Enjoy a meatless meal with these Vegan Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs. With only 7 ingredients, these are simple to whip up and super delicious, especially when served with your favorite pasta!
Oh hey guys—I’m back! Not that I went anywhere, but it was kinda fun to have Jessica take over yesterday. As a Pittsburgher, I think she did an awesome job rounding up delicious brunch places in the city. Another nice thing about yesterday was the weather—it was so beautiful yesterday! Literally not a cloud in the sky.
As for these cauliflower quinoa meatballs, they’re also nice. Ugh, terrible transition..let’s try that again.
As for these meatballs, they’re AMAZING and vegan and gluten free and dairy free and very meatball-like considering they contain zero meat. In fact, they’re made from cauliflower and quinoa and are crazy simple to whip up.
My first time making meatballs was in my Spinach Almond Pesto Crockpot Meatballs, so I decided to try a meat-free version this time around. I was a little too stoked that these turned out the first time around. You know what that means? These are simple. Like, really simple.
Oh! And this is also my first recipe using cauliflower. I have no idea why I’ve neglected it for so long! Seriously makes no sense. I’m sorry cauliflower—forgive me?
Even though it’s only Thursday, I’m reeeeally looking forward to the weekend (can you blame me?). Saturday I have no plans—NONE—and I’m stoked. It’s actually embarrassing how excited I am. I’m hoping the weather is at least half way decent so Miguel, Layla and I can go on a walk, and I’ll probably do some recipe testing per the usual. Sunday is Easter which means I’ll head over to my grandma’s house for a feast! It’s going to be a good one, though I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself. Let’s focus on these cauliflower quinoa meatballs…non meatballs….veggie balls…whatever you wanna call them.
Though I make Miguel taste test all of my recipes, I always give myself a gold star/pat myself on the back/both when he approves one of my meatless recipes. His typical response is, “but there’s no meat”….yeah, but did you like them? “oh..yeah yeah I did.” GOOOOD. Men and meat..so strange. I’m not going to tell you that these taste like real meatballs (not.even.close), but they’re an awesome vegan option and full of protein thanks to the quinoa!
One tip about these…I recommend putting the cauliflower through the food processor first and THEN slowly adding in the quinoa. I tried to throw both in at the same time and it took for-e-ver. Just a suggestion! Also, be sure to reference the “notes” section of the recipe for added tips! Now let’s eat, shall we? Cauliflower quinoa meatballs, for the win!
Vegan Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cauliflower head
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp flour preferably all purpose, whole wheat or oat
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cook quinoa according to instructions on the package (over stovetop with water); at the same time, cook cauliflower in a separate pot over stovetop until soft.
- Once quinoa is done, set it aside; once cauliflower is done, put it in the food processor, along with the garlic, and pulse for around 10 seconds until cauliflower is mashed.
- Remove mixture and place in large bowl; stir in the quinoa.
- Add breadcrumbs, flour, parsley, oregano, and Italian seasoning and stir by hand. Place bowl in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, allowing mixture to cool off and harden a bit.
- Using your hands, roll mixture into meatballs--mine are typically golf ball size but feel free to make yours smaller. Rather than just rolling, you will need to use your hands to mash and shape them into balls, as they won't roll all that well since they're made out of quinoa. NOTE: if mixture is too soft/difficult to form into balls, add flour (any kind will work) 1 tbsp at a time, which will help to soak up some of the moisture and firm up the meatballs.
- Once all of the meatballs are formed, heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet and place meatballs in skillet. Cook until slightly golden brown on all sides, carefully turning meatballs to cook thoroughly.**
- Transfer meatballs to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until meatballs are firm.
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
Notes
***If mixture seems to moist and everything doesn't seem to be holding together very well, add an extra tablespoon of flour.
Hi there,
I just made these with a few modifications:
-added 2 eggs (not vegan)
-subbed bread crumbs for 3/4 cup GF oats (measured then ground in a food processor)
-omitted 2 TBSP flour
-used frozen, thawed broccoli instead of cauliflower
They came out pretty nicely. My question is – I have a ton extra. Does anyone have a good method for freezing and successfully defrosting?
