Servings: 4
Calories: 599kcal
Ingredients
Quinoa Meatballs
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups riced cauliflower
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp allspice powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup coconut flour (or other light flour)
Coconut Turmeric Sauce
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric root
- 2 tsp Aleppo pepper (substitute 1 tsp crushed red pepper)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch ginger root, grated (2 heaping tablespoons)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cups light coconut milk, preferably from carton
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 limes 2 for sauce, 1 cut into quarters for serving
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cups cooked brown or basmati rice
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs together. Add the riced cauliflower, cooked quinoa and all remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well, pack down into the bottom of the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. NOTE: The meatballs will form much easier if your cauliflower is finely riced vs. being too chunky.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Use a large spoon and your hands to form meatballs. I like them to be about 3", bigger than a golfball but smaller than a tennis ball. Be delicate but make sure they are well formed. Place on a non-stick baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have 12-15 meatballs. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Set aside. If not using right away, let them cool completely and then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.
Coconut Turmeric Sauce
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add turmeric and Aleppo pepper and saute about 30 seconds until spices are fragrant. Add garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Add the vegetable stock first to deglaze and scrape up any spices. Once combined, add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add heavy cream and continue to simmer about 5 minutes. Sauce will thicken slightly. Add juice of 2 limes.
- Carefully add the meatballs to the sauce. Shimmy the pan around so they get fully coated. Simmer for 5-10 minutes on med-low heat. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over cooked brown or basmati rice. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with a quarter of a lime. Each serving has about 1/2 cup rice and 3-4 meatballs.
Notes
This is my adaptation of a phenomenal recipe originally created by "May I Have That Recipe's" blog.
I made their version several times and struggled with the meatballs being too fragile which got really frustrating. I also didn't like the mess and effort it took to cook the meatballs on the stove top so I decided to adapt it to be a baked meatball.
I have also adjusted the sauce recipe to make a larger amount, and to give it a richer flavor and texture. I use coconut milk from a carton (Pacific Foods or So Delicious). I just hate the cans. I find carton product to be much lighter which is why I add heavy cream at the end. If you use canned full fat coconut milk, you probably won't need the cream.
Aleppo pepper is very key to this recipe, so if you don't have it try to locate some. Aleppo adds heat, but also an earthy richness almost like adding a paprika or cinnamon. I think substituting crushed red pepper would work, but I'd also add a touch of cinnamon to the sauce in that case.
This recipe has become a cult favorite among my friends and is now lovingly known as "The Meatballs".
Yes, you can freeze these meatballs once they are baked! Cool completely and carefully transfer to a ziploc. Lay flat until frozen. Thaw in fridge the day you plan to make them.
Nutrition
Serving: 3meatballs | Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 637mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1187IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 4mg
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