• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Fitchen
  • The Fitchen
  • Recipes
    • Meal Prep
    • Mains
    • Vegan
    • Snacks
    • Gluten Free
    • Sides
    • Salads
    • Dessert
    • Soup
    • Appetizers
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Home
    • DIY
    • Snack History
    • How to Start a Food Blog
  • Sports
    • MMA
    • Boxing
  • About
    • Contact
    • Work with us
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Appetizers
  • Sides
  • Snacks
  • Vegan
  • Gluten Free
  • Mains
  • Main Menu
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
×

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs

February 26, 2018 by thefitchen 16 Comments

Share

Pin175
Tweet
Share
Email
Print

This herbed cauliflower quinoa meatball recipe is a protein-packed vegetarian alternative. It combines riced cauliflower and quinoa with garlic and herbs for a savory, tender meatball that's perfect with pasta or veggie noodles!

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs in pan

Meatballs! Without meat. With cauliflower and quinoa instead! Wait, what? Are they still considered meatballs? I don't know. And I don't really care, either. Because they're GOOD and that's all that matters.

If these aren't technically meatballs, then let's talk about what they ARE:

  • Incredibly tasty over veggie noodles such as spiralized zucchini
  • Also yummy on top of regular pasta noodles
  • Hearty and filling
  • Easy to assemble and cook
  • FIVE simple ingredients (plus a couple basic seasonings)
  • Ideal for meal prep
  • Can be made ahead of time and heated up in the sauce of your choosing for 10-minute dinner situations
  • Delicious with red sauce, alfredo, white wine sauce, or pesto

See? The possibilities are endless. These vegetarian meatballs are the little engine that could. I'm especially loving them with zucchini noodles and my favorite spicy red pasta sauce (I'm digging DeLallo's spicy arrabbiata right now, because I caught it on sale obviously). I love that I'm getting a serving of plant-based goodness and I feel SO full afterwards.

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs Close up

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs Wooden Spoon

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatball on fork

Something else that I feel must be mentioned. I have been known to grab a few of these directly out of the fridge and dip them in aforementioned spicy pasta sauce. Is that weird? Maybe. Oh well. 🙆 No shame in my game.

These vegetarian herbed cauliflower quinoa meatballs are another recipe option that keeps those 2021 healthy eating goals on track WITHOUT being boring or leaving us hungry. There's plenty of protein, plenty of fiber, and plenty of flavor. No meat necessary. 💁 Sauce 'em up. Serve, and enjoy!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Meatballs


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: The Fitchen
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 16 meatballs 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups riced cauliflower
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • ¼ cup gluten free panko
  • 2 eggs (or vegan eggs)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 Tablespoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, combine riced cauliflower and quinoa. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add whisked eggs into the large bowl, then add panko, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix together until well combined.
  3. Form the mixture into balls about 2 Tablespoons in size. Arrange on the baking sheet. Place baking sheet into the oven and bake 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
  4. Serve over zucchini noodles, regular pasta, or veggies and top with your favorite sauce!

Notes

*To make this recipe vegan, swap out the eggs for flax eggs or vegan egg substitute of your choice.

* Nutritional facts are based upon one "meatball." I typically eat 3-5 of them when served with zoodles or pasta, but everyone's appetite and dietary needs are different. :)

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Oven

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 54
  • Sodium: 88 mg
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 3 g

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

« Honey Sriracha Shrimp Meal Prep
15 Minute Instant Pot Vegan Chili »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gabby

    January 09, 2021 at 9:29 am

    Hello! Excited to try this... can frozen riced cauliflower be used?

    Reply
  2. Nadeen

    November 19, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    Thank you for sharing! Do you have the nutritional facts associated with this recipe?

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      December 02, 2019 at 10:11 am

      Hi Nadeen! I've just updated the recipe with nutritional facts. I calculated everything for 1 meatball just to make it easier. Typically, I'll eat 3-5 meatballs when served alongside zucchini noodles or pasta.

      Reply
  3. Brooke

    August 16, 2018 at 8:27 am

    Sounds delicious!! Can Panko be substituted for regular bread crumbs?

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      August 17, 2018 at 6:50 am

      That should work just fine!

      Reply
  4. Becca

    August 06, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    I’m not a big fan of thyme, so I replaced it with oregano and basil. Loved them! Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      August 07, 2018 at 8:59 am

      Awesome – I'm glad you enjoyed!

      Reply
  5. Tori

    May 09, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Soooo, I tried making these and it was a bust. I followed the recipe and for some reason the mixture would not form balls. I tried adding more quinoa and then breadcrumbs to get it to form balls but it never worked out. Any sugestions?

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      June 06, 2018 at 7:51 am

      Hi Tori! I'm sorry to hear this recipe didn't work out. I wish I could give you a definite reason but it's hard to say without being there! Did they turn out too dry or too wet? You left the cauliflower raw, correct?

      Reply
  6. Shane

    March 29, 2018 at 10:56 am

    Made a double batch of these this week. I balled the 2nd part of the batch. i was going to freeze them for backing later. My wife loved them so much she asked me to go ahead and bake the whole thing. She had a road trip in her future and wanted to take them for savory snacks. We both enjoyed them very much. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      March 31, 2018 at 9:44 am

      I'm so glad you and your wife like these! I agree – they're perfect for savory snacks, too!

      Reply
  7. Kathy

    March 06, 2018 at 10:30 pm

    Can this be made with out eggs?

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      March 13, 2018 at 1:21 pm

      Yes! You can substitute flax eggs for the egg.

      Reply
  8. Sarah

    March 04, 2018 at 1:10 pm

    Do you cook/steam the cauliflower before mixing?

    Reply
    • thefitchen

      March 06, 2018 at 4:59 am

      No ma'am! Just riced cauliflower, uncooked.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower

Overnight Slow Cooker Oatmeal – Cinnamon Apple

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Gluten Free Potstickers

Israeli Couscous with Spinach and Mushrooms

No Bake Gluten Free and Vegan Protein Bars

The Fitchen - Copyright 2012 - 2021