buffalo ranch chickpea meatball bowls
A break from holiday fare with a spicy bowl of meatball flare.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, homemade or store bought
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk, or whole milk
- rice, sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, to serve
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, walnuts, breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, egg, onion, garlic cloves, parsley, dill, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until a coarse but cohesive batter forms. Oil your palms and roll into 14-16 meatballs. Set on a plate.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning every 60-90 seconds, until all sides are browned. Remove.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet. Swirl in the smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, then the pumpkin puree, about 1-2 minutes. Pour in the buffalo sauce and milk. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Drop the meatballs back into the skillet. Baste with the sauce until coated and the sauce begins to stick to the meatballs.
- Serve meatballs over rice, or another choice grain, with chopped green onions and cilantro, as desired.
Notes
*Walnut substitute: Any other kind of nut will work in replacement of the walnuts in the meatballs. You can also use pepitas or sunflower seeds - just halve the written amount to account for the smaller size of the seeds.