Hey there, fellow food adventurers!
Let's be honest, sometimes we all need a break from the sweet stuff. Today, I'm thrilled to share a recipe that's as good for your body as it is for your taste buds: Moroccan-inspired chickpea powerballs, also known as 'neatballs' if you're feeling fancy!
These little wonders are seriously versatile. You can toss them straight into your mouth (I won't judge!), tuck them into a warm pita, or do what I love: serve them over a bed of fluffy couscous, drenched in a vibrant tomato sauce, and sprinkled with crunchy toasted almonds. The flavour combinations are simply divine.
Now, I know the ingredient list might look a bit long, but don't let that scare you! Most of them are just everyday spices that are probably already hanging out in your pantry, just waiting for their moment to shine. I'm a total cumin addict, so I go a bit wild with it, but feel free to adjust to your taste.
Moroccan Chickpea Powerballs
Yields: About 34 balls Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Powerballs:
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, diced super fine
- 200g (about 4 medium) mushrooms, diced very small
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes (adjust to your spice preference!)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 5 dried apricots, finely diced (these add a touch of sweetness that's just chef's kiss)
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- ½ cup nutritional yeast (or fine breadcrumbs, if you prefer)
- ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2-3 tbsp fresh parsley or coriander, chopped
- 1 heaped tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Olive oil for baking or sautéing
- Toasted almond flakes, for serving (optional but highly recommended!)
For the Tomato Sauce
- Use your favorite tomato sauce recipe or a jarred variety. Feel free to add a pinch of cinnamon, cumin, or nutmeg for extra flavour if you like!
Method
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat up a bit of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the diced onion and cook until it starts to soften. Toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant, and the onion is completely translucent. This is the base of our deliciousness!
- Prep the Chickpeas: While the onion and garlic are cooking, shred those chickpeas finely in a food processor or by hand if you’re feeling extra strong today. Set them aside.
- Cook the Veggies: Add the finely diced carrot and mushrooms to the onion and garlic mixture. Sauté until the carrot is cooked and the mushrooms have released their liquid and browned up. This is where the real magic starts to happen!
- Spice it Up: Stir in all the paprika, ground coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper or chili flakes. Cook for a minute or two on low heat, then stir in the tomato paste and sauté for another minute. Your kitchen should be smelling pretty amazing right now!
- Combine the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the veggie mixture with the shredded chickpeas, walnuts, lemon zest, diced apricots, herbs, and nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper. Get your hands in there and mix everything thoroughly. It's also good to use gloves if you are using fresh chilli
- Chill Out: Pop the mixture in the fridge for a few hours. This helps the flavours meld and the mixture to become easier to handle.
- Preheat & Prep: Get your oven heating up to 200°C (390°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Roll the Balls: Shape small amounts of the mixture into balls (I used about 20g per ball). Squeeze each ball to make sure they are well-packed and won’t fall apart during baking. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of flour to help bind. You should get about 34 powerballs from this recipe.
- Bake or Sauté: Brush your baking paper with a little olive oil, place the powerballs on it, and bake for 15 mins. Flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can pan-fry them, but do it gently! You want them nice and golden all over.
- Serve & Enjoy: Serve these little flavour bombs with your favourite tomato sauce over couscous or quinoa and don't forget to sprinkle those toasted almonds. These are equally great served in a salad or as part of a mezze board!
And there you have it! A batch of delicious, healthy, and super satisfying Moroccan Chickpea Powerballs. I hope you love them as much as I do.
Don’t forget to tag me on social media if you make this recipe! I'd love to see your creations! #EatWell #VeganPower #LazyCatKitchen (because sometimes we all need a little help!)
Until next time, happy cooking!