Family-friendly Vegan Quinoa Meatballs Recipe

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Add kidney beans to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and cook for 15 minutes, until the beans start to crack and peel and feel dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Step 2

To make the chia eggs: combine chia seeds in a small bowl along with 3 tbsp water and stir to combine. Allow the mix to sit for a few minutes and then stir again. After another few minutes you should have a chia gel, this is your chia egg, set aside until needed.

Step 3

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, on a medium-low heat in a large frying pan and sauté onions until tender (about 4 minutes). Add garlic and oregano, and sauté for another minute.

Step 4

Combine onion mixture, paprika, parsley, bread crumbs, kidney beans, quinoa and chia eggs in a large bowl. Use either a potato masher or fork, and mash the ingredients until the kidney beans are well mashed.

Step 5

Using your hands, shape 1 tbsp sizes of the mixture into meatballs, place on a dinner plate, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (this will help them stay together when cooked).

Step 6

Add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large frying pan on a medium-high heat, and add quinoa meatballs. Brown meatballs for a few minutes, turn over and brown on the other side. Cook until browned and heated through (approx. 10 minutes).

Step 7

Remove from frying pan and drain on a paper towel.