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Vegetarian meatballs for the win! These Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs are protein-packed, vegan and gluten free and perfect for meal prepping for the week ahead.
Who needs more meatless meals in their life? ME, and I’m guessing you too?! These Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs are just the thing to prepare on the weekend and enjoy throughout the week for lunch or dinner.
Quinoa is so versatile, and one cup packs 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Pretty impressive if you ask me. And of course, cauliflower is versatile. So much so, that I've even used it as the main ingredient in my favorite cauliflower smoothie.
I typically use it when making my caramelized onion quinoa or my broccoli cheddar quinoa mac and cheese, but these meatballs are a healthy and hearty dinner recipe that the whole family adores.
While the meatballs have a slight Italian flavor to them thanks to the Italian seasoning, you could technically omit that and customize them to your liking, then pair them with your choice of sauce.
Recipe features
- Vegan and gluten free
- The recipe makes 20-24 meatballs, so you can easily make them for a larger group or freeze them and enjoy them at a later date
- Packed with quinoa and cauliflower, so you’re getting protein and veggies at the same time!
Ingredient notes:
- Cauliflower - I like using frozen cauliflower rice instead of a head of cauliflower because it’s less messy and easier to measure in this recipe. But, make sure to squeeze all of the liquid out of it before using it.
- Quinoa - Always rinse it first to remove any starch from the outer layer. I like to cook the quinoa in advance so it’s ready to go when I want to make these meatballs. You can read more about why you should always rinse quinoa.
- Breadcrumbs - Regular or gluten free; can omit and only use flour if you prefer.
- Flour - For gluten free options, I recommend using buckwheat flour, chickpea flour or gluten free all purpose flour. If you’re not gluten free, regular all purpose flour will work.
- Milk - I used almond milk, but any milk will work.
- Spices - A combination of Italian seasoning, parsley and oregano gives these a mild Italian flavor, lending them to pair really well with marinara sauce or pesto. If you don’t want to go the Italian route, either omit the spices or use your own combination.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cook the quinoa and cauliflower. It helps to do this step ahead of time – a day or two in advance, even. But, essentially you’ll cook the quinoa over the stove according to the package instructions, and cook the cauliflower rice as well, squeezing out any excess moisture.
Step 2: Create the meatballs mixture. Transfer the cooked quinoa and cauliflower to a large mixing bowl, then add all of the remaining ingredients to that same bowl and use a fork to mix everything together.
Step 3: Form into meatballs. Use your hands to press the mixture into meatballs, about golf-ball size or a little larger. TIP: the mixture will be a little wet, so to avoid it sticking to your hands, wet your hands beforehand.
Step 4: Pan-sear. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet, then add the meatballs and pan-sear them for 5-8 minutes over medium heat until they’re golden brown on the outside. You can either pour your choice of sauce into the skillet or add it separately.
Expert tips and FAQs
- Frozen cauliflower rice will inevitably leave some moisture; to squeeze it out, transfer the rice to a cheesecloth or nut milk bag, then squeeze the moisture out over the kitchen sink. Alternatively, you can pour it on top of a few paper towels and do the same thing.
- If the mixture feels too wet, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour.
- Don’t want to use breadcrumbs? Simply use ¾ cup flour instead.
- Make sure to wet your hands before forming the mixture into meatballs so it doesn't stick to your hands.
- Serve the quinoa meatballs alongside mashed red potatoes, eggplant pasta or even this vegan mushroom pasta.
What kind of breadcrumbs should I use?
You can use regular or gluten free breadcrumbs, and either plain or seasoned. I do not recommend using Panko breadcrumbs in this recipe because they won’t hold the mixture together as well.
Can I use a head of cauliflower instead of cauliflower rice?
Of course. If you want to use a whole head of cauliflower, simply chop it into florets, then cook the cauliflower over the stove as you normally would. Drain, then transfer the cooked cauliflower to your food processor and pulse for a few seconds to create cauliflower rice.
You want the cauliflower to be cooked, not raw, so even if you use a whole head of cauliflower you’ll essentially be creating cauliflower rice.
Can you make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! I definitely recommend cooking the cauliflower and quinoa up to 1-2 days in advance so they’re ready to go when you want to make the meatballs. Then, the whole recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
More meatless meals
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa cooked
- 2 cups cauliflower rice cooked, moisture squeezed out
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup breadcrumbs regular or gluten free
- ¼ cup gluten free all purpose flour see notes
- â…“ cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 5 tablespoon water)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- If you haven't already, cook the quinoa and cauliflower rice according to the package instructions, squeezing any excess moisture out of the cauliflower rice using a cheese cloth or nut milk bag (or a few paper towels); place them into a large mixing bowl.
- Make the flax eggs: stir 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal and 5 tablespoons water together in a small bowl, then let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until the flaxseed absorbs the water.
- Next, add the garlic, breadcrumbs, flour, milk, flax eggs, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, and oregano to that same bowl.
- Use a fork to stir and mash everything together.
- Wet your hands, then use your hands to form the mixture into 20-24 meatballs; place them on a plate or platter. The mixture will be a little wet, so you'll have to press it together in your hands to form it into meatballs.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add the meatballs and pan-sear them for 5-8 minutes until they're golden brown on the outside. Be careful when turning them because they're a little fragile! You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
- Optional: pour marinara sauce (or sauce of choice) into the skillet and heat it for 1-2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in April 2015. It was updated with new text and photos in November 2021.
Laura Kirsch says
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!
Kindi Lantz says
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?
Mariana says
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!
Erin says
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 🙂
Mariana Abeid-McDougall says
They were delicious 🙂
Tina says
Can you freeze leftovers?
Erin says
Yep! you should be able to freeze and reheat just fine.
Katie says
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!
Erin says
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.
Eva says
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!
Charlotte says
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!
Erin says
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.
Charlotte says
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!
Jennifer says
Did they freeze well?
Erin says
They should!
Claudia says
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 !
Lola says
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 🙂
Erin says
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!
Tiffany says
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.
Erin says
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!