The Canned Ingredient You Need For Delicious Vegetarian Meatballs
When it comes to pantry ingredients you can always rely on to add hearty protein and flavor to your plate, chickpeas are king. The fiber-packed orbs, also known as garbanzo beans, have been nourishing humans for centuries, providing vitamins and minerals as well as plant protein that make them a vegetarian go-to. Although you can certainly stock dried chickpeas and cook them yourself, canned chickpeas are definitely the most convenient way to ensure you've got them on hand in a snap.
While there are so many recipes where chickpeas are the star, Tasting Table's Miriam Hahn has created a tasty but simple recipe for savory vegetarian meatballs served with a quick mushroom gravy, but of course, you could eat them any way you like! A jar of your favorite barbecue sauce would provide a quick way to enjoy the chickpea meatballs as an appetizer, or you can experiment with other herbs and spices.
Creating chickpea meatballs couldn't be more simple
Because canned chickpeas are already cooked, they can be simply pulsed in the food processor together with a few other pantry ingredients to create the perfect texture for a meatless meal. Miriam Hahn suggests a mix of red onion, garlic, and cumin along with a double hit of umami from soy sauce and tomato paste. A handful of breadcrumbs or rolled oats helps to lighten the mixture, keeping the meatballs from being too heavy. An egg (or a flax egg if you want to keep these vegan) binds the mixture together for easy shaping. One key step Hahn recommends is not over-processing the mixture. The texture should be a bit rough to get a nice finished meatball.
One of the best features of these meatballs is how easy they are to cook — no messy pan frying or browning is required. A quick, 20-minute bake in a hot oven and a light spray of cooking oil are all that's needed. While they're cooking, you can make the accompanying mushroom sauce, toss a salad, and set the table — it's hard to beat that for a vegetarian dinner that's easy enough for a weeknight, but also special enough for guests.