                                      Food Processor

                                      Saucepan
                                     Baking Tray
                                    Hand Blender
  

Ingredients

 Quinoa Meatballs
 
Marinara Sauce
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 800g whole tomatoes, crushed
  • 1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt, to taste

Quinoa Meatballs 
  1. Pour the red quinoa into a saucepan and lightly rinse with cold water.
  2. Then add 250g water and season with salt, set the saucepan on the stove over a medium heat.
  3. Bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.
  4. Transfer the cooked quinoa to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool.
  5. Place a saute pan on medium heat and add the olive oil.
  6. Saute the diced onion, garlic, crushed chili and rosemary for 5 minutes to soften.
  7. Transfer the mixture into a food processor along with the black beans, pulse for 1 minute to form a thick paste.
  8. Next add the black bean paste to the mixing bowl of quinoa, stir in the parmesan cheese then season to taste.
  9. Preheat an oven to 200C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  10. Then roll two tablespoons of quinoa meatball mixture in the palm of your hand, lay the meatball onto the tray and repeat until all the mixture has been used.
  11. Place the tray of meatballs into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  Marinara Sauce 
  1. Prepare the whole tomatoes by crushing with your hands, this provides much more flavour to the dish than buying crushed tomatoes.
  2. Into a saucepan add the extra-virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, dried oregano and bay leaf.
  3. Set the saucepan on a medium heat and bring to a simmer.
  1. Cook the marinara sauce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to help break down the tomatoes.
  2. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the bay leaf, use a hand-blender to blitz the mixture into a smooth marinara sauce.
  3. Season the sauce with salt to taste and add the quinoa meatballs to the sauce.
  4. Warm the meatballs through the marinara for a few minutes to bring the flavours together then serve.

Buon Appetito!