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Vegetarian Meatballs with Walnuts
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Vegetarian Walnut Meatballs with Garlic Tahini Sauce

These vegetarian meatballs get a triple dose of good fats from luscious walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, and creamy tahini. Serve them as an appetizer, entree, or sandwich!
Course Appetizer, Entree
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8 (3 meatballs + 1 T sauce)
Calories 247kcal
Author Marisa Moore

Ingredients

Vegetarian Walnut Meatballs

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 1 cup walnut pieces
  • ¼ cup oat flour
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • cup cooked chickpeas (1-15 ounce can, rinsed and drained)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for pan searing or baking

Garlic Tahini Sauce

  • ¼ cup tahini, lightly salted, room temperature
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Optional: toothpicks for serving

Instructions

  • Add the onion to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
  • Add the remaining vegetarian meatball ingredients. Pulse until the mixture comes together and is easily formed into a ball. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more oat flour.
  • Roll into 1-inch balls. (Tip: add a little olive oil to your hands for a cleaner rolling process.) Refrigerate 30 minutes up to overnight. The vegetarian meatballs can be cooked on the stovetop or baked in the oven.
  • On the stovetop: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the no-meatballs in batches. Turn to brown evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes. 
    In the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or prep with olive oil mister generously. Roll each ball in the olive oil. Place onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake 25 minutes, turning once halfway through cook time.
  • Remove from oven and let cool slightly before assembling.

Garlic Tahini Sauce & Assembly

  • Add all tahini sauce ingredients to a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  • Place the walnut meatballs on a serving platter. Drizzle with tahini sauce and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Note: The preparation time does not include the inactive time in the refrigerator or freezer. These vegetarian walnut meatballs can also be frozen and thawed for later. Serve them as an appetizer or entree.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal