Spicy Harissa Vegan Meatballs
These spicy harissa vegan meatballs are versatile enough to add to salads, flatbreads, and more, making them perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 300 grams Vegan mince I used Beyond
- 11 dried apricots finely chopped
- 100 grams soft breadcrumbs depending on how ‘wet’ the mince is you may need more
- 3 medjool dates pitted and finely chopped
- 30 grams pistachios or pine nuts toasted, plus extra to serve
- 2 small shallots finely chopped (half for meatballs, half for sauce)
- 4 tablespoon Harissa Paste *see note
- 2 tablespoon olive oil only needed if pan frying the meatballs.
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped (3 for meatballs, 3 cloves for the sauce)
- 400 grams tin chopped tomatoes
- 400 grams tin chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 50 grams Vegan feta crumbled store bought or try my feta recipe
Optional to serve:
- 6-8 tablespoon Dairy free yogurt
- 60 grams parsley leaves picked and finely chopped
- 50 grams Fresh Mint finely sliced
Instructions
- Set up your mise en place: Chop up & weigh out all the ingredients.
- Make Meatball mixture: Tip the mince, apricots, breadcrumbs, half the onion and half the Harissa Paste into a large bowl with some seasoning.
- Roll meatballs: Mix well, using clean hands, and roll into 28-30 meatballs, transfer to a plate or tray and chill for 10 minutes. I weighed my meatballs to be around 30-32g each, this is enough for 4 meatballs per person (if serving 4 people)
Air Fryer method:
- Arrange the meatballs in the air fryer, keeping them separate, and then air fry the meatballs until lightly golden brown all over (we are not cooking them fully, just giving them a golden crust so they hold together in the sauce) – you may need to do this in batches.
- Scoop out onto a plate when browned using a flat spatula/turner.
Pan fry method:
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown all over. Scoop out onto a plate when browned using a slotted spoon – you may need to do this in batches. (we are not cooking them fully, just giving them a golden crust so they hold together in the sauce)
Make the sauce
- Start Sauce base: Heat oil in the pan and fry the remaining onion and the dates for 5 minutes until softened and sticky. Stir in the garlic, the remaining Harissa and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Add in the tomatoes, half fill the can with water swirl to get the last tomato bits out the can, then add the water to the pan, along with the drained chickpeas and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until nicely thickened and saucy.
- Bake the meatballs in the sauce: If using an oven safe pan, you can add the meatballs to the sauce and cook in the oven. Nestle in the meatballs and pour in any resting juices, then return to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and have absorbed some of the sauce.
- Scatter over the feta: and a few more pine nuts, then top with a swirl of yogurt and the fresh herbs.
Notes
*if you want it less spicy, sub 2 tsps of the harissa paste with 2 tsps of tomato paste
Storing & Freezing:
Storing: Keep leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Freezing: Freeze the meatballs and sauce separately in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. Freezing them separately will help maintain the best texture and flavor when reheating. Reheating: Thaw the meatballs and sauce in the refrigerator overnight if frozen. Reheat them together in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly warmed, stirring occasionally until fully warmed through.Nutrition
Serving: 4meatballsCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 318mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 713IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!