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Black Bean Quinoa Neatballs

Neatballs can be made with SO MANY different ingredients but this Black Bean and Quinoa combo is filled with protein and easy to make!

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How are we doing today? I am dealing with yet another dental issue but I won’t bore you with the details. Hope to have it rectified ASAP but on a brighter note, the SUN IS OUT and I think he’s sticking around for a few days☀️ 

Yesterday I stood at my fridge and looked at all the leftovers we had. I hate wasting food. Like one of my biggest pet peeves ever, so yesterday as I was scanning, NEATBALLS basically ran out of fridge and made themselves haha. I saw quinoa, black beans and tomato sauce. The makings for spaghetti and meatballs, how awesome is that?? I have made many a neatball in the past but these have the most flavour of them all. This is a two part recipe but it doesn’t HAVE to be. You can make the beans in advance or to make your life easier, use a can. I’m all for doing what feels right in the moment. As long as you have all the prep done, these bad boys take no time to whip up.

TERI ANN CARTY

Food Photographer and Recipe Developer based in Toronto, Canada. 

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Black Bean Quinoa Neatballs

Neatballs can be made with SO MANY different ingredients but this Black Bean and Quinoa combo is filled with protein and easy to make!
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Servings: 2 servings
Author: Teri-Ann Carty
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Rest Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 13 hours 10 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

BLACK BEANS INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup dried black turtle beans soaked overnight
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion small diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • ¼ tsp salt and cracked pepper
  • 5 cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ cup tomato sauce homemade

NEATBALLS INGREDIENTS

  • 1½ cup black beans cooked
  • 1 cup quinoa cooked and cooled
  • ½ cup basil roughly chopped
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 tbsp vegan parmesan heaping
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • handful baby spinach
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • pinch of chilli flakes
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • cracked pepper

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • pinch of cayenne (optional)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BLACK BEANS INSTRUCTIONS

  • In an instant pot, saute onion, garlic and olive oil.
  • Once soft, add in spices to toast for 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Add drained and rinsed beans and cover with water.
  • Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes and allow it to naturally release. If there is left over water, drain over a sieve.

NEATBALLS INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Place cooked black beans on parchment paper and spread evenly.
  • Place in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. The beans should dry out slightly but will still have moisture.
  • Saute garlic and onion and add to the food processor. Place everything into a food processor and pulse to combine. We are looking for texture, not puree. If the mixture is too wet, add more vegan Parmesan OR a couple tablespoons of bread crumbs. I didn’t find that necessary but you might.
  • Place parchment on a baking sheet. Roll balls (it's ok if they are very moist) and place in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat into the same pan as garlic and onion. Gently add neat-balls in.
  • Sear on all sides and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes turning half way.

SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS

  • Sauté onions, add garlic.
  • Add tomato paste and cook for 1 min.
  • Add tomatoes, cayenne and cook on simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
  • Add fresh basil and or spinach.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 848kcal | Carbohydrates: 129g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1404mg | Potassium: 2019mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2304IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 13mg

*Macros are provided as an estimate for convenience. Your final numbers will vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and how you portion the recipe.

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