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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
- ⅓ 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.
Tina says
They look awesome dear one, I will definitely try them. Thanks for the recipe ❤️
Rosey Rebecca says
Just made these yesterday- so delicious! Blogged about them and linked back to you today! Thanks for the recipe!
Mandi says
This looks yummy... I've made eggplant "meat"balls before, but never with cauliflower. Has anyone tried baking these instead of pan frying?
Erin says
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!
Mandi says
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!
Robyn says
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.
Erin says
Hi Robyn, I'm so glad you liked them and good to know about the cauliflower. Thanks for the feedback!
mary says
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.
Erin says
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!
DK Sweet says
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.
Melissa says
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 ?
Erin says
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.
Jillian says
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.
Erin says
Thanks for the feedback Jillian--I'm so glad you liked them! 🙂
Susan says
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!
Kristen says
think these can be frozen and reheated with good results?
Erin says
I'm guessing yes, though I haven't tried it. Let me know if you do!
Valerie says
is that 1 cup cooked or one cup dry then cook by directions on package?
Erin says
It's one cup dry! Thanks for catching that.
Rebecca @ Nourishing Blog says
These look amazing! I love how simple they are!!
Beverley Cheng says
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 🙂
Jen@jpabstfitness says
Ummm, yes, please! These look awesome!
Monique @ Burpees to Bubbly says
making these tonight as a "side" to our fish and kale. can't wait!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
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!
Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks says
What a fun idea! I'd love to make these and drench them in marinara 🙂
Erin says
Ughhhh that's the ONLY way to eat them! Love me some marinara sauce.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Damn girl! These are awesome!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
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!
Erin says
Thanks Sam! 🙂
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
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!
Erin says
Yes these would be perfect!
lindsay says
so genius! i gotta try. or can i just come over? feed me
Erin says
They're all gone 😀