Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 1/2 cup minced carrot
  • 1/2 cup raw walnut halves
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetarian worcestershire sauce
  • Cooked pasta
  • Tomato sauce
  • Chopped fresh basil and / or shredded cheese

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Add the quinoa and broth to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, along with the onion and carrot.
  • Add the walnuts to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground (but not so far that it turns into a paste). Add the ground walnuts to the bowl with the quinoa. Next, add the chickpeas to the bowl of the food processor. Process until about half are pureed, but the rest still have some texture. Add the chickpeas to the large bowl, along with the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, parsley, oregano, basil and garlic. Mix until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed. Add the eggs, tomato paste and worcestershire to a small bowl and beat together with a fork. Pour the egg mixture into the large bowl and stir until well-combined.
  • Form the mixture into balls about 1 1/2-inches in diameter and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned. Serve as desired.