Thanks!
I just made these but based on some of the comments I wrung out the cauliflower to get the water out, added some minced & sauteed mushrooms to add a bit meatier texture, and mixed in some egg substitute. They’re great! I’m wondering if you think they’ll hold together in a crockpot with some marinara over them or if they will likely turn to mush? Anyone tried this approach?
I made these yesterday and they were super yummy; though I agree with a previous commenter—I think they’d be even better drenched in marinara sauce. They had a bit of bite to them, so I think I might reduce the amount of garlic next time to please the little one’s sensitive taste buds. I’ll also say that it was time consuming to make the balls, so I’ll probably just bake it like a loaf next time 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the feedback. I agree they do take a bit of effort to prepare but the benefit is that you get a ton of meatballs out of this one recipe, so you can feed a bunch of people or enjoy them as leftovers. I’m glad you still enjoyed them 🙂
They were delicious 🙂
Can you freeze leftovers?
Yep! you should be able to freeze and reheat just fine.
I made this recipie tonight, with a few rougue combinations, they were delicious! I read a few of the comments about being mushy, so I did a few things that I thought would help firm them up. I added a flax egg, an extra tablespoon of flour (garbanzo bean) and I after pan-searing the meatballs, I ended up baking them for about 30 minutes.
Husband AND kid approved!
I’m so glad you liked them and I love hearing your modifications! When I make them, I end up adding flour too to help them stick, but I’m sure the flax egg helps too.
I am reading the comments and I think the size of the head of cauliflower probably makes a big difference! I am making them right now and had a HUGE head of cauliflower so I only used about 1/2 of it!
Hey! I have been wanting to try this recipe forever and tonight is the night. If I make a big batch, du you thing I will be able to freeze them? Or just the mixture without forming balls? Thanks a lot!
Hi Charlotte–I’m so glad you asked. I actually remade this recipe myself the other day and left the mixture in the refrigerator overnight. When I took it out the next day, it had completely dried up and I ended up having to add a good bit of water and flour to make the texture right again. For that reason, I’d say it’s best to form the meatballs right after you make the mixture. Once the meatballs are made, though, you can freeze them and reheat them! Let me know if you try them.
I sure will! I did freeze since I am away all week but I’ll take them out soon since I can’t wait to have more of them! thanks a lot!
Did they freeze well?
They should!
Hi Erin. I made these according to my taste: with a curry undertone, instead of italian, fresh parsley and grated cheese… I ended up adding 2 eggs in because with 2 cups of cooked quinoa and 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, it made a lot (more than 40 balls !). They were fairly fragile but I might try to squeeze dry the cauliflower next time. Anyways, they are AMAZING ! The cauliflower adds a very nice flavour. I just can’t stop eating them !!! Thank you so much for this recipe. They are so versatile. You can make them with any seasoning you want. Found you on Pinterest. Have a nice day !
Hi. Just wondering how much oil do you put in the skillet ? Are they suppose to be floating in the oil or just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet?
Also I don’t have breadcrumbs. Can I use quinoa flakes ?
Thanks 🙂
I’d say 1-2 tbsp of oil… just enough so that the meatballs don’t stick, but you don’t want them covered in oil or else they’ll become soggy. As for the quinoa flakes, I say go for it, though I haven’t tried it myself. You may need to add some additional spices to add flavor (since breadcrumbs are already flavored and quinoa flakes aren’t). Let me know if you try them!
These veggie balls are amazing. I made a variation of these, but most followed the recipe. I found that after you take the cauliflower out of the food processor, if you place it in a clean lint free towel or paper towels and squeeze the excess water out, they will be much firmer when you cook them on the stove.
Hi Tiffany, thanks for the feedback–I’ll have to give that trick a try next time I make them. I’m glad you liked them!
