bourbon bbq chickpea meatball bowls with minty mango salsa
Minty fresh saucy balls
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tsp smoked paprika, divided
- 1/3 cup fresh parmesan, shredded
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- coconut rice, to serve (recipe in notes)
minty mango salsa
- 2 mangos, chopped
- 2 jalapenos, deseeded and diced
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, walnuts, breadcrumbs, egg. garlic, brown sugar, 2 tsp smoked paprika, onion, parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until a course but cohesive batter forms. Rub your hands with oil and roll the batter into meatballs. You will likely get 12-16 depending on the size of your balls. Teehee.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently to crisp up all sides. Remove to a plate.
- To the same skillet, add the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 2 tsp smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, broth, and bourbon. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the meatballs to the skillet and gently baste with the bbq sauce.
- In a large bowl, combine the mangos, jalapenos, cilantro, mint, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
- Spoon coconut (or regular) rice into a bowl. Top with the meatballs and mango salsa. Enjoy!
Notes
*Coconut rice: In a sauce pot, combine 2 cups of white rice (I use jasmine), 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, and 2 tsp honey. Bring to a boil and cook with the lid off until the liquid falls below the rice.Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy!