30 minute mongolian meatballs
Ain’t messing with no fussy-ass balls today. We only got 30 minutes, peeps!
I joke a lot about balls and make inappropriate jokes etc. etc., but I really do cook up these recipes because chickpea meatballs have become a favorite in my household. The humble meatball – vegetarian-ified – can take on many guises, from Italian to Mexican, Swedish to, like today, Mongolian. And ya’ll, today’s recipe is definitely a keeper as far as the weeknight “what the fuck should I make?” battle rages forth.
Because let’s face it, no matter how busy you are, that question is the plague of many a Wednesday.
About a year ago I debuted my Mongolian Mushrooms, a well-loved dish, and today we’re cooking up a chickpea meatball riff that’s almost just as fast and certainly as tasty. Perhaps a bit more substantial if you need an extra little something-something aside from mushrooms. The meatballs are seared crisp and coupled with stir fried broccoli in a savory, toasty sauce. An extra drizzle or two in a bowl of rice is necessary.
30 minutes and you’ve got some fine-ass balls at your disposal.
Hey, Chick
Ya’ll have seen the chickpea meatballs before. And if you haven’t, ayyy, welcome. I like balls.
Because the sauce packs so much flavor in this dish, the meatballs are pretty simple, with the addition of fresh ginger and lots of garlic. Whip everything up in your food processor until no big chunks remain, but the batter is still textured. Key to prevent mushy balls.
Roll the batter into balls – I oil my hands every few meatballs to prevent stickage – and sear for 8-10 minutes. I turn mine every 75-90 seconds or so to ensure each side gets a nice crisp. I like to use sesame oil, but you can also keep to olive or avocado or whatever oil you have on hand. Move the balls off the plate once they’re all fried up.
Throw some broccoli florets into the same skillet and stir fry until crisp-tender but not mushy. You only need two or three minutes to achieve this texture, as the broc will continue to soften as it simmers in the sauce.
Sesa-Me Loves Sesa-You
Awwww.
While the meatballs cook – or the broccoli, kinda doesn’t matter – mix up your sauce. No chopping needed, just some soy, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Add some water at the end to mellow out the sodium bomb that is the soy sauce.
Once the broccoli darkens to a beautiful deep green shade, pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer. Whisk a cornstarch slurry of starch plus water and pour into the sauce. Then, add the meatballs back into the pan and baste the thickening sauce all over the balls and broccolis. The sauce will coat everything beautifully once the starch does its job.
Put together your bowls thereafter. I start with rice, usually white, and finish with some sesame seeds and green onions. Sometimes I steam up some extra veggies if I’m feeling a lack in my day.
Speaking of – definitely use whatever vegetables you have on hand if you don’t have or like broccoli. Snap peas, asparagus, peppers, all that shit works. I love using zucchini as well in any kind of stir fry situation.
Always love anything chucked over a big bowl of rice. Especially love when it takes no time at all to cook up. Cheers!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Feeling lazy? Have some stir fry, yo.
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30 minute mongolian meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 large onion, quartered
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- steamed rice, sesame seeds, and green onions, to serve
Instructions
- Dry the chickpeas very well by rubbing and patting with paper towels. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, walnuts, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until a coarse but cohesive batter forms. Oil your hands and roll into 12-16 balls.
- In a jar or bowl, shake or whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup of water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a skillet over medium. Brown the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning carefully every couple minutes to crisp all sides. Remove to a plate.
- Toss the broccoli into the skillet and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly crisp and bright green.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Whisk the corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir into the sauce. Add the meatballs back into the pan and baste with the sauce until it coats the meatballs and thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the meatballs and broccoli among bowls of rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, as desired.
