weeknight sticky sesame jalapeño chickpea meatballs
Luscious and saucy Asian-style vegetarian balls for a perfect Tuesday night (or any night) sup.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 jalapeño, deveined and seeds removed
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 cup olive or avocado oil
- 2 medium summer squashes, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- steamed rice, additional green onions, and sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, egg, breadcrumbs, jalapeño, green onions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pulse until a cohesive dough forms. If the batter seems too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of corn starch on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Form 12-16 tablespoon sized balls out of the chickpea dough and roll in the starch until coated.
- In a jar, add the 1/2 cup of soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup of water and shake until combined.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Brown the meatballs for 10-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes until each side is crisp and golden. Move to a plate.
- In the same pan, drizzle in another tablespoon of oil if needed. Saute the squashes for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and ginger for another minute. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil for 4-5 minutes.
- Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of starch with 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Add the slurry and the meatballs into the pan and toss everything an additional 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the veggies and meatballs.
- Serve with steamed rice, green onions, and sesame seeds, as desired.
Notes
*To store: Meatballs keep well un the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days.
*Squashes: I used a yellow squash and a zucchini. You can also sub in whatever veggie you'd like. Broccoli or asparagus would work great!