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Quinoa Meatballs

17/11/2023

I can provide you with a recipe for quinoa meatballs that will be a tasty and healthy dish. If you’d like to try a variant with an Italian touch, we could add some grated Parmesan to enhance the flavor, but let’s proceed step by step.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of raw quinoa
  • 2 cups of water to cook the quinoa
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 zucchini, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Herbs of choice (such as parsley or basil), chopped
  • Olive oil for cooking

Preparation

  1. Rinse the quinoa well under running water to remove the saponin, that thin layer that can give a bitter taste.

  2. In a small pot, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil and add the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and let cook for about 15 minutes, or until the water has been fully absorbed. Let the cooked quinoa cool down.

  3. In a frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until they are soft and translucent. Add the grated carrot and zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes. Let the vegetable mixture cool down.

  4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, the vegetable mixture, the beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan (if you decide to use it), herbs, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well until the composition is homogeneous.

  5. Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F) and prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.

  6. Form meatballs of the desired size using moist hands, to prevent the mixture from sticking, and place them on the prepared tray.

  7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking, until the meatballs are slightly golden and crispy on the outside.

Serve the quinoa meatballs warm, perhaps with a side of vegetables or a light tomato sauce.

Curiosity

Quinoa is not technically a grain, but a “pseudo-cereal” rich in protein and gluten-free. Native to the Andes, it has been part of the local diet for thousands of years and was called the “mother grain” by the Incas. It is very versatile in cooking and lends itself well to vegetarian and vegan dishes.

If you have any preferences or dietary restrictions, let me know so I can adapt the recipe for you!