Chickpea meatballs in tomato sauce, soft and tasty, are quickly prepared and cooked in a pan… a simple and light vegetarian dish, perfect for dinner. The meatballs are made in a few minutes with boiled chickpeas, breadcrumbs, eggs, and Parmesan, then browned in a pan and finally flavored in the tomato sauce. The recipe is very easy, rustic, and economical, a great alternative to classic meatballs… try it yourself!
Here are some other tasty ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 6 Hours 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2-3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 255.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.44 (g) of which sugars 2.78 (g)
- Proteins 12.39 (g)
- Fat 6.97 (g) of which saturated 1.50 (g)of which unsaturated 1.77 (g)
- Fibers 7.38 (g)
- Sodium 607.67 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 180 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 8 oz canned chickpeas
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic
- parsley
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (white or whole wheat)
- 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 9 oz tomato pulp
- 1 shallot (or half an onion)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- 2 Pans
- Food processor
- Bowl
- Paper towel
Preparation
Drain the chickpeas well from their liquid and put them in the food processor with a clove of garlic, a sprig of parsley, salt, pepper, and an egg.
Blend until you get a puree, transfer everything to a bowl, add the breadcrumbs, the Parmesan and mix well (1).
If the mixture is still too wet, add half a tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
With your hands, form round meatballs about the size of a walnut.
Heat a little oil in a pan, add the meatballs and let them brown for a few minutes, turning them gently a couple of times (2). When ready, remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.
In a separate pan, sauté the chopped shallot with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil,
Add the tomato pulp, season with salt, and let reduce over low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Now add the chickpea meatballs and let them flavor in the sauce for a few more minutes (3). Add a splash of hot water if the sauce dries out too much.
At the end of cooking, sprinkle as desired with additional chopped parsley or a handful of oregano.
The chickpea meatballs in tomato sauce are ready to be served… enjoy your meal!
Tips and Notes
Adjust the amount of breadcrumbs until you get a dough soft but firm enough to handle with your hands.
You can substitute the shallot with onion or another clove of garlic. You can add a pinch of chili to the sauce.
You can bake the meatballs in the oven instead of browning them in a pan: place them on a baking tray with parchment paper and bake at 350-375°F for about 15 minutes.
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