They look awesome dear one, I will definitely try them. Thanks for the recipe ❤️
Just made these yesterday- so delicious! Blogged about them and linked back to you today! Thanks for the recipe!
This looks yummy… I’ve made eggplant “meat”balls before, but never with cauliflower. Has anyone tried baking these instead of pan frying?
Hi Mandi, You’ll actually want to fry and then bake them. I tried baking them without frying them once and they didn’t hold together as well AND they weren’t as crispy around the edges. Let me know if you try them!
Thanks! I might throw a flax egg or some aquafaba in there to see how it works for binding too. I will keep you posted when I make them!
These were amazing. I love the versatility of cauliflower. I found that by roasting the cauliflower instead of boiling or steaming it, then processing it, made the mixture hold together. I did not have to add but 2 TBs of flour.
Hi Robyn, I’m so glad you liked them and good to know about the cauliflower. Thanks for the feedback!
These did not turn out well at all. I let them sit overnight to firm them up, based on other comments and they were still just giant balls of fried mush. I wonder if they need to be a lot smaller to cook through? Golf-ball sized seemed like part of the issue that prevented them from cooking through.
Hi Mary, I’m so sorry to hear that. I actually made the meatballs yesterday and decided to update this post with step-by-step photos and more specific recipe instructions. I found that adding 1-2 tbsp of flour into the mix helped to hold the meatballs together, or you can always add additional breadcrumbs if you don’t have flour on hand. I’ve made these several times and they’ve turned out every time. I hope you give them a second chance, and don’t hesitate to ask questions!
Tried these last night. A lot of work for a very poor result. The texture was closer to potato pancakes than meatballs and the flavor was uninspiring. I’m going to try it again substituting TVP for the quinoa, flour, and bread crumbs. Will let you know how they turn out.
I don’t know what I did wrong, but these were mushy so my family would not eat them. I followed the recipe exactly but couldn’t get them to firm up in the pan or the oven. So sad I wasted a head of cauliflower on this when I could’ve just roasted and chopped it up to throw into spaghetti sauce ?
Hi Melissa–I’m so sorry to hear that! I’m not sure what went wrong, but perhaps next time keeping the mixture in the refrigerator for a bit longer than the suggested 10-15 minutes would do the trick.
Just made these tonight and they’re really tasty!! I made most of them a little bigger than golf balls (tried a few larger than that but they didn’t hold together as well). They’re really flavorful (added a bit of salt as my Italian seasoning was salt free) and I’m so glad to rescue the poor cauli that was languishing in my fridge. Great recipe–thanks a lot!
Think I’ll try freezing a few too.
Thanks for the feedback Jillian–I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
I’m going to have to give these a try. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us, and may I add you are just adorable. Beautiful young lady!
think these can be frozen and reheated with good results?
I’m guessing yes, though I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you do!
is that 1 cup cooked or one cup dry then cook by directions on package?
It’s one cup dry! Thanks for catching that.
These look amazing! I love how simple they are!!
Wowww these look amazing! I have yet to make vegetarian style meatballs and i think this might be my kick in the butt to do it! Saving this recipe for later 🙂
Ummm, yes, please! These look awesome!
making these tonight as a “side” to our fish and kale. can’t wait!
Now these are my kind of meatballs! Just another reason to love cauliflower. It’s so versatile!
I hope you have a lovely weekend walking Miss Layla and a happy Easter too!
What a fun idea! I’d love to make these and drench them in marinara 🙂
Ughhhh that’s the ONLY way to eat them! Love me some marinara sauce.
Damn girl! These are awesome!
Wow this recipe is so simple yet I never ever would have thought to put these ingredients together! Genius! Can’t wait to try this, pinning!
Thanks Sam! 🙂
I have 3 more days of being totally vegetarian – I am thinking these “meatballs” need to happen – fingers crossed I can hold onto the leftovers for 3 days – these look phenomenal!
Yes these would be perfect!
so genius! i gotta try. or can i just come over? feed me
They’re all gone 